The NCAA News - News and Features

May 19, 1997

Executive Committee begins budget process

II compliance program funding approved

Preliminary work on the Association's general operating budget for 1997-98 occupied the NCAA Executive Committee during much of its final meeting May 6-8 in Pebble Beach, California.

The actual budget will be approved as the Association's budgetary process unfolds over the summer and makes its transition from the current structure to the new structure.

The Executive Committee reviewed a preliminary Association-wide budget and requests for funding for the 1997-98 budget. The committee was conservative in its approach to funding requests, approving only a select few for forwarding in the transition budget process.

One item approved was funding for the Division II compliance program consistent with the initiative of the NCAA Presidents Commission to provide an alternative to athletics certification for Division II institutions.

The Presidents Commission as a whole has approved the compliance program for Division II and agreed that funding for the program should come from the Association-wide budget (rather than the Division II allocation). The action is consistent with commitments made at the beginning of the restructuring process related to funding for programs developed as an alternative to Division II athletics certification -- for which Association-wide funding would have been made available.

Other budget items given preliminary approval included:

* $750,000 in additional funding to administer National Collegiate and Division I championships in 1997-98. The issue involves funding for activities at championships previously funded by host institutions. The Executive Committee recommended that Division I continue to monitor the use of these funds.

In Divisions II and III, the issue was referred back to the division championships committees for further study.

* $100,000 for NCAA participation in the Citizenship Through Sports alliance. The alliance includes the major professional sports leagues, the NAIA, United States Olympic Committee and National Junior College Athletic Association in addition to the NCAA. The organizations joined forces in January to promote the positive values that can be taught through sports.

The alliance's first project is a public-service campaign focusing on respect as a fundamental principle for building and strengthening the foundation for positive sports behavior.

Among the items not recommended for funding was a new electronic voting system for the 1998 NCAA Convention. The cost of a new system was considered prohibitive at this time.

Basketball participation vacated

In other action, the Executive Committee vacated the participation and performance by two teams in the 1996 Division I Men's Basketball Championship, in accordance with established precedent, because of participation by ineligible student-athletes.

The Executive Committee reviewed information concerning Marcus Camby of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and Kirk King and Ricky Moore of the University of Connecticut. Both situations involved receipt of benefits from a sports agent, which rendered the student-athletes ineligible.

The Executive Committee determined that the three basketball players were ineligible and ordered that the record of performances by Connecticut and Massachusetts in the 1996 postseason tournament be deleted and the institutions' places vacated.

Massachusetts was directed to return $151,617 of its basketball distribution money as well as Camby's award to the NCAA. Connecticut was directed to return $90,970 and the student-athletes' awards.

The amount of money was based on 45 percent of each institution's units earned through the tournament. Connecticut had three units and Massachusetts had five units.