National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News Features

November 25, 1996

Convention focuses on restructuring details

This is the second of seven articles on legislation that has been submitted for the 91st annual NCAA Convention January 11-15, 1997, in Nashville, Tennessee. The article reviews proposals in the NCAA Presidents Commission grouping relating to restructu ring.

One year after its momentous decision to embrace restructuring, the NCAA membership will gather at the 1997 Convention to put in place the details of a new governance structure.

In 1996, Convention delegates overwhelmingly endorsed the formation of a more fully federated Association with increased presidential control. Since then, transition teams of chief executive officers and athletics administrators have hammered out agreemen ts on construction of Association-wide and division-specific committee structures and the composition of the divisions' governing bodies.

In Nashville, delegates will be asked to endorse those agreements and other restructuring details.

The votes will be taken January 13 -- Presidential Agenda Day. Delegates will gather first in a general business session, where the first item on the agenda is a Midwestern Collegiate Conference proposal to delay the effective date of restructuring from A ugust 1, 1997, to February 1, 1998.

The sponsors are asking the membership to provide extra time for "fine tuning" of the new governance structure and to create one last opportunity to change that structure at the 1998 Convention. But the proposal is opposed by the NCAA Transition Oversight Committee.

Next, the membership will tackle the day's most detailed proposal -- a new committee structure devised by the Transition Oversight Committee and the division transition teams.

Effectiveness and efficiency

Sponsored by the NCAA Council and Presidents Commission, Proposal No. 28 seeks to implement a committee structure that the Transition Oversight Committee hopes will function "effectively and efficiently" in a federated Association.

The proposal would federate most current functions of the Association and assign responsibility for those functions to committees within each division (and to cabinets in Division I).

But the proposal also calls for the establishment of 11 Association-wide committees, including 10 currently existing groups: the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports; the Honors, Memorial Resolutions, Minority Opportunities an d Interests, National Youth Sports Program, Olympic Sports Liaison, Postgraduate Scholarship, Research, and Walter Byers Scholarship Committees; and the Committee on Women's Athletics.

The 11th committee is a new one -- a Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Committee charged with promoting those qualities within the Association.

Proposal No. 28 also calls for the establishment of another class of committees -- "common" committees. Currently existing sports committees with playing-rules and/or multidivision championships administration responsibilities would be included in this cl ass, along with an Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse Committee composed of representatives from Divisions I and II.

Other parts of Proposal No. 28 dealing with division-specific committee structures will be handled during Presidential Agenda Day's division business sessions. But the entire membership will deal with a membership proposal (and an amendment-to-amendment) seeking to specify the duties of Division I-AA representatives on the Special Events Committee before moving into the division sessions.

Division I committees

Division I members will act separately on a section of Proposal No. 28 that would establish a cabinet/committee structure.

Proposal No. 28-N would establish four cabinets:

Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet. This cabinet will oversee the activities and appoint members of the Initial-Eligibility Waivers Committee and Committee on Financial Aid and Amateurism, as well as Division I members of the Initial-Eligibilit y Clearinghouse Committee.

Championships/Competition Cabinet. This group will oversee Division I representation on the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports and the common rules and championships-administration committees, and also will oversee Divi sion I sports committees and a new Football Issues Committee.

Strategic Planning Cabinet. The cabinet will oversee Division I representation on the Minority Opportunities and Interests, National Youth Sports Program, Olympic Sports Liaison and Research Committees, and the Committee on Women's Athletics.

Business/Finance Cabinet. This group will review and make recommendations regarding revenues and expenses of Division I and other financial issues.

The Division I structure also would include four committees that will report directly to the Division I Management Council -- the Committees on Athletics Certification and Infractions, the Infractions Appeals Committee, and a Division I Student-Athlete Ad visory Committee. Division I members of the Honors, Postgraduate Scholarship and Walter Byers Scholarship Committees also would report to the Management Council.

Other proposals slated for consideration by Division I address details of the cabinet/committee structure. Those include two membership proposals that would prohibit a subdivision from holding more than 50 percent of a cabinet's or committee's available p ositions, as well as proposals seeking to guarantee minimum conference representation on those bodies.

Governance structure details

Also on the Presidential Agenda Day schedule in Division I is a proposal addressing diversity of representation on the Division I Board of Directors and Division I Management Council and a variety of proposals addressing details of subdivision and confere nce representation in the governance structure.

The Council is sponsoring the diversity proposal, which establishes minimal goals for gender and ethnic-minority representation on the governing bodies. The proposal calls for the 15-member Board of Directors to include at least one ethnic-minority repres entative and at least one representative of each gender. The proposal specifies further that "a single member shall not be considered to meet both minimums."

It also calls for the 34-member Management Council to include representation comprising at least 20 percent ethnic minorities and at least 35 percent of each gender. The proposal would establish a process for attaining the diversity goals.

The Ivy Group and Southern Conference are sponsoring an amendment-to-amendment to the diversity proposal that would move language detailing that process from Bylaw 30 to the constitution, thus making future alteration of the process much more difficult.

A series of proposals cosponsored by the Council and member conferences would serve to establish conference responsibility for the selection, rotation and removal of Divisions I-AA and I-AAA representatives on the Board of Directors and Management Council .

The only apparent point of disagreement on those matters involves selection of chairs for the governing bodies and the cabinets. Division I members will consider competing proposals from the Council and from conferences that seek to establish a rotation o f chairs involving all subdivisions.

The Council proposal would ensure that each subdivision has at least one representative serving as chair of the Board of Directors, the Management Council or one of the four cabinets at all times. The competing proposal from the Metro Atlantic Athletic an d Southern Conferences would specify that representatives of a subdivision may not serve concurrently as chairs of both the Board of Directors and Management Council and that the combined cabinets shall have at least one chair from each subdivision.

Other proposals addressing the Division I governance structure include two proposals that would permit conferences to select alternate representatives for Management Council meetings. Three conferences are sponsoring a proposal permitting the designation of permanent alternates who may attend and participate in any Management Council meeting, while the Council proposes limits on alternate attendance.

Division I members also will act on a proposal to establish an Administrative Committee to handle routine administrative functions between regularly scheduled meetings of the Management Council. The Administrative Committee would draw its members from the Management Council and would feature representation of all subdivisions.

Other proposals

Division I members also will consider proposals addressing the legislative process, Division I-AA governance and the interpretations process, as well as proposals addressing details of revenue guarantees adopted at the 1996 Convention.

Legislative process: These proposals include legislation that would detail who can initiate proposed legislation or take action to override decisions of the governing bodies. A membership proposal would establish a provision by which 100 member insti tutions can call a special legislative Convention, but the Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council prefer an approach enabling a regular or alternate member of the Board of Directors or Management Council to initiate the division's legislative process.

Division I-AA governance: The Council and Presidents Commission are sponsoring a proposal to establish a Division I-AA Governance Committee of the Division I Management Council that would have authority to act for Division I-AA Management Council mem bers on legislative issues involving I-AA football. The proposal stems from concern that a large number of Division I-AA institutions that are members of football-only conferences will not otherwise have conference representation in the new governance str ucture. Membership proposals addressing override provisions for legislation involving Division I-AA football and procedures for the modification of limits on football grants-in-aid also are on the agenda.

Interpretations process: The Council and Presidents Commission are sponsoring a proposal permitting review by the Academic/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet of interpretations and providing final interpretive authority to the Management Council (subject to the Board of Directors' general powers of ratification, amendment or rescission).

Revenue guarantees. These proposals include one requiring a Division I Committee on Marketing to review and the Management Council and Board of Directors to approve any marketing venture pursued jointly by the Association and Division I conferences.

Division II

Division II members will be asked to approve a proposed governance structure that features the creation of a Division II Administrative Committee and a Budget and Finance Committee, and also will vote on a section of Proposal No. 28 that would establish e ight division-specific committees.

The Administrative Committee would include the chairs and vice-chairs of the Division II Presidents Council and Management Council and one other chief executive officer from the Presidents Council as members. The committee would be empowered to act on beh alf of the councils between meetings of those groups.

The Budget and Finance Committee would include four Presidents Council and three Management Council members, including the vice-chairs of both groups. It would be charged with reviewing all preliminary matters related to the division's budget and financia l affairs, and would advise the councils on budget and finance issues.

Other proposals address organization of the Division II Presidents and Management Councils. The proposals would retain many features of the current governance structure, including criteria governing eligibility for re-election, election of officers and co nduct of meetings. The proposed legislation also would designate the chair and vice-chair of the Presidents Council as Division II representatives on the Association-wide Executive Committee.

The portion of Proposal No. 28 seeking to establish a Division II committee structure (Section O) specifies the creation of Academic Requirements, Championships, Eligibility, Legislation, Membership, Nominating and Student-Athlete Advisory Committees and a Committee on Infractions. The proposed legislation would establish eligibility requirements and terms of office for committee service, while detailing the composition of the committees and their duties.

Proposal No. 28-O also would establish Division II sports committees with championships administration responsibilities.

Division II also will consider proposals that would:

Move up the effective date for legislative sponsorship requirements approved at the 1996 Convention from August 1, 1997, to immediately upon adjournment of the 1997 Convention.

Revise the Division II philosophy statement, including such substantive changes as a statement of belief in "equitable" (rather than "broad") participation and competitive excellence and in "ethical conduct," recognition of Division II's regionalizat ion policy in championships competition, and elimination of language referring to institutions "aspiring to membership in some other division or those unable to subscribe to all of the aspects of the Division II philosophy."

Exclude Division II institutions that have notified the Association of an intent to reclassify a sport to Division I from eligibility for the Division II championship in that sport.

Require provisional members to complete an "educational assessment."

Division III

Division III members will consider proposals to establish an Administrative Committee similar to the one envisioned in Division II and revise the composition of the Division III Management Council, and also will vote on a section of Proposal No. 28 creati ng eight division-specific committees.

The proposal addressing the Management Council will add three more members to the 16-member council that was approved at the 1996 Convention. One notable feature of the proposal is its inclusion of two voting student-athletes on the Management Council.

Proposal No. 28-P calls for the creation of Budget, Championships, Eligibility and Infractions, Financial Aid and Awards, Interpretations and Legislation, Membership, Nominating, and Student-Athlete Advisory Committees, as well as sports committees to gov ern Division III championships.

Also scheduled for consideration is a proposal to increase sports-sponsorship requirements for Division III membership.

Under the proposal, members would be required to sponsor five men's and five women's sports, including three men's and three women's team sports. The proposed requirements, which would be effective in August 2001, are intended to increase Division III's c ommitment to broad-based athletics programs.

Other issues

The Association's restructuring also prompted proposals addressing the Association's provisional-membership requirements and the conduct of championships.

Provisional membership: The Council and Presidents Commission are sponsoring a proposal for all three divisions that would increase the length of the provisional-membership period for new Association members from three to four years. The proposal is designed to provide additional time for education and to achieve full compliance with NCAA legislation.

Championships: These proposals include one requiring approval of the entire membership that would establish a procedure for the creation of National Collegiate (multidivision) championships. The proposal would permit each division to act through its governance structure to approve such championships, contingent upon satisfaction of current minimum sponsorship criteria, which would remain unchanged.

The other proposal will be considered in Division I. It would formalize an agreement among constituencies in that division that no more than one Division I national championship may be conducted in each men's and women's sport. The proposal exempts footba ll.

Summary

Following is a summary of proposals in the Presidents Commission grouping relating to restructuring, including the sponsor of each proposal, any positions taken on the proposal by NCAA committees or the Council or Presidents Commission, and the business s ession in which the proposal will be considered.

No. 7: Delay the effective date of all legislation related to the revised NCAA membership structure until February 1, 1998. Sponsored by the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. Transition Oversight Committee position: Oppose. Opposed by Council and P residents Commission. General business session; all divisions voting.

No. 8: Establish minimal goals for gender representation and ethnic minority representation on the Division I Board of Directors and the Division I Management Council and establish a process for attaining those goals. Sponsored by the Council; reco mmended by the Division I transition Management Council. Division I business session.

No. 8-1: Amend No. 8 to move from the administrative regulations to the constitution the process for attaining the goals to establish minimal goals for gender representation and ethnic-minority representation on the Division I Board of Directors an d Management Council.

No. 9: Establish that the chairs of the Division I Board of Directors and Management Council shall serve two-year nonrenewable terms; that at least once every three term rotations, the chairs of the Board of Directors and the Management Council sha ll rotate among subdivisions; and that among the chairs of the Board of Directors, the Management Council and the cabinets, there shall be at least one representative from each subdivision at any time. Sponsored by the Council. Division I business session .

No. 10: Require the chairs of the Division I Board of Directors, Management Council and cabinets to rotate among all subdivisions on an equitable, if not equal, basis. Sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic and Southern Conferences. Division I tr ansition Board of Directors and Management Council positions: Oppose. Division I business session.

No. 11: Establish that the chairs of the Division I Board of Directors and Management Council shall serve two-year, nonrenewable terms. Sponsored by the Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division I transition Board of Directors. Division I business session.

No. 12: Establish an operating principle that a system for rotating I-AA and I-AAA representatives to the Division I Board of Directors be developed, maintained and revised by the I-AA and I-AAA conferences. Sponsored by the Council and the Big Sky , Mid-Continent and Southern Conferences. Division I transition Board of Directors position: None. Division I business session.

No. 13: Establish that the term of office for I-AA and I-AAA members of the Division I Board of Directors be developed, maintained and revised by the I-AA and I-AAA conferences as specified. Sponsored by the Council and the Metro Atlantic Athletic, Mid-Continent and Southern Conferences. Division I transition Board of Directors position: None. Division I business session.

No. 14: Establish an operating principle that a system of rotation for I-AA and I-AAA representatives to the Division I Management Council be developed, maintained and revised by the I-AA and I-AAA conferences. Sponsored by the Council and the Metr o Atlantic Athletic, Mid-Continent, Southern and Southland Conferences. Division I transition Management Council position: None. Division I business session.

No. 15: Establish that the term of office for I-AA and I-AAA members of the Division I Management Council be developed, maintained and revised by the I-AA and I-AAA conferences as specified. Sponsored by the Council and the Metro Atlantic Athletic, Mid-Continent, Southern and Southland Conferences. Division I transition Management Council position: None. Division I business session.

No. 16: Permit Division I conferences to remove their representatives to the NCAA Division I Board of Directors or Management Council during their term of office. Sponsored by the Council and the Big Sky, Metro Atlantic Athletic, Mid-Continent and Southern Conferences. Division I business session.

No. 17: Eliminate the distinction between Division I-AA representation and Division I-AAA representation on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors and Management Council. Sponsored by 10 Division I members. Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council positions: None. Division I business session.

No. 18: Expand the pool of potential Division I Management Council members as specified. Sponsored by the Council, the Ivy Group and the Mid-Continent, Mid-Eastern Athletic and Midwestern Collegiate Conferences. Division I business session.

No. 19: Permit each conference represented on the Division I Management Council to select an alternate representative to serve in place of a regular member who is unable to attend successive meetings, and require the approval of the chair of the Bo ard of Directors to permit the alternate to attend meetings. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division I transition Board of Directors. Division I business session.

No. 20: Provide that alternates may participate in Division I Management Council meetings. Sponsored by the Ivy Group and Mid-Eastern Athletic and Midwestern Collegiate Conferences. Division I transition Board of Directors position: Oppose. Divisio n I business session.

No. 21: Establish an Administrative Committee of the Division I Management Council. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council. Division I business session.

No. 22: Amend the legislation related to the composition of the Division II Presidents Council as specified. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division II Presidents Council and Management Council Transition Tea ms. Division II business session.

No. 23: Establish a Division II Administrative Committee as specified. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division II Presidents Council and Management Council Transition Teams. Division II business session.

No. 24: Establish a Division II Budget and Finance Committee. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division II Presidents Council and Management Council Transition Teams. Division II business session.

No. 25: Amend the legislation related to the composition of the Division II Management Council as specified. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division II Presidents Council and Management Council Transition Tea ms. Division II business session.

No. 26: Establish a Division III Administrative Committee as specified. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division III Task Force to Review the NCAA Membership Structure. Division III business session.

No. 27: Revise the composition of the Division III Management Council as specified; establish a provision related to Management Council vacancies; permit the Management Council to perform the duties currently exercised by the Administrative Review Panel related to the review of appeals; and specify that the Management Council shall administer duties related to the Division III business session of the annual Convention. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division III Task Force to Review the NCAA Membership Structure. Division III business session.

No. 28: Revise the NCAA committee structure by preserving certain Association-wide committees, creating common committees that affect more than one division and establishing federated committee structures, as specified. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Transition Oversight Committee. General business session and Divisions I, II and III business sessions.

No. 28-1: Amend No. 28 to specify that each Division I-A conference shall be represented by at least one person on each Division I cabinet. Sponsored by the Mid-American and Big West Conferences. Division I business session.

No. 28-2: Amend No. 28 to clarify that Association-wide committees will include appropriate representation from all Division I subdivisions. Sponsored by the Ivy Group and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. General business session; all divisions voting.

No. 29: Clarify the duties of the NCAA Special Events Committee as specified. Sponsored by the Southern Conference. Special Events Committee position: Oppose. General business session; all divisions voting.

No. 29-1: Amend No. 29 to further clarify the duties of the Special Events Committee. Sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. General business session; all divisions voting.

No. 30: Establish that the composition of the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee includes at least one student-athlete from each sport in which the Association conducts a championship. Sponsored by the Pacific West Conference and three other D ivision II members. Student-Athlete Advisory Committee position: None. General business session; all divisions voting (immediate effective date).

No. 31: Establish limits on subdivision representation in Division I cabinets/ committees as specified. Sponsored by the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council positions: Oppose. Division I business session.

No. 32: Establish limits on subdivision representation on Division I committees as specified. Sponsored by the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council position: None. Division I business ses sion.

No. 32-1: Amend No. 32 to amend the effective date regarding the establishment of limits on subdivision representation on Division I committees as specified. Sponsored by the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. Division I business session.

No. 33: Expand the pool of potential Division I cabinet members as specified. Sponsored by the Council, the Ivy Group and the Mid-Continent, Mid-Eastern Athletic and Midwestern Collegiate Conferences. Division I business session.

No. 34: Provide in the constitution for minimum conference representation on Division I cabinets, including a minimum of two at any one time from each conference listed in Constitution 4.2.1-(c); require the Management Council to develop and publis h Division I cabinet seat rotations; specify that conferences may appoint and remove their cabinet representatives; and require the Management Council to review appointments for consistency with legislated requirements for positions and diversity. Sponsor ed by the Ivy Group and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council positions: None. Division I business session.

No. 35: Specify that Division I legislation may be sponsored and, thus, the full legislative process initiated, by any one regular or alternate member of the Division I Board of Directors or Management Council. Sponsored by the Council, the Ivy Gro up and the Metro Atlantic Athletic, Mid-Eastern Athletic and Midwestern Collegiate Conferences. Division I business session.

No. 35-1: Amend No. 35 to specify that Division I legislation may be sponsored for both the regular legislative process and any legislative Convention by any one regular or alternate member of the Division I Board of Directors or Management Council . Sponsored by the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. Division I business session.

No. 35-2: Amend No. 35 to specify that any one regular or alternate member of the Division I Board of Directors or Management Council may move that current or proposed Division I policies and procedures become legislative proposals, thus subject to the override process. Sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Division I business session.

No. 36: Clarify that the Division I membership may override the Division I Management Council's failure to act on legislative proposals in legislative areas delegated to it by the Division I Board of Directors. Sponsored by the Council, the Ivy Gro up and the Metro Atlantic Athletic, Mid-Eastern Athletic and Midwestern Collegiate Conferences. Division I business session.

No. 37: Revise the Division I membership structure to specify that a special Division I legislative Convention may be called by the Executive Committee, the Division I Board of Directors or by petition of at least 100 active member institutions. Sp onsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic, Midwestern Collegiate and Southern Conferences. Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council positions: None.

No. 38: Permit the Association's membership to establish program agenda items for an annual or special Convention, and the Division I membership to establish program agenda items for a special Division I legislative Convention as specified; further , authorize a legislative process for the sponsorship and submission of Division I proposals or resolutions at such Conventions. Sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic, Midwestern Collegiate and Southern Conferences. Committee positions: The Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council took no position; the Division II Presidents Council Transition Team and Management Council Transition Team oppose Section A of the proposal; and the Division III transition teams took no position. Sect ion A opposed by Council. General business session; all divisions voting.

No. 39: Clarify that voting at any type of NCAA Convention under the revised membership structure shall be based on the current Convention system of one institution, one vote, for member institutions and conferences. Sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic, Midwestern Collegiate and Southern Conferences. Committee positions: The Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council, the Division II Presidents Council Transition Team and Management Council Transition Team, and the Divisio n III transition teams took no position. General business session; all divisions vote together.

No. 40: Specify that Division I legislation may be introduced, and the full legislative process thus initiated, by any one regular or alternate member of the Division I Board of Directors. Sponsored by the Council, the Ivy Group and the Metro Atlan tic Athletic, Mid-Eastern Athletic and Midwestern Collegiate Conferences. Division I business session.

No. 41: Clarify that the membership override of legislative action taken by the Division I Board of Directors (or Management Council in areas delegated to it) shall be based on the principle of one institution, one vote, and that override votes sha ll be roll-call votes. Sponsored by the Council and the Metro Atlantic Athletic and Midwestern Collegiate Conferences. Division I business session.

No. 42: Establish a Division I-AA Governance Committee of the Division I Management Council to act on legislative issues specific to I-AA football. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division I-AA Football Issues Subcommittee of the Division I transition Management Council). Division I business session.

No. 43: Establish a parallel representative governance structure within Division I to consider Division I-AA football issues. Sponsored by 10 Division I members. Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council positions: Oppose. Div ision I business session.

No. 44: Establish an override provision specific to legislation affecting Division I-AA football. Sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic and Southern Conferences. Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council positions: None. Di vision I business session.

No. 45: Require a vote of two-thirds majority of I-AA conferences represented on both the Division I Board of Directors and Management Council to modify the permissible number of football grants-in-aid for I-AA institutions. Sponsored by the Southe rn and Southland Conferences. Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council positions: None. Division I business session.

No. 46: Clarify the Division I interpretative process in the revised membership structure as specified. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council. Division I business session.

No. 47: Specify that with any joint venture between the Association (or the Association's representative or agent) and a Division I member conference or a Division I member institution (or a representative or agent of a Division I member institutio n or conference), all NCAA revenue occurring from such ventures shall flow through the Association in a manner that is consistent with previously agreed upon financial guarantees to the Division I membership. Sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Confe rence. Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council positions: None. Division I business session.

No. 48: Permit the Division I Board of Directors to waive the proportionality requirements of the Division I revenue guarantees in regard to the academic-enhancement, conference grant and/or special assistance funds. Sponsored by the Council and Pr esidents Commission; recommended by the Division I transition Board of Directors and Management Council. Division I business session.

No. 49: Affirm that not more than one national championship shall be conducted in each men's and women's Division I sport except football. Sponsored by the Council and the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. Division I business session.

No. 50: Create procedures for the establishment of a National Collegiate championship in the revised membership structure. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Transition Oversight Committee. General business sessi on; all divisions voting.

No. 51: Amend the effective date of the new legislative sponsorship requirements in Division II from August 1, 1997, to immediately. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division II Presidents Council and Managemen t Council Transition Teams. Division II business session.

No. 52: Revise the Division II philosophy statement as specified. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division II Presidents Council and Management Council Transition Teams. Division II business session.

No. 53: Establish a two-year notification requirement for institutions that intend to reclassify a sport from Division II to Division I and exclude those institutions that have forwarded such notice to the national office from eligibility for any D ivision II NCAA championship in that sport. Sponsored by the Council; recommended by the Division II Steering Committee. Division II business session.

No. 54: Increase the sports-sponsorship requirements for Division III institutions and conferences from four men's and four women's sports to five sports for each gender, and increase team sports-sponsorship requirements from two men's and two wome n's team sports to three sports for each gender. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division III Task Force to Review the NCAA Membership Structure. Division III business session.

No. 55: Increase the length of the provisional membership period from three to four years and specify that the new year shall be an additional educational year, during which the institution shall apply NCAA legislation to the greatest extent possib le. Sponsored by the Council and Presidents Commission; recommended by the Transition Oversight Committee. General business session; divisions vote separately.

No. 56: Require Division II provisional members to complete an educational assessment during their provisional membership period. Sponsored by the Presidents Commission; recommended by the Division II Presidents Council Transition Team. Division II business session.

Next week: The remaining proposals in the Presidents Commission grouping.