The NCAA News - News and Features

August 17, 1998

Broad review sought on international membership question

PHILADELPHIA -- The Division II Management Council gave its stamp of approval to a host of new active members from across the United States at its July 27-29 meeting, but it hesitated at the concept of permitting membership for institutions outside the United States.

The Management Council considered the recommendations of the Division II Membership Committee and other relevant information and approved 17 institutions for active membership.

Those institutions are Central Washington University, Christian Brothers University, East Central University, Hawaii Pacific University, University of the Incarnate Word, Northeastern State University, Rockhurst College, St. Martin's College, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, St.Edwards University, St. Mary's University (Texas), Texas Lutheran University, Texas Wesleyan University, Tusculum College, Western Washington University and Westminster College.

The Management Council also approved provisional memberships for 26 institutions.

One other institution -- one that is not even eligible at the moment to apply for NCAA membership -- also attracted the attention of the Management Council.

In its review of legislation for the 1999 Convention, the group discussed a proposal that would permit Simon Fraser College, a Canadian institution, to join the Association.

Although the Management Council was sensitive to the fact that the proposed legislation was properly submitted by 17 member institutions, it concluded that the matter of international membership is a topic with Association-wide ramifications.

With that in mind, the Management Council voted to recommend to the Division II Presidents Council that the NCAA Executive Committee consider the matter at an upcoming meeting. In addition, the Management Council asked for counsel to review the issue from a legal perspective.

The Management Council was concerned with whether the division could act unilaterally on such a matter since it could be considered not to be "consistent with the basic purposes, fundamental policies and general principles of the Association," as required by the NCAA Constitution. The Executive Committee is charged with the responsibility for making certain that each division adheres to those standards.

Division II committees

In other business, the Council received reports from most Division II committees and took action on a number of recommendations from them.

On initial-eligibility matters, the Council approved a recommendation from the Division II Academic Requirements Committee to sponsor legislation to require student-athletes who take the GED examination to meet either the minimum grade-point average and core-course requirements or the minimum standardized test score in order to be eligible to receive athletically related financial aid. However, it declined a committee recommendation to direct the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse to grant waivers for "obvious qualifiers" in Division II. The Management Council was concerned that such an action could be seen as a "weakening" of academic standards in Division II.

It approved recommendations from the Division II Championships Committee to make the increased dis-tance for the women's cross country championship (5,000 to 6,000 meters) effective with the 1998 championships, rather than 2000, as originally planned. The Management Council also supported establishment of a Division II Women's Golf Championship, but voted to propose legislation to elimi-nate the Division II Men's Ice Hockey Championship, effective after the 1999 event (only seven institutions would be eligible for the championship by 2001).

The Management Council also discussed Division II diversity issues, recommending to the Presidents Council that legislation be sponsored for the 1999 NCAA Convention that would commit Division II institutions to confirm their commitment to the principle of diversity of representation. The resolution noted that Division II is the only division to show a percentage decrease in African-American administrators and head coaches in a recent survey by the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee. It also discussed possible legislative options that will continue to be considered by both the Management Council and the Presidents Council.

Association-wide business

In addition to its Division II-specific business, the Management Council also acted on several recommendations from Association-wide committees.

It approved several recommendations from the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, including one that would prohibit providing weight-gain muscle/strength building supplements to student-athletes. It also agreed to inquire whether banned substances could be established on a division-specific basis.

The group referred back to the competitive-safeguards committee a proposal that would permit institutions to provide medical expenses during the summer. There was sentiment that the proposal might be more appropriate for Division I institutions that are medically staffed year round; in Division II, however, the recommendation could force institutions to purchase year-round insurance for athletically related injuries, rather than just for the academic year.

The Management Council also considered a report from the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse Committee. That group noted that certain high schools appear to be granting significantly high numbers of core-course units within a semester or during the summer. The Management Council asked the Division II Academic Requirements Committee to examine the issue.

The Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct submitted four "action items" to the Management Council, all of which were defeated. They would have: