Columbus State University has formed a committee and hired a consultant to study the direction of the athletic program, which could include adding a football team.

The university announced the move in an email to faculty and staff this morning. A news release was put out early this afternoon.

Among the things the committee will consider is moving the athletic program to NCAA Division I. Currently the CSU teams, with the exception of the rifle team, compete in Division II.

A nine-member committee will work with Creative Marketing and Management – a Tuscaloosa, Ala.-firm led by former Troy University Athletic Director Johnny Williams – to learn more about what peer universities are doing, what costs are associated with such major athletic department moves, and what would be the benefits and drawbacks to changing divisions or adding football, according to the release. Columbus State University has added five sports over the past four years and currently fields 13 sports in the Peach Belt Conference, with women’s volleyball starting in the fall 2013. The coed rifle program competes in the Ohio Valley Conference.

CSU has a club football team that competes against club teams from other universities.