National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News Digest

January 19, 1998

NCAA Internet Survey


The percentage of NCAA institutions and conference offices with Internet capability is extremely high, according to the results of a survey conducted by a staff group exploring computer communications with the membership. In all areas surveyed, the results indicated significantly greater use of electronic communication devices in 1997 as compared to 1996.

DIVISION I


Core-course process changed; compromise reached on Prop 62

The Division I Management Council will forward proposed legislation to the membership to modify 1997 Convention Proposal No. 62.

Meeting at the 1997 Convention in Atlanta, the Management Council supported a subcom-mittee's recommendation to place a fixed cap of $2,000 on permissible earnings above the value of a full grant-in-aid; to permit athletics departments or athletics interests to intercede on behalf of the student-athlete to secure appropriate employment; and to consider the value of the cap ($2,000) noninstitutional aid and thus not includable in the institution's team limitations in the applicable sport.

The Division I Board of Directors, also meeting in Atlanta, approved a set of changes in the process for certifying the high-school core courses required for initial eligibility. The new approach will give high-school principals greater authority for determining which courses in their schools meet the NCAA definition of a core course.

The Board also approved a waiver exempting the University of Idaho from Division I-A football attendance criteria the next two years.

Staff contact: Stephen R. Morgan.

DIVISION II

Delegates approve more student-athlete involvement

Division II members voted January 12 to strengthen student-athlete involvement in re-gional and national administration of athletics and to exclude Pell Grants from being in-cluded in a full grant-in-aid.

In a near-unanimous vote, delegates approved requiring every Division II conference to form a conference student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) as a condition of Division II membership. The purpose of the proposal is to promote the involvement of student-athletes in intercollegiate athletics administration and strengthen links between student-athletes at the campus level and the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Staff contact: Nancy L. Mitchell.

DIVISION III

Straw vote on football bracket contrary to CEO position

The Division III membership has indicated a strong preference to expand the football championship bracket to allow 24 teams to compete for the national championship in a playoff that would take five weeks.

In a straw vote taken during the Division III business session, voting members overwhelmingly indicated a preference for extending the current four-week championship schedule.

However, the Division III Presidents Council has indicated that it will not support extending postseason competition in football beyond four weeks because it would negatively impact the athletics and academic experience of Division III student-athletes.

Staff contact: Daniel T. Dutcher.