The NCAA News - News & Features

FARA executive committee plans initiatives for approaching year

Attendance at the meeting reflected changes in the officer structure that were ratified at the January 1996 FARA meeting.

The restructuring of the NCAA and the position of FARs in the newly organized NCAA were major points of discussion at the meeting. NCAA staff members from each division briefed the FARs on details regarding restructuring.

Research initiatives of FARA also were discussed. A survey of the entire membership of FARA is being developed under the direction of Glenn Wong and Carol Barr, both from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The results of the survey are expected to reveal information regarding activities and viewpoints relating to FARs on their campuses and in their conferences.

A particular focus of the survey is a determination of what FARs actually do on their campuses, what they would like to do if enabled, and what factors would aid them in better carrying out their duties.

The result of a recently completed survey of FARA conference liaisons was reviewed. That survey helped provide more information about FAR activities in conferences in all divisions.

Revisions of the FARA reorganization begun in January 1996 are continuing. Diane Husic from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania chairs a constitution committee that is reviewing and recommending changes in the FARA constitution and bylaws.

All aspects of FARA organization are under review, including an assessment of the committee structure. A new nominations committee will be put in place, and the function of the FARA legislative review committee will need to be altered.

Since Divisions II and III will retain their legislative conventions, it is likely that in those cases the legislative review committee will continue to function the way it currently does. However, since Division I no longer will conduct legislative conventions, changes will need to be made in that area.

The means by which FARs can influence legislation in Division I is being actively discussed by faculty representatives.

New initiatives for improving communications among FARs are underway. An internet mailing list for FARs is currently functioning under the direction of Vicki Hightower at Elon College, and other ways in which electronic communication methods can be employed also are being discussed.

Because the influence of conferences in the restructured NCAA will be enhanced, FARA also is studying means by which FARA conference liaisons can be involved more actively in facilitating the flow of information between FARs and FARA.