National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News Features

November 11, 1996

Restructuring proposals dominate grouping for Presidential Agenda Day

A total of 72 proposals -- two-thirds of them dealing with membership restructuring -- are scheduled for action on Presidential Agenda Day at the 1997 Convention, as a result of decisions by the executive committee of the NCAA Presidents Commission.

Included in the grouping are 19 proposals that are sponsored or cosponsored by the Commission.

The Commission officers who serve on the executive committee made decisions about Presidential Agenda Day during an October 23 telephone conference. All of the proposals included in Presidential Agenda Day will be voted upon by roll call.

The Convention is set for January 11-15 in Nashville, Tennessee. Presidential Agenda Day will be Monday, January 13.

Two-thirds of the proposals scheduled for consideration that day -- 48 proposals -- deal with aspects of membership restructuring.

Thirty-four of those proposals are on the agenda for the Division I business session. Five proposals -- including a membership proposal to delay the effective date of restructuring to February 1998 -- will be considered by the entire membership during Presidential Agenda Day's general business session.

Also scheduled for Presidential Agenda Day consideration:

  • Proposals resulting from the work of the NCAA Special Committee on Agents and Amateurism, including a proposal to permit Division I student-athletes work during the academic year and earn up to student's cost of attendance at the institution (two membership proposals offering alternative approaches also are included).

  • Financial aid proposals to permit Division I schools to award athletics aid during the summer term prior to a student's initial, full-time collegiate enrollment and to increase the scholarship limit in Division I men's basketball from 13 to 14.

  • Several initial- and continuing-eligibility proposals, including Division I proposals to designate prospects who post core-curriculum grade-point averages from 2.250 to 2.500 (and a corresponding minimum standardized-test score) as partial qualifiers and to award a fourth season of eligibility to partial qualifiers who receive a baccalaureate degree prior to the fifth academic year of enrollment.

  • A Division II proposal dealing with student-athletes' eligibility for competition after the 21st birthday.

  • Proposals dealing with preseason practice and maximum contest limitations in Division III basketball and football.

    At the 1996 Convention, 35 proposals were contained in the Presidential Agenda Day grouping. The record number of votes identified for roll call on Presidential Agenda Day is 95, set at the 1991 Convention.

    The 72 proposals in this year's grouping are accompanied by 17 amendments-to-amendments.

    All proposals for the 1997 Convention (currently totaling 149) will be published in the Official Notice of the Convention, which will be mailed from the national office November 15. Proposed legislation will be previewed in a series of articles in The NCAA News.