National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

November 10, 1997

1998 Convention plans main focus for III presidents

Plans for the 1998 NCAA Convention consumed much of the Division III Presidents Council's attention at its October 28 meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Presidents Council selected topics for discussion during the Division III business sessions at the Convention and reviewed possible issues for the chief executive officers forum.

In reviewing the tentative Convention schedule, the Council approved a two-day format for the Division III business sessions with five major issues to be addressed. Those are:

  • Implementation of the division's new strategic plan.

  • Discussion of expansion of the football championship, including results of a survey on three options for increasing participation opportunities (see story on page 1).

  • Presentation of a draft of the principles and guidelines for automatic qualification to division championships for conference champions and independents.

  • A review of Title IX/gender-equity issues related to Division III.

  • Division III financial aid legislation.

    In preparation for the Convention, the Presidents Council approved a mailing to all Division III athletics directors and conference commissioners in early November of the draft of the automatic-qualification principles.

    The Council is asking ADs and commissioners to solicit input from others on their campuses, especially chief executive officers, and return comments to the NCAA national office by December 8. The input will be used in formulating the discussion at the Convention.

    The Presidents Council also approved a recommendation of the Division III Management Council that the Convention discussion of financial aid legislation be focused toward educating the membership on existing legislation and other initiatives.

    A list of key issues will be distributed to the membership along with a request for institutions to indicate those issues that are of greatest interest. That input also will be used to determine the content of the discussion during the Division III business session.

    The Presidents and Management Councils are trying to determine if Division III financial aid legislation needs to be revised or simply clarified.

    The Presidents Council also approved the draft of the Division III strategic plan, which will be presented at the Convention along with reports from Division III committees and Association-wide committees.

    Legislation review

    In reviewing proposed legislation, the Presidents Council designated Proposal Nos. 2-20, 2-24 and 2-25 (as they appear in the Second Publication of Proposed Legislation) for roll-call votes.

    Proposal No. 2-20 addresses continued concerns of the Association related to gambling activities by expanding the scope of the legislation to apply to conference staff members as well as institutional staff members and student-athletes.

    No. 2-24 would allow Division III institutions to begin on-court preseason basketball practice sessions October 15. Current legislation allows conditioning activities to begin October 15 without on-court practice. The Presidents Council opposes the legislation.

    The council also opposes No. 2-25, which would permit Division III institutions to have 17 dates of competition in women's lacrosse during the traditional segment and five during the nontraditional segment. The Management Council recommended that the Presidents Council oppose the proposed