National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- February 15, 1999

Women's athletics committee discusses marketing concerns

The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics met with representatives from the NCAA marketing staff and Host Communications Inc. during its January 27-28 meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.

The committee expressed concern about equitable marketing opportunities for women's sports and discussed these concerns with the NCAA staff as well as with HCI, which was represented by Jim Host, HCI president, and Kelly Krauskopf, president of HCI's new women's sports marketing division.

Krauskopf indicated that several HCI women's sports marketing initiatives are in the planning stages. Krauskopf also said that she will be hiring additional staff and developing a budget for HCI's women's sports marketing division.

The committee agreed to work cooperatively with NCAA staff to ensure that future promotional rights contracts include language ensuring equitable marketing opportunities for men's and women's sports.

The committee also supported the retention of the NCAA Marketing Committee as an Association-wide centralization of marketing efforts.

Gender-equity audit

The committee reviewed the action taken thus far on the NCAA Gender-Equity and Diversity Audit Report and requested that a letter be sent to the NCAA president and NCAA staff clarifying the process and procedures regarding the report.

The committee also has requested that a plan and timeline be confirmed for the implementation of recommendations resulting from the audit.

The committee also recommended that in order to move forward in a timely fashion with the audit recommendations, appropriate NCAA bodies should request additional funding through the normal budgetary process as needed for the programs they plan to implement this year.

Principle of nondiscrimination

In another action, the committee supported the Division I Board of Directors' amendment to the principle of nondiscrimination proposal. This proposal is designed to become an amendment to the NCAA Constitution. Such an amendment would require adoption by two-thirds of the membership present at the 2000 NCAA Convention.

The language of the amended proposal now reads: "The Association shall promote an atmosphere of respect for and sensitivity to the dignity of every person. It is the policy of the Association to refrain from discrimination within its own governance policies, educational programs, activities and employment policies, including on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, creed or sexual orientation. It is the responsibility of each member institution to determine independently its own policy regarding nondiscrimination."

In other action, the committee:

  • Recommended that the reporting lines for the Committee on Women's Athletics be adjusted in Division I so that the committee reports directly to the Division I Management Council rather than through the Division I Strategic Planning Cabinet. The committee noted that this would make the reporting lines consistent across divisions, assisting greatly in addressing timing and consistency issues.

  • Reviewed reports from NCAA staff, including Elsa Kircher Cole, NCAA general counsel, regarding senior woman administrator proposals in all three divisions that had been referred back to the committee for further consideration. The committee deferred action on the original proposals and all recommended changes. The committee plans to continue to review the matter and report back at a later date.

  • Heard a report from Ronald J. Stratten, NCAA vice-president for education services, regarding possible changes in the department. Stratten reported that the position of NCAA director of education outreach would be maintained and would continue to include responsibilities for women's issues and programs as well as responsibilities for student-athlete welfare issues and programs.