The Five Toughest Jobs in SU Sports Part Two of Five

Running down the hallway. Sleeping on the desk. Cutting class. It happens. Young people sometimes say that rules are made to be broken. But for the 43 year-old Southern University Athletic Compliance Coordinator Deborah Paul, she follows, and knows, every rule. It’s her job as an enforcer.
“It requires you to be a stickler to the rules because if you break the rules you have to report it to the NCAA,” Paul said. “You have to read and interpret the rules, in some instances you have to tell coaches and students ‘no’.”
“You can’t come in and be everybody’s friend,” she said.
Paul’s job requires her to monitor recruiting, support services, ensuring that students are not practicing over 20 hours a week, academic services and sending in NCAA records on time. There is also a gender equity rule that must be followed.
For example if male athletes are allowed to eat steak on the road the women receive the same luxury, or if the men take a luxury bus for travel then so does the women. No one will be wedged on a scruffy van all the time.
On the business side, Paul spends every Monday and Tuesday in meetings with the director, associate director and coaches to discuss a week in review.
Outside of Paul’s office hangs a flyer listing the dates for class scheduling, and a several page list, on an already crowded bulletin board, with honor student athletes. Paul, a Southern alumnae and communications major, monitors grades also.
Upon graduation, athletes complete exit interviews to find out about their experience at Southern as a student athlete so that future prospects can have a better experience.
It’s a tedious job that requires reporting to the NCAA regularly or the program could be in jeopardy of probation or suspension.
Just recently, in February, Florida A&M University Athletics was placed on four years probation for violation of more than 200 NCAA rules stemming from 1998 to 2004, the FAMUAN reported. The punishment was handed to FAMU Athletics because of mishandling grants and aid to athletes. According to the report, the compliance coordinator and four athletic advisors were replaced.
In March, at the University of Colorado at Boulder, months of investigation uncovered allegations that alcohol and sex were used to recruit football players. The CU website also reported that sexual assault allegations were made by nine women against athletes since 1997. As a result the university made several changes to the athletic department over the next five years with annual performance and financial evaluations of the department.
“Quite often she’ll (Paul) have to tell a coach ‘no’,” said Athletic Director Greg LaFleur “And from an athletic director stand point I have to stand by her. I know a lot out of that book but things move so fast I have to rely on her.”
Lafleur pulled out a NCAA rulebook the size of a college textbook from his shelf for emphasis. When incidents like that occur, Paul said it could be used as a learning tool as of what methods the compliance coordinator used to correct the mishap.
“I know at schools they compete in sports, but compliance coordinators are very close knit,” Paul said. “There is no reason to go and reinvent the wheel.”
Paul hails from Ville Platte (French translation of Flat Ville), a small city of approximately 8,200 situated right outside of Lafayette. She worked as a communications manager for the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance for nine years.
Over that time, Paul said she wanted to work closer to students. She came back to her roots at Southern, but only stayed for one year as a financial aid counselor. After that she transferred to Louisiana State University where she worked for three years as a student aid counselor, then assistant director for loans.
In all, she couldn’t stay away for long, and now resides in a huge corner office with two windows. Throughout her day, or evening, which can end up with her staying after practices, Paul, now five years on the job, delivers news to coaches and players about eligibility.
It pays to follow the rules.
“I tell them don’t kill the messenger,” Paul said. “I’m just the message.”