National Collegiate Athletic Association |
The NCAA News DigestApril 28, 1997
NCAA COUNCILCouncil address Proposal No. 62, eligibility certification process The NCAA Council has taken several actions to help Division I member institutions comply with the provisions of 1997 Convention Proposal No. 62. Acting on a recommendation from the NCAA Division I Steering Committee, the Council modified a previous interpretation to indicate that earnings received by a recruited student-athlete for employment in the athletics department or employment earnings received by any student-athlete whose employment was arranged by athletics interests should be considered institutional aid up to the value of a full grant. At its April 14-15 meeting, it also specified that compensation for employment permitted under Proposal No. 62 may not be based on the athlete's athletics ability or reputation. The Council also took action on several recommendations related to the initial-eligibility process. The proposals came from the NCAA Academic Requirements Committee and the Special Committee to Oversee Implementation of the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Using either its authority to adopt noncontroversial legislation or its authority to make legislation conform to intent, the Council agreed to permit the clearinghouse to assign the lowest passing grade that a high school can assign for a pass/fail course, as opposed to the lowest grade provided for any course at the high school; modified the provisions of 1997 Convention Proposal No. 93 to specify that in order to receive an early-admissions waiver, the only core-course re-quirement a student may lack is the fourth year of English; and established criteria in Division I for student-athletes who fail to meet the initial-eligibility standards but whose overall academic records clearly demonstrate that a waiver is warranted. Staff contact: Nancy L. Mitchell
DIVISION IIManagement Council declines to support partial need-based aid The NCAA Division II Management Council Transition Team will not seek sponsorship at the 1998 Convention of proposed changes in Division II financial aid. The transition team decided unanimously during its April 16 meeting in Tucson that it will not recommend that the NCAA Division II Presidents Council Transition Team sponsor proposals to enact partial need-based aid in Division II athletics and/or decrease financial aid equivalency limits in selected sports. The NCAA Division II Financial Aid Project Team first presented the proposals in late March to the Presidents Council Transition Team, which asked the Management Council to review the proposals. For more information, see page 1 and the April 7 issue of The NCAA News. Staff contact: Nancy L. Mitchell
TITLE IXSupreme Court refuses to hear appeal of Brown case The U.S. Supreme Court refused April 21 to hear the appeal of a prominent Title IX case involving Brown University. Most observers regarded the case as the primary one involving Title IX as it applies to intercollegiate athletics. A U.S. district court had found in March 1995 that the university did not meet any part of the three-part Title IX compliance test prescribed by the Office for Civil Rights and was therefore in violation of the law. The district court decision was upheld last November by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. On the day the Supreme Court announced its decision not to hear the appeal, Brown also filed a Title IX compliance plan in U.S. district court. Staff contact: Janet M. Justus Vacancies still remain for a May 12-13 Title IX seminar in Kansas City, Missouri. The purpose of the Title IX seminar is to help educate the membership on how to assure compliance with Title IX. Staff contact: Janet M. Justus (women's issues and Kaily C. Sola (Title IX seminar registration information.
LICENSINGBill to tax licensed merchandise appears dead in Washington A bill before the Washington state House of Representatives that includes a tax on sports merchandise to finance a new stadium for the Seattle Seahawks appears to be dead. The bill, which passed the Senate, was supported by Washington Gov. Gary Locke to help keep the Seahawks in Seattle. Potential Seahawk owner Paul Allen said he would purchase the football team if the city of Seattle built a new stadium to replace the Kingdome. April 21 was considered the deadline for passage of the bill in order for a public referendum to be scheduled before July 1. Allen's option to buy the Seahawks expires July 1, and he said he would not extend it if a stadium had not been approved. The proposed legislation included a 2.5 percent retail tax (changed from a 5 percent wholesale tax) on sports memorabilia or sports-licensed goods, including college-licensed merchandise. The proposed tax is the main funding mechanism of the bill to finance the public share of a new stadium. Opponents of the tax, including national sports-products retailers and small business owners as well as regional minor-league sports teams and major-league organizations, have gathered the names of 60 of the 98 House members who signed a letter saying they would not vote for the tax. Staff contact: Doris L. Dixon
1997 CONVENTION ATTENDANCE
Local TV ratings1997 highest ratings
(Arizona vs. Kentucky) The final game of the Division I Men's Basketball Championship continues to be popular television fare in the Midwest. For the third consecutive year, the highest ratings for the championship were garnered in a Midwestern city -- this time Indianapolis with a rating of 38.2. In 1996, the top rating was Cincinnati (35.4), while in 1995, Kansas City had the biggest number at 27.4. In fact, the entire top 10 cities for 1997 had a Midwestern and Rocky Mountain leaning. The only East or West Coast city in the top 10 was Hartford/New Haven (No. 9 at 21.5). Meanwhile, Florida cities showed little interest in the 1997 championship game between the University of Arizona and the University of Kentucky. Miami, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Orlando -- the only four Florida cities measured -- occupied four of the bottom five positions in local ratings. Miami and West Palm Beach also had the lowest ratings in 1996.
[Home | General Information | The NCAA News | Sports Library | College Bound | | Championships | Statistics | Databases | Help/Contents | Staff e-mail] Site Content and Development copyright © 1996 National Collegiate Athletic Association. Site Design/Build by MAI Interactive, L.L.C. Questions or Comments? Contact The NCAA.
|
