The NCAA News - News & Features

Restructuring, amateurism issues to top Council meeting

The Transition Oversight Committee will report to the Council on the status of membership restructuring, which is to be finalized at the 1997 NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. Again this year, the legislative attention to restructuring will be substantial, with 47 of the 147 proposals contained in the Second Publication of Proposed Legislation relating to that topic.

The special committee on agents also reported to the Council in August, at which time the Council agreed to sponsor legislation that would allow Division I student-athletes who are on full grants-in-aid to earn up to the full cost of attendance with out-of-season employment and would liberalize the policy regarding how Divisions I and II student-athletes may participate in activities related to radio, television, film, stage and writing projects.

The Council also supported the special committee's recommendations to develop an extensive education program aimed at informing student-athletes, coaches and administrators about issues related to sports agents; to develop a set of agent-related sanctions and deterrents for institutions and student-athletes; and to work with state legislatures to develop uniform state laws governing agent/runner activities.

However, the Council declined to support legislation that would permit student-athletes to receive loans based on their earnings potential as professional athletes and also referred back to the committee a proposal that would eliminate the practice of institutions selling commercial products bearing the name or image of student-athletes.

The only other item listed under "major issues for discussion" at the meeting is a review of the September 24-25 meeting of the NCAA Presidents Commission.

The three division steering committees also will meet, with each planning to discuss restructuring transition matters from its own perspective. In addition to routine matters, such as Convention planning and a review of proposed legislation, the Division I Steering Committee will hear a report from the NCAA Committee on Athletics Certification.

Committee reports

The agenda also includes reports from the following committees: Academic Requirements, Eligibility, Legislative Review, Student-Athlete Advisory and Two-Year College Relations Committees; the Committees on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, Financial Aid and Amateurism, Infractions, and Review and Planning; the Administrative Review Panel; and the Council Subcommittee on Initial-Eligibility Waivers.

The Council also will review the governmental affairs report; review the Administrative Committee report on interim actions and other matters; review the membership report and membership applications, requests and appeals; review circumstances that resulted in probationary membership and restricted membership; and consider routine or noncontroversial legislation.

Highlights of the Council meeting will be reported in the October 21 issue of The NCAA News. Minutes will appear in a future issue of The NCAA Register.