The NCAA News - News and Features

January 5, 1998

Divisions II, III involvement sought in amateurism review

The division-specific panels that deal with student-athlete reinstatement are requesting that representatives from Divisions II and III be involved in the Association's ongoing review of amateurism issues.

The Division I Subcommittee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, Division II Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement and Division III Subcommittee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement discussed the best ways of achieving that involvement during their December 3-4 meetings in Kansas City, Missouri.

Meeting jointly, the committees noted that the Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet Subcommittee on Amateurism and Agents has assumed responsibility for review of amateurism issues.

They also noted that the subcommittee is beginning to consider fundamental changes in the Association's amateurism rules, as well as reviewing the bases of student-athletes' eligibility for NCAA athletics programs.

The student-athlete reinstatement committees agreed that amateurism is an Association-wide concern, and that Divisions II and III representatives should be involved in any discussions that could lead to substantive changes in amateurism rules.

As a result, the committees agreed to recommend to the Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet and Divisions II and III Management Councils that Divisions II and III be provided with representation on the Division I Subcommittee on Amateurism and Agents. (The Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet subsequently discussed the recommendation during its December 10-11 meeting and will continue the discussion in February.)

The student-athlete reinstatement panels also considered alternatives to Divisions II and III representation on the Division I subcommittee.

The Division II Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement and Division III Subcommittee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement agreed to recommend to their respective division Management Councils that they consider forming division-specific committees to deal with amateurism issues, if Divisions II and III representatives are not included on the Division I agents and amateurism subcommittee.

The Divisions II and III student-athlete reinstatement committees believe the division-specific amateurism groups could handle Divisions II and III amateurism issues and also meet with the Division I subcommittee when appropriate.

Other highlights

Divisions I and III Subcommittees/Division II Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement
December 3-4/
Kansas City, Missouri

* Jointly discussed how recommendations by the former NCAA Eligibility Committee regarding sports wagering have been handled in the restructured Association. The Divisions I and III subcommittees and Division II committee considered concerns that division-specific handling of the recommendations threatens to create inconsistency in the Association's sports-wagering legislation. The groups noted that greater cooperation among divisions is needed to achieve consistent rules and maintain an Association-wide emphasis on sports-wagering issues.

* Recommended proposed legislation to the Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet Subcommittee on Legislative Review/Interpretations and the Divisions II and III Management Councils to specify that "contemporaneous" medical documentation must be provided in order to obtain a hardship waiver as a result of incapacitating injury or illness.

* The Division I subcommittee recommended a change in the wording of the athletics-activities waiver for student-athletes who miss competition as a result of training for participation in the OIympic and Pan-American Games. The change makes the language consistent with the extension-request criteria in Bylaw 30.6.1.