National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News Digest

August 3, 1998

NCAA membership since 1953



Because of an influx of new members in Divisions II and III, NCAA active membership is at its highest level ever. The total number of NCAA member institutions now is 964 -- 310 in Division I, 267 in Division II and 387 in Division III. Total membership last year stood at 933. In the last year, Division I grew by four members, Division II by 13 and Division III by 14.

Also, Division I-A membership is the largest it has been since members had to comply with new membership criteria in 1982. I-A membership stands at 112 while the totals of I-AA and I-AAA members are 121 and 77, respectively.


DIVISION I

Group appointed to examine wide range of basketball issues

A 27-member Division I group has been appointed to study a variety of basketball-related issues, including the recruiting process, early departures to professional basketball leagues, the influence of sports wagering and agents, the image of intercollegiate basketball, student-athlete welfare, low graduation rates and high attrition rates of basketball student-athletes, and exempted basketball events.

The Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues will be chaired by Kenneth A. Shaw, chancellor of Syracuse University.

The Division I Board of Directors created the group in August. The study is expected to take about a year.

The group plans to conduct hearings during the next several months to identify issues, survey the NCAA membership, gather testimony from interested individuals and groups, and make appropriate recommendations for legislation or other action to the Division I governance structure.

Staff contact: S. David Berst.

DIVISION I

Cabinet votes to retain current initial-eligibility standards

The Division I Academics/Eligibility/Comp-liance Cabinet has voted to retain the current initial-eligibility requirements for Division I.

The cabinet supported a recommendation from its Initial-Eligibility Subcommittee, which concluded that "there was no compelling reason at this time to suggest a change to the current initial-eligibility standards." The subcommittee also said it would be prudent to gain more experience with the current standard by regularly monitoring its impact before suggesting any changes.

Staff contact: Kevin C. Lennon.

DIVISION I

Championships cabinet acts on religion/competition issue

The Division I Championships/Competi-tion Cabinet has approved a process that permits sports committees to apply for a waiver of legislation that requires a championship schedule to be revised to accommodate institutions with policies against competition for religious reasons.

The legislation requires a championship schedule to be revised to accommodate institutions with written policies against competition on a particular day for religious reasons by adjusting the championship schedule. A waiver option, however, is built in for sports committees to obtain relief from the rule if they believe that such accommodation would unduly disrupt the orderly conduct of the event.

Staff contact: Tricia Bork.

INSURANCE

Exceptional athlete benefits now available for women

NCAA Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Insurance is now available for women.

That program -- in existence since 1990 -- enables exceptional student-athletes to purchase a disability insurance contract with preapproved financing, if necessary. The program is now available to exceptional student-athletes in men's and women's basketball, football, baseball and ice hockey.

Staff contact: Marla Gleason.

AWARDS

Deadline approaching fro honors program nominations

Nominations for fall sports candidates for the 1999 Honors Program must be received at the NCAA national office by November 1.

Nomination folders will be mailed no later than October 1 to athletics directors, faculty athletics representatives and sports information directors at all member institutions.

Staff contact: Laurie Bollig.