The NCAA News - News & Features

A capital idea -- NCAA's D.C. office has served Association well in its first year

BY SALLY HUGGINS
STAFF WRITER

Acceptance as part of the higher education community; better service to NCAA member institutions; and a friendlier, less adversarial relationship with Capitol Hill are what the NCAA has gained in its first year of maintaining an office in Washington, D.C.

The Association opened its Washington office April 14, 1995. The office has flourished, handling calls from members of Congress, federal agencies, higher education associations and NCAA members seeking information, input on issues and help in dealing with problems.

An early and intuitive decision by Doris L. Dixon, director of federal relations, and other NCAA administrators was to locate the office at One Dupont Circle alongside other higher education associations -- including the American Council on Education.

"Because of our office location, we are perceived as and treated as one of the higher education associations," Dixon said. "It has improved and developed our position with the higher education community."

As a result of that closer relationship, NCAA Executive Director Cedric W. Dempsey was elected last month to the Washington Higher Education Association Secretariat, making him one of only three representatives from outside the Washington area. The other two represent the American College Board and ACT.

Assisting Dixon in the Washington office are Daniel A. Nestel, federal relations assistant, and Zandra Chestnut, administrative assistant. The three staff members, with occasional help from interns, stay busy answering questions from member institutions, establishing contacts on Capitol Hill and in the higher education community, and acting as the eyes and ears of the NCAA.

"Gradually over the past year, we have seen increased communication and reliance by staff and the membership on our services," Dixon said in a year-end report. "I believe that our efforts helped establish a visible NCAA presence in Washington. We have strived to provide detailed, useful information in every area of interest to the NCAA membership and staff.

"Even though we in the Washington, D.C., office are 1,000 miles from the national office, we never lose sight of our responsibility to work cooperatively as a team with the NCAA staff and membership."

Making the change

Before 1995, the NCAA was represented in Washington by the law firm of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey. That relationship dated back to the 1960s, when Mike Scott became the Association's representative in the nation's capital.

Among other things, Scott helped guide the NCAA through litigation and congressional hearings related to disputes among the NCAA, the Amateur Athletic Union and the Olympic movement.

Through Squire, Sanders and Dempsey, Scott also provided the Association with quarterly reports on federal affairs related to intercollegiate sports.

But Scott's decision to retire in 1994 prompted the NCAA to choose between two options: Continue relying on legal representation in Washington, or establish a physical presence there. The Association decided it would be less expensive and more effective to set up a satellite office in Washington.

"We dedicate all of our time to serving the NCAA membership and its needs," Dixon said. "The law firm had lots of clients."

After opening the office, another question arose: Should the NCAA register as a lobbying organization?

Dixon said consultations with the House and Senate Ethics Committees resulted in a decision not to register, because the Washington office does not devote more than 20 percent of its time to pure lobbying activities -- the threshold established by a recently adopted law that requires registration by lobbyists.

Scott was a registered lobbyist, but Dixon says conditions have changed since his retirement.

"Congress now has its eyes on other issues and nothing is overtly threatening," Dixon said. "We monitor through phone calls. I meet with a lot of people and say, 'Can you tell me what is going on with this?' "

As a result, Dixon spends much of her time meeting with members of Congress -- keeping lines of communication open and providing information when requested.

Spreading the word

As soon as the office opened, Dixon visited numerous congressional offices -- those of both historical friends and foes of the NCAA -- and touted NCAA services available to members of Congress.

One introductory visit resulted in the NCAA being asked to provide Title IX-related language for the House Appropriations Fiscal Year 1996 Committee Report. Another visit generated an invitation for the Association to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee on the Amateur Sports Act.

Dixon said the visits have helped produce a marked increase in congressional staff inquiries related to legislative matters involving intercollegiate athletics.

Title IX and related policy guidance is a major issue Dixon and her staff have dealt with during the past year. Another issue has been graduation-rates disclosure and negotiations with the U.S. Department of Education on how to comply with the Student Right-to-Know Act.

The Washington office strives to play an informational role, rather than take a stance on issues. That effort even extends to Dixon's practice of sending letters to members of Congress notifying them of championship events in their districts and championship winners from back home.

Dixon also is mindful of the importance of providing information to the NCAA membership. For example, the Washington office distributed advance copies of the U.S. Office for Civil Rights' recent Title IX policy guidance document to the NCAA staff, NCAA Executive Committee and Committee on Women's Athletics, and the College Football Association and American Football Coaches Association.

The Washington office also reports regularly on federal and state government activity. It compiles a state legislation report -- a summary of bills before state legislatures concerning intercollegiate athletics -- and continues to compile the quarterly governmental affairs reports previously provided by Squire, Sanders and Dempsey. Those reports are published in The NCAA News.

Draws from experience

Before Dixon joined the NCAA staff, she was a congressional staff member. She believes her experience on Capitol Hill has been invaluable in establishing a friendlier, less adversarial image for the NCAA in Washington.

Dixon was a top aide to Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi for six years, assisting Cochran in his work on the Senate Labor and Human Resources Subcommittee on Education as well as the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. In those capacities, she worked closely with the NCAA on the development of the Student Right-to-Know Act. She also advised Cochran on Title IX matters and other education issues of interest to the Association.

From 1985 to 1989, Dixon was a legislative specialist with the Office of Legislation of the U.S. Department of Education, and from 1982 to 1985, she worked in the office of Rep. Harold Ford of Tennessee.

Looking ahead, Dixon hopes that the implementation of restructuring will enable the Association to give more attention to determining NCAA policy on issues before Congress.

"We've been pretty neutral on things," she said.

Dixon also hopes to establish a closer working relationship with NCAA staff members in Overland Park, Kansas.

But Dixon is pleased with what already has been accomplished.

"The first year of the NCAA's federal relations office has been a successful one. We started in high gear and have gone full steam ahead," Dixon said. "I look forward to another good year."