The NCAA News - News and Features

April 14, 1997

After 75 years, Council prepares to meet for final time

The NCAA Council has met continuously for 75 years, but after April 15, it will meet no more.

The final formal gathering of the Council will be April 14-15 in Tucson, Arizona. Although the Council will continue as the Association's policy-making body until membership restructuring becomes effective August 1, it is not scheduled to assemble again before then.

At the final meeting, the Division I Steering Committee will have an interesting agenda that will include a report from the NCAA Committee on Athletics Certification, a report from the NCAA Special Events Committee and a discussion of the implementation of 1997 Convention Proposal No. 62.

The certification committee is seeking comments on proposed changes for the second cycle of the Division I athletics certification program. Some of the proposed changes result from Convention actions (for example, a new requirement on student-athlete grievance procedures, inclusion of a component on sportsmanship and ethical conduct and moving to a 10-year frequency with an interim report). Other possible changes are designed to fine-tune the program.

As of February 3, 112 Division I institutions have received certification-status decisions. Of that group, 91 (81 percent) were certified on their first review and 20 (18 percent) were certified with conditions. Of the 20, 13 have seen been reclassified as certified, which means that 104 of 112 institutions examined (93 percent) have been certified. Only one institution has been designated as not certified.

The Special Events Committee is asking the Council to approve a policy for football and basketball that would permit an institution to participate each year in only one annual exempted contest and in only one once-in-four-years exempted event that requires certification by the Special Events Committee.

The implementation of Proposal No. 62 (which provides for out-of-season employment by Division I student-athletes that permits them to earn up to the cost of attendance) was discussed in some detail by the Division I subcommittee of the NCAA Presidents Commission at its recent meeting (see story, page 1). A number of questions have been raised about the implementation of the legislation, especially how to monitor the rule so that abuses do not occur. At their meeting, the presidents also raised questions about the definition of "cost of attendance."

The full Council will hear reports from the following committees: Academic Requirements, Eligibility, National Youth Sports Program, Olympic Sports Liaison, Professional Sports Liaison and Student-Athlete Advisory Committees; the Committees on Financial Aid and Amateurism, Infractions, Review and Planning, and Women's Athletics; the Special Committee to Oversee Implementation of the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse; the Council Subcommittee on Initial-Eligibility Waivers; and the Administrative Review Panel.

In addition, the Council will receive the quarterly governmental affairs report and will review issues related to the implementation of the new governance structure.

The meeting also will include a review of Council-sponsored legislation at the 1997 Convention and planning for the 1998 event.