The NCAA News - News and Features

August 18, 1997

Summary of initial 1998 Convention proposals

Following are the statements of intent and sources for 10 proposals -- eight in Division II and two in Division III -- that were properly submitted by member institutions and conferences for the 1998 NCAA Convention.

All of the proposals below are included in the Initial Publication of Proposed Legislation, which was mailed to the membership August 15. The proposals are numbered as they appear in the initial publication.

The NCAA News will publish the intent statements and sources of all legislative proposals submitted for the 1998 Convention. When the Second Publication of Proposed Legislation becomes available September 23, the News will publish the intent statements of all new proposals in that publication; the information from the Initial Publication of Proposed Legislation published below will not be reprinted.

Division II legislative proposals

NO. 1-1 TRYOUTS -- ENROLLED STUDENTS

Intent: To permit Division II institutions to conduct tryouts of currently enrolled students prior to the beginning of the playing and practice season under specified circumstances.

Source: Gulf South and New York Collegiate Athletic Conferences.

NO. 1-2 ELIGIBILITY -- ONE-TIME TRANSFER EXCEPTION -- DIVISION II

Intent: In Division II, to permit a student-athlete who attended a four-year institution, did not receive athletically related financial aid and did not participate in intercollegiate athletics (other than in limited preseason tryouts) to exclude attendance at that institution for purposes of applying the one-time transfer exception.

Source: Gulf South Conference and New York Collegiate Athletic Conferences.

NO. 1-3 FINANCIAL AID -- PELL GRANTS -- DIVISION II

Intent: In Division II, to specify that a Pell Grant shall not be included when determining the permissible amount of a full grant-in-aid for a student-athlete.

Source: Lone Star Conference and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.

NO. 1-4 FINANCIAL AID -- DIVISION II MAXIMUM EQUIVALENCY LIMITS

Intent: To limit the value of financial aid awards that an institution that sponsors cross country but not indoor or outdoor track may provide student-athletes in the sport of cross country as specified.

Source: North Central Intercollegiate Athletic and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conferences.

NO. 1-5 FINANCIAL AID -- DIVISION II MAXIMUM EQUIVALENCY LIMITS -- FOOTBALL

Intent: To decrease the limit on the value (equivalency) of financial aid awards (per 15.02.4.1) that an institution may provide in any academic year to counters in Division II football from 36 to 30.

Source: 15 Division II institutions.

NO. 1-6 PLAYING AND PRACTICE SEASONS -- DIVISION II BASKETBALL -- ANNUAL EXEMPTIONS

Intent: To permit Division II institutions to exempt annually not more than two exhibition contests against a foreign team in the United States from the maximum number of permissible basketball contests during any year in which it does not utilize an exempted contest against a "club" member of USA Basketball.

Source: North Central Intercollegiate Athletic and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conferences.

NO. 1-7 PLAYING AND PRACTICE SEASONS -- DIVISION II BASKETBALL -- ANNUAL EXEMPTIONS

Intent: To permit a Division II institution to exempt annually not more than two exhibition contests against a "club" member of USA Basketball from the maximum number of permissible basketball contests during any year in which it does not utilize an exempted contest against a foreign team in the United States.

Source: North Central Intercollegiate Athletic and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conferences.

NO. 1-8 ENFORCEMENT -- PENALTIES FOR SECONDARY VIOLATIONS

Intent: In Division II, to give conference commissioners the authority to rule on secondary violations when the commissioner determines that the involved student-athlete is not at fault or that the effect of the violation is minimal.

Source: Gulf South and New York Collegiate Athletic Conferences.

Division III legislative proposals

NO. 1-9 PLAYING AND PRACTICE SEASONS -- PRESEASON PRACTICE -- DIVISION III BASKETBALL

Intent: To permit Division III institutions to commence on-court preseason basketball practice sessions on October 15.

Source: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and three other Division III institutions.

NO. 1-10 MAXIMUM DATES OF COMPETITION -- WOMEN'S LACROSSE -- DIVISION III

Intent: In Division III, to permit a member institution in the sport of women's lacrosse to engage in 17 dates of competition during the traditional segment and five dates of competition during the nontraditional segment.

Source: State University of New York Athletic Conference and one other Division III institution.