The NCAA News - News and Features

August 31, 1998

Division III CEOs OK strategic plan

Presidents approve a blueprint for next two years

CHICAGO -- The Division III Presidents Council approved the next two years of the Division III strategic plan at its August 11 meeting.

The plan, which will serve as a blueprint for the division, included score cards compiled from the operations plans for all Division III and Association-wide committees. These score cards will be used to assess progress toward achievement of the division's goals.

The Presidents Council approved the priorities recommended by the Management Council and added objectives, including those addressing nontraditional seasons, CHAMPS/Life Skills programs and marketing and licensing initiatives for Division III.

The Presidents Council also approved the sponsorship of legislation for the 1999 Convention to amend the Division III philosophy statement consistent with the strategic plan's mission statement.

Updated score cards and the Division III strategic plan will be distributed to all Division III and Association-wide committee chairs and staff liaisons.

Championships

The Presidents Council approved the revised championships automatic-qualification principles as amended by the Management Council and approved sponsorship of legislation to amend Bylaw 31.3.

The Presidents Council accepted the changes suggested by the Management Council, which included adding an introductory statement indicating that the guiding principles are derived from the Division III strategic-planning mission statement and highlighting that results from geographical regional competition will be given the highest priority in the selection process.

The Presidents Council also accepted the recommendation to add an effective date of 2001-02 to the requirement that all conferences must play a minimum percentage of their published schedule against conference competition in order to be eligible to receive an automatic bid.

The recommendation was made to accommodate pre-existing schedules, but the entire minimum-percentage requirement may be reconsidered in October. (At an August meeting of the sports committee chairs, committee members questioned the need for the requirement and expressed concern for the potential scheduling conflicts this requirement could cause. It is expected that the Division III Championships Committee will review the issue and forward a recommendation to the Management Council and the Presidents Council in time for the councils' October meetings.)

The automatic-qualification principles probably will be presented as a package of legislation at the 1999 Convention, but it is important to note that the amendment-to-amendment process will be available through November 1.

In another action, the Council approved a recommendation to establish a 24-team, five-week football championship, effective with the 1999 season.

Membership

The Presidents Council approved the recommendation to grant two conferences -- the American Southwest Conference and the Northwest Conference -- active membership effective September 1, 1998.

The Council also approved the recommendation to grant the following 14 institutions active membership status effective September 1, 1998: Brooklyn College; College of Mount St. Joseph; Hilbert College; Lasell College; Lewis and Clark College; Linfield College; University of Maine, Farmington; University of the Ozarks (Arkansas); Pacific Lutheran University; Pacific University (Oregon); Wheelock College; Whitman College; Whitworth College; and Willamette College.

In addition, the Council approved the recommendation to grant 22 institutions provisional membership status effective September 1, 1998. These are the first such institutions accepted for provisional membership since the recent lifting of the moratorium on new members. The 22 institutions are: Baptist Bible College; Bay Path College; Becker College; Dominican University; D'Youville University; Husson College; LaGrange College; LeTourneau University; Lindenwood University; Medaille University; Mount Ida College, New York Technical University; Northland College; Peace College; Pennsylvania State University at Altoona; Philadelphia College of the Bible; Piedmont College; University of Pittsburgh at Greenberg; University of Texas at Dallas; Seattle University; Shawnee State University; and State University of New York at Farmingdale.

Also, the following eight institutions were moved into their final year of provisional mem-

bership: Cazenovia College; Eastern Oregon State College; George Fox College; Evergreen State College; Maranatha Baptist Bible College; University of Pittsburgh at Bradford; University of Puget Sound; and Trinity College (District of Columbia).

Provisional membership was granted to the following four provisional members reclassifying from Division II to Division III: Concordia University and University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (two-year provisional membership period); Schreiner College (three-year provisional membership period); and East Texas Baptist (four-year provisional membership period).

In another membership action, the Presidents Council approved a recommendation from the Management Council to approve provisional member orientation sessions, with the requirement that each provisional member institution be represented at the orientation session by the chief executive officer, director of athletics and others as the institution deems appropriate.

The Presidents Council noted that attendance of the CEO for fall 1998 sessions may not be possible since schedules may already be set. If the CEO cannot attend, the CEO must designate a substitute (such as the provost) and the CEO must attend the 1999 Convention session for provisional members.

Other highlights

Division III Presidents Council
August 11/Chicago