National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News Digest

October 20, 1997

DIVISION I SPORTS SPONSORSHIP CHANGES


Women's soccer has undergone the fastest growth of any NCAA sport since the 1992-93 academic year, according to research conducted for the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet. In 1992-93, only 104 Division I institutions sponsored women's soccer, but by 1996-97, the figure had more than doubled to 212. Women's rowing, which became an NCAA championship sport last year, has doubled in the number of sponsors, growing from 45 in all divisions to 90. The sport with the greatest decline over the same period was men's gymnastics, which fell from 41 sponsors in all divisions to 28.

MEDIA

NCAA issues responsre to Kansas City Star series

The NCAA has issued a response to a six-part series on the Association that appeared recently in The Kansas City Star.

The Star's series, which sought to demonstrate that the Association has strayed from its mission and has become excessively influenced by money, ran from October 5 to 10. The NCAA response appeared in the October 15 issue of the Star and in this issue of The NCAA News.

The NCAA's response was signed by NCAA Executive Director Cedric W. Dempsey and Samuel H. Smith, president of Washington State University and chair of the NCAA Executive Committee.

The Association also has provided more specific responses to issues treated in the Star series on NCAA Online. The address is www.ncaa.org/kcstar.

Staff contact: Wallace I. Renfro.

MANAGEMENT COUNCILS

Division I: Core-course review to be discussed

The Division I Management Council will discuss an alternative to the current method of core-course review at its October 20-21 meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.

The alternative was forwarded by the Division I Board of Directors, which in August discussed an approach that would shift primary responsibility for assessing the core courses needed for initial eligibility away from the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse and to the nation's high schools.

The Management Council also will consider a recommendation from the Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet regarding men's basketball evaluation camps. At its September meeting, the cabinet approved a model developed by the National Association of Basketball Coaches that would be designed to increase the role of high-school, junior college and college coaches in the recruiting process.

Division II: Membership moratorium tops agenda

Although the question of when to end the two-year-old membership moratorium is an Association-wide issue, the decision has the greatest effect on Divisions II and III since most new members would end up in those classifications.

The Division II Management Council will discuss when to end the moratorium when it meets October 20-21 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The moratorium was enacted August 9, 1995, by the NCAA Council. The action placed a freeze on membership growth until after the completion of restructuring.

The Council action resulted from concern about the potential for continuing rapid membership growth during a time when the Association was focused on the restructuring process.

The Division II Management Council also will review 19 proposals currently on the agenda for the Division II business session at the 1998 Convention, including eight proposals sponsored by the membership. That review will include consideration of Division II committees' reactions to membership proposals.

The Management Council can recommend to the Division II Presidents Council that it cosponsor, support or oppose membership proposals, or take no action.

Division III: Group to review letter on financial aid issues

In addition to considering when to end the moratorium on membership growth, the Division III Management Council will review a draft of a letter to be sent to the Division III membership concerning financial aid issues.

The letter is intended to learn the opinions of member institutions on the current rules regarding financial aid, how or whether institutions are complying with the rules, and whether the rules should be changed. The Division III Management Council will meet October 20-21 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Division III Financial Aid Committee prepared the letter and now seeks Management Council approval of it. Financial aid issues will be one of the topics at the 1998 NCAA Convention Division III business session.

Staff contacts: DIVISION I: Stephen R. Morgan; DIVISION II: Nancy L. Mitchell, and DIVISION III: Daniel T. Dutcher.

CHAMPIONSHIPS


Deadline approaching for return of baseball, softball surveys

The deadline is nearing for Division I institutions to return a survey to determine the membership's interest in changing dates for the Division I baseball and softball championships.

The return deadline for the survey, which was mailed in early October, is November 1.

The action is related to 1997 Convention Proposal No. 129, which called for a study of moving the dates of both championships later by about three weeks.

The survey contains questions about when institutions began their 1997 season, how many baseball and softball contests were postponed or canceled in 1997, the number of games that were played under less-than-ideal conditions, and the cost of any spring trip that contained six or more games. The survey also features questions about finances and how the change might impact student-athletes.

Staff contact: Tricia Bork.