National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News Features

December 2, 1996

Nominations for new II committees sought

In anticipation of adoption of a new committee structure by the Division II membership at the 1997 Convention, nominations are being sought to fill positions on Division II general committees.

Chief executive officers, directors of athletics, senior woman administrators and faculty athletics representatives at Division II institutions, as well as commissioners of Division II conferences, soon will receive a letter soliciting nominations to fill positions on Division II general committees that would be created with the adoption of 1997 Convention Proposal No. 28-O.

Nominations are due by January 1, 1997, for the new Division II Nominating Committee and by February 1, 1997, for six other general committees: the Division II Academic Requirements, Championships, Eligibility, Legislation and Membership Committees and the Division II Committee on Infractions.

The Nominating Committee will be formed first, enabling that panel to play a role in the selection of the other committees.

A form for use in submitting nominations accompanies the letter to Division II administrators. Completed forms should be submitted to the Division II governance staff at the national office (fax number 913/339-0032). Additional copies of the form can be obtained from the governance staff.

Committee structure

The proposed Division II committee structure features eight general committees. The seven committees for which nominations are now being sought, as well as the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, will report to the Division II Management Council. The Management Council will appoint committee members, subject to ratification by the Division II Presidents Council.

One feature of the proposed Division II committee structure is an increased opportunity for involvement in division governance by institutional athletics administrators and faculty representatives.

Currently, a total of 62 Division II representatives serve on 28 NCAA general committees. Under the proposed Division II committee structure, 85 individuals will serve on the Division II-specific general committees. Another 21 Division II representatives will serve on 11 Association-wide committees that would be formed with the adoption of Proposal No. 28.

Overall, there will be 44 more opportunities for general committee service available under the new committee structure to representatives of Division II institutions.

Another feature of the Division II committee structure is that members of Division II-specific committees will deal exclusively with Division II issues.

The Division II general committees will perform duties currently performed by 10 Association-wide committees, as well as the current Convention committees and various NCAA Council subcommittees. Because the current committees include representation from all three divisions, Division II representatives sometimes have encountered difficulty in focusing those committees' attention on Division II concerns.

Timetable

The Division II Management Council Transition Team plans to appoint the members of the Division II Nominating Committee during January 1997.

Nominees for Division II committees will receive an information form that should be completed and returned to the Division II governance staff by March 1, 1997. The Nominating Committee will meet in March to review nominations for committee vacancies and to make recommendations to the Management Council.

The Management Council is expected to review those recommendations and make appointments in April 1997. The Presidents Council will be asked to ratify the appointments in June 1997, after which new committee members will be notified of their appointment.

Division II representatives currently serving on NCAA general committees with terms of office that expire after September 1997 have been offered the opportunity to continue serving on appropriate general committees in the Division II committee structure. The purpose is to provide continuity and an orderly transition from the current structure into the Division II committee structure.

Therefore, the number of vacancies available on Division II general committees is dependent primarily on the number of current committee members who choose to continue to serve. Each committee also will include representatives of the Division II Management Council as members.

Other committees

The selection process for the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will begin after the 1997 Convention. That committee will include 26 members and will be selected using a conference-representation system similar to that being employed for the Division II Management Council.

Division II representatives on the current Association-wide Student-Athlete Advisory Committee with terms remaining and who meet the new committee eligibility requirements will be invited to continue service on the Division II committee. Conferences will be asked to submit nominations for remaining positions on the committee. Each conference will be required to submit a slate of nominees that includes least one male and one female student-athlete.

Current sports committees generally will remain intact in the new committee structure.

Members of Division II sports committees whose terms are scheduled to end in September 1997 will have those terms extended to September 1998. The nomination process to fill vacancies occurring in 1998 will begin during the summer of 1997.

Committee vacancies

Following is information about the seven Division II general committees for which nominations currently are being solicited. (Note: Each Division II committee will be asked to review its size and charge during 1997, and legislation could be introduced at the 1999 Convention to alter or revise these requirements.)

Academic Requirements Committee

The Academic Requirements Committee will perform duties currently assigned to four committees: the Academic Requirements and Two-Year College Relations Committees, the Council Subcommittee on Initial-Eligibility Waivers; and the Special Committee on Graduation-Rates Disclosure.

There is one vacancy on the nine-member committee. The committee must include the following:

Two Division II Management Council members.

One individual representing the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

The chair of the committee also will represent the committee as a member of the Association-wide Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse Committee.

The Academic Requirements Committee's charge:

Review and consider those portions of the Association's constitution and bylaws that affect Division II and relate to principles of sound academic requirements.

Study and create policies or legislative recommendations to forward to the Division II Management Council concerning relationships between Division II and its members and the nation's two-year colleges as represented by established regional and national organizations.

Review freshman eligibility requirements and establish procedures for granting waivers of such requirements.

Monitor procedures for gathering data on membership persistence and graduation rates and report the findings from the study of such rates.

Championships Committee

The Championships Committee will perform duties currently assigned to the Division II Championships Committee and Special Events Committee.

There are seven vacancies on the 11-member committee. The committee must include the following:

The Division II Management Council vice-chair.

One other Management Council member.

The Championships Committee's charge:

Make budgetary recommendations to the Division II Management Council for the conduct of Division II championships.

Supervise qualification and/or selection procedures for Division II championships.

Maintain oversight responsibility for applicable playing regulations in the areas of player safety, financial impact and image of the sport and approve appeals for exceptions to the applicable playing regulations when significant financial impact may occur (subject to the final authority of the Division II Presidents Council).

Review and act upon recommendations from Division II sports committees regarding the administration of those championships.

Process other issues related to the administration of the events.

Act for the Division II Presidents Council and Management Council as the final authority regarding championships matters in Division II that are subject to appeal.

Maintain responsibility for issues involving college all-star football and basketball contests.

Select sports committee representatives, subject to ratification by the Division II Management Council.

Committee on Infractions

The Committee on Infractions will perform duties currently assigned to the Association-wide Committee on Infractions.

There are three vacancies on the five-member committee. The committee must include the following:

One Division II Management Council member.

One individual from the general public.

The Committee on Infractions' charge:

Consider complaints that may be filed with the Association charging the failure of any Division II member to maintain the academic or athletics standards required for membership or the failure of any Division II member to meet the conditions and obligations of membership in the Association.

Formulate and revise, in accordance with the requirements of Bylaw 19.4, a statement of its established operating policies and procedures, including investigative guidelines (see Bylaw 32).

Determine facts related to alleged violations and find violations of NCAA rules and requirements.

Refer consideration of a case or any portion of a case involving disputed facts to a hearing officer.

Impose an appropriate penalty or "show-cause" requirement on a Division II member found to be involved in a major violation (or upon appeal on a Division II member found to be involved in a secondary violation) or recommend to the Division II Management Council suspension or termination of membership, subject to ratification by the Division II Presidents Council.

Carry out any other duties directly related to the administration of the Division II enforcement program.

Eligibility Committee

The Eligibility Committee will perform duties currently performed by the Association-wide Eligibility Committee.

There are three vacancies on the five-member committee. The committee must include the following:

One Division II Management Council member.

The Eligibility Committee's charge:

The committee shall have the authority under Bylaw 14.12 to determine all matters pertaining to the policies and procedures for the restoration of eligibility of a Division II student-athlete who is ineligible for intercollegiate competition as a result of an NCAA rules violation, and for waivers of legislation that the Division II Management Council or membership has authorized the committee to grant.

Legislation Committee

The Legislation Committee will perform duties currently performed by the Committee on Financial Aid and Amateurism; the Interpretations, Legislative Review, Professional Sports Liaison and Recruiting Committees; the Council Subcommittee on Personnel Limitations; and the Council Subcommittee on Playing and Practice Seasons.

There are two vacancies on the 11-member committee. The committee must include the following:

Two Division II Management Council members.

The Legislation Committee's charge:

Determine interpretations of all Division II-specific legislation.

Incorporate new legislation and interpretations in the NCAA Manual.

Review deregulation issues in consultation with other Division II committees.

Approve the publication of supplementary compilations of interpretations.

Review and consider legislative issues of those portions of the Association's constitution and bylaws that relate to the principles governing financial aid and amateurism, professional sports relations, recruiting, personnel limitations, and playing and practice seasons.

Membership Committee

The Membership Committee will perform duties currently performed by the Credentials and Voting Committees.

There are five vacancies on the seven-member committee. The committee must include the following:

Two Division II Management Council members.

The Membership Committee's charge:

Review and consider issues pertaining to the Division II membership requirements and membership compliance.

Handle Convention tasks related to Division II business, which include examining the credentials of Division II delegates, determining (subject to appeal of the Division II membership) the authority of any Division II delegate to vote or otherwise represent a member institution at an annual or special Convention, and counting the votes at an annual or special Convention.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee will perform duties currently performed by the Association-wide Nominating Committee and Men's and Women's Committees on Committees.

There are eight vacancies on the 11-member committee. The committee must include the following:

Two Division II Management Council members.

The Nominating Committee's charge:

Giving due weight to gender and ethnic diversity, as well as diversity by position and conference affiliation, the committee shall present to the Division II Management Council nominations for vacancies on all Division II-specific committees, including men's and women's sports committees, and for the Division II positions on committees functioning in an Association-wide or multidivision capacity.