The NCAA News - Digest

May 27, 1996

• Eight institutions newly certified; another five are reclassified
• Transition Team divides work among five subcommittees
• Recommendations expected from governance issues group
• Survey sent to membership for guidance on subdivision issue
• Legislative Review Committee begins work on Bylaw 17

CERTIFICATION

Eight institutions newly certified; another five are reclassified

The NCAA Committee on Athletics Certifica-tion recently announced decisions concerning the certification of 14 NCAA Division I member institutions.

Eight institutions were certified and one was certified with conditions. Five institutions were reclassified as certified.

Those institutions receiving a designation of certified were American University, Ball State University, Monmouth University (New Jersey), Northwestern University, Samford University, Southeast Missouri State University, the U.S. Naval Academy and Wright State University. Chicago State University received a designation of certified with conditions.

The committee also reclassified five institutions as certified. Those institutions are Bethune-Cookman College, Charleston Southern Uni-versity, Idaho State University, St. Francis College (Pennsylvania) and Western Kentucky University.

Staff contact: David A. Knopp.

DIVISION I

Transition Team divides work among five subcommittees

The Division I Management Council Transi-tion Team has formed five subcommittees to examine restructuring transition issues.

The Management Council Transition Team met for the first time May 15 in Dallas.

The subcommittees and their chairs are: substructure, James Jarrett, Old Dominion Univers-ity; financial issues, Laurence C. Keating Jr., Seton Hall University; diversity/term rotation, Vivian L. Fuller, Northeastern Illinois University; legislative process, Arthur W. Cooper, North Carolina State University; and Division I-AA football issues (no chair selected).

Also, the Big East Conference announced that Keating and Carol J. Sprague of the University of Pittsburgh will serve as its representatives to the Management Council Tran-sition Team. They had been announced on a tentative basis earlier this month.

Staff contact: Stephen R. Morgan.

DIVISION II

Recommendations expected from governance issues group

A Division II project team focusing on governance issues expects to make recommendations in time for consideration at the first in-person meeting of the Division II Manage-ment Council Transition Team.

The transition team is expected to meet either June 18 or 19 and will receive the project team's recommendations at that time. The transition team in turn will make recommendations to the Division II Presidents Council Transition Team regarding proposed legislation for the 1997 NCAA Convention.

The governance project team was formed in April to discuss a variety of issues, including the Division II committee structure, details of committee composition (such as length of terms; representation by position, district or region; and Management Council representation on committees), a nomination and selection process, coaches' and student-athletes' participation in Division II governance, and identification of a body or bodies to act between meetings of the Management and Presidents Councils.

Staff contact: Nancy L. Mitchell.

DIVISION III

Survey sent to membership for guidance on subdivision issue

A survey requesting feedback on five proposals for subdividing Division III championships in team sports has been sent to the Division III membership from the Division III Task Force to Review the NCAA Membership Structure.

The task force discussed models for the division's championship structure that would provide a better ratio of participation to member institutions and bring the championships in line with the division's composition.

The task force plans to review responses to the survey during a June 8 meeting in Marco Island, Florida.

For more information, see the May 20 issue of The NCAA News.

Staff contact: Daniel T. Dutcher.

DEREGULATION

Legislative Review Committee begins work on Bylaw 17 The NCAA Legislative Review Committee recently began deregulation efforts with playing-and-practice-seasons legislation.

NCAA Bylaw 17 was targeted in March as the next step in the committee's attempt to simplify portions of the NCAA Manual.

At its May 6-7 meeting, the Legislative Review Committee reviewed recommendations from various coaches associations, the committee itself and the NCAA staff.

The committee is focusing on three areas as it studies Bylaw 17, which contains 140 pages in the 1996-97 Manual.

Staff contact: Stephen A. Mallonee.