The NCAA News - News & Features

II project team develops financial aid models

After two meetings, the Division II Financial Aid Project Team has identified at least four options, or financial aid "models," for membership discussion. The task force also has conducted a survey of Division II members to compile information on current financial aid equivalency averages in each sport.

Two more meetings are scheduled October 22 and December 2 to organize a presentation and discussion of the project team's findings at the Convention.

The project team is seeking to inform the membership of available options and the possible outcomes of pursuing each of those options. It hopes that the membership will be prepared at the Convention to indicate its thoughts and preferences regarding financial aid.

The project team was formed in response to the adoption of 1996 Convention Proposal No. 29, a resolution that directed a study and evaluation of Division II financial aid. The resolution calls for a progress report on that study at the 1997 Convention and a decision on whether to propose -- no later than the 1998 Convention -- an alternative financial aid model or adjustments to the division's current model.

During meetings August 2 and September 30, the project team identified the following models for discussion by the membership:

* Maintain the current types of financial aid that can be provided to a Division II student-athlete and maintain the current limits on the number of financial aid awards (equivalencies) that can be provided in each sport.

* Create two subdivisions in the sport of football, each with different equivalency limits.

* Establish a need-based model in which institutions may award athletics scholarships up to the value of tuition, fees and books; anything beyond this value (up to the cost of attendance) must be awarded on the basis of a student's demonstrated need.

* Either increase or decrease the maximum equivalency limits in men's and women's sports to more closely reflect the level of aid being awarded by most Division II institutions.

The project team continues to invite suggestions -- including additional options -- from the membership for discussion at its next two meetings.

It also plans a mailing by early November to report results of its recent survey regarding equivalency averages in each sport (which prompted responses from 65 percent of Division II active and provisional members) and provide information on the four financial aid options. A summary of that information also will appear in an upcoming issue of The NCAA News.

The project team is chaired by Karen L. Miller, director of athletics at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Team members represent all regions of the country and also represent public and private and football-playing and non-football institutions.

Two members of the NCAA Committee on Financial Aid and Amateurism serve on the project team. They are Robert L. Heiny of the University of Northern Colorado and Christ Petrouleas of Wayne State University (Michigan).

Other project team members are Robert E. Burke of American International University; G. Jean Cerra of Barry University; Patricia A. Merrier of the University of Minnesota, Duluth; Kurt L. Patberg of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference; Wil G. Shaw of Morehouse College; Marjorie A. Trout of Millersville University of Pennsylvania; and James W. Watson of West Liberty State University.

Division II Vice-President Lynn L. Dorn is an ex officio, nonvoting member of the project team.