The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- February 1, 1999

Interpretations

The Division III Management Council reviewed the 1999 Convention proposals and issued interpretations concerning the application of those proposals, as follows:

Proposal No. 28

1. Division III Financial Aid -- Athletically Related Financial Aid. A student-athlete who first enrolls and attends class in year one of provisional membership and receives athletics aid may continue to receive that award during year two of provisional membership, but may not receive "new" aid during that year and may not receive any athletics aid during years three and four of provisional membership.

A student-athlete who first enrolls and attends class in year two of provisional membership may not be awarded athletically related financial aid.

A student-athlete who was recruited in the second year of provisional membership, but who first enrolls and attends classes in the third year of provisional membership, may not be awarded athletically related financial aid.

Proposal No. 38

2. Division III Championships Selection Principles and Automatic-Qualification Requirements. The Management Council will editorially revise Bylaw 31.3.3-(d) as follows:

"If criteria (a) through (c) are equal, the sports committee also may consider the remainder of the institution's schedule, including out-of-region play and competition against Division I and Division II member institutions and nonmember institutions."

Proposal No. 38

3. Division III Championships Selection Principles and Automatic-Qualification Requirements. The Management Council will editorially revise Bylaw 31.3.4.2-(c) to specify that the seven-member requirement refers to seven "active" members of the Association.

Proposal No. 38

4. Division III Championships Selection Principles and Automatic-Qualification Requirements. The amendment to NCAA Bylaw 31.3.5 (selection of balance of championship field) would not eliminate an institution from championship consideration if that institution belongs to a conference that does not receive automatic qualification. The Division III Management Council will editorially revise Bylaw 31.3.5 to include a reference to "representatives of conferences not receiving automatic qualification," along with "independent institutions" and "representatives of other members of the conferences receiving automatic qualification."

Proposal No. 38-2

5. Division III Championships -- Selection Principles and Automatic-Qualification Requirements -- (Resolution: At-Large Berths). The Management Council will editorially revise the second paragraph of Proposal No. 38-2 as follows:

"Whereas the allocation of championships berths in each team sport to at-large participants (i.e., independent institutions, institutions that are members of conferences that do not meet automatic-qualification requirements and nonconference champions) will vary from sport to sport on an annual basis, based on the number of conferences that qualify for an automatic bid and the overall size of the championship pool; and"

Proposal No. 48

6. Nonpermissible Medical Expenses -- Dietary Supplements. The prohibition against providing dietary supplements (e.g., weight-gain muscle/strength building supplements) does not preclude an institution from providing electrolyte/fluid replacements (e.g., Gatorade, Powerade) to student-athletes. The provision of protein bars/protein candy bars (e.g., PowerBars) will continue to be reviewed by the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports.