National Collegiate Athletic Association |
The NCAA News - News and FeaturesAugust 3, 1998
Nine Divisions II, III proposals submitted for 1999 ConventionDivisions II and III membership proposals will be few in number for the second consecutive year. Only nine legislative proposals were properly submitted for the 1999 Convention, eight by Division II institutions and one by Division III members. Despite the small number of proposals overall, one promises to generate interest not only for Division II but for the Association in general. Seventeen institutions have proposed an amendment that would permit Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, to become an active NCAA member. The legislation would be significant because NCAA membership currently is restricted to institutions located in the United States and its territories. The sponsors -- primarily members of the Pacific West Conference, which wishes to add Simon Fraser as a member -- have written the legislation so that it would apply to Simon Fraser (rather than simply lifting the restriction on institutions outside the United States). Other proposals Other proposals include one primarily from the Gulf South Conference and the North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference that would allow the Division II Management Council to waive the normal season-of-competition rule in certain situations (for example, a coach inadvertently directing an eligible redshirt athlete to enter a competition). The waiver is intended to provide relief to the student-athlete in clear cases where decisions were made beyond his or her control. Another proposal from four Division II conferences would allow a Division II men's or women's basketball team to exempt two contests against Divisions I or III institutions in years when it does not use an exempted contest against a foreign team in the United States or against a club member of USA Basketball. Such games would not be considered in the Division II championship selection process. Division III The lone proposal in Division III is one sponsored by 12 institutions that would eliminate the effect of legislation passed at last year's Convention regarding "4-2-4" transfer students. The existing bylaw requires such students to have been academically and athletically eligible had they remained at the previous four-year institution. If not, they would need to have completed the two-year college degree program, a requirement that would be deleted with the passage of the proposed legislation.
Summary of initial 1999 Convention proposalsFollowing are the statements of intent and sources for nine proposals -- eight in Division II and one in Division III -- that were properly submitted by member institutions and conferences for the 1999 NCAA Convention. All of the proposals below will be included in the Initial Publication of Proposed Legislation, which will be mailed to the membership August 15. The proposals are numbered as they will appear in the publication. Division II legislative proposals
NO. 1-1 ELIGIBILITY FOR Intent: To specify that, under defined conditions, institutions outside the United States, its territories and possessions would be permitted to apply for NCAA Division II membership. Source: University of Alaska Anchorage; University of Alaska Fairbanks; California State University, Bakersfield; California State University, Chico; University of California, Davis; Chaminade University of Honolulu; Colorado School of Mines; University of Hawaii at Hilo; Humboldt State University; Montana State University-Billings; San Francisco State University; Seattle Pacific University; Sonoma State University; University of South Dakota; Western New Mexico University; Western State College of Colorado; and University of Wisconsin, Parkside.
NO. 1-2 ELIGIBILITY -- SEASON OF Intent: In Division II, to specify that the Management Council has the authority to waive the normal application of the season-of-competition rule as a result of an eligible student-athlete's good-faith reliance on a coaching staff member's decision to put the student-athlete into competition. Source: North Dakota State University; University of Northern Colorado; all members of the Gulf South Conference; and all other members of the North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
NO. 1-3 TWO-YEAR COLLEGE Intent: In Division II, to specify that a two-year college student who was not a qualifier shall be limited to using no more than 50 percent of the total number of transferable degree credit hours from physical education or recreation activity courses. Source: University of Alabama, Huntsville; University of Arkansas, Monticello; Arkansas Tech University; University of Central Arkansas; Delta State University; Henderson State University; Lincoln Memorial University; Mississippi University for Women; University of Montevallo; University of North Alabama; Southern Arkansas University; Valdosta State University; University of West Alabama; University of West Florida; University of West Georgia; and University of Wisconsin, Parkside. NO. 1-4 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, provided the student-athlete was meeting satisfactory-progress requirements at that institution. Source: University of Alabama, Huntsville; University of Arkansas, Monticello; Arkansas Tech University; University of Central Arkansas; Delta State University; Henderson State University; Lincoln Memorial University; Mississippi University for Women; University of Montevallo; University of North Alabama; Southern Arkansas University; Valdosta State University; University of West Alabama; University of West Florida; University of West Georgia; and University of Wisconsin, Parkside.
NO. 1-5 PLAYING AND PRACTICE Intent: In Division II, to permit a member institution to exempt annually not more than two exhibition contests against Division I or III institutions 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 or against a "club" member of USA Basketball. Source: All members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic, North Central Intercollegiate Athletics, Sunshine State and West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conferences. NO. 1-6 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS -- MINIMUM-SPONSORSHIP CRITERIA -- DIVISION II LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIPS Intent: In Division II, to create a protected status to continue a National Collegiate Championship or a division championship in the sports of men's and women's lacrosse. Source: All members of the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic, New York Collegiate Athletic, Northeast-10 and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conferences.
NO. 1-7 RECRUITING -- RECRUITING Intent: In Division II, to permit contact with a two-year college football prospect at the conclusion of the two-year college prospect's football season. Source: All members of the Lone Star Conference, Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and the Rocky Mountain Conference.
NO. 1-8 CHAMPIONSHIP SITE Intent: To eliminate geographical proximity from the site determination criteria for Division II championships. Source: University of Alabama, Huntsville; University of Arkansas, Monticello; Arkansas Tech University; University of Central Arkansas; Delta State University; Henderson State University; Lincoln Memorial University; Mississippi University for Women; University of Montevallo; University of North Alabama; Southern Arkansas University; Valdosta State University; University of West Alabama; University of West Florida; University of West Georgia; University of Wisconsin, Parkside; and all members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic and Sunshine State Conferences. Division III legislative proposals
NO. 1-9 ELIGIBILITY -- Intent: To eliminate the requirement that requires a "4-2-4" transfer student to complete the two-year college degree program in order to be immediately eligible at a Division III institution if he or she participated at the first four-year institution and was not athletically and academically eligible at that institution. Source: Augsburg College, Bridgewater State College (Massachusetts), California Lutheran University, Fitchburg State College, Hartwick College, Illinois College, Knox College, University of La Verne, Rowan University, Salem State College, Whittier College and Worcester State College. |