The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- March 15, 1999

Presidents Council minutes

Following are the minutes of the January 10, 1999, meeting of the Division III Presidents Council at the Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio. All actions taken by the Presidents Council are included. Highlights of the meeting were reported in the January 18, 1999, issue of The NCAA News.

1. Announcements. Judith L. Kuipers, chair, welcomed guests and new incoming Presidents Council members who were in attendance as observers.

2. Previous Minutes. The Presidents Council reviewed the minutes of the October 27, 1998, Presidents Council meeting and the October 19-20, 1998, Management Council meeting.

It was voted that the minutes of the October 27, 1998, Presidents Council meeting be approved as distributed.

3. Report of the October 28, 1998, NCAA Executive Committee meeting. The Presidents Council reviewed the minutes of the October 28, 1998, Executive Committee meeting.

4. Report of the October 19-20, 1998, Division III Management Council Meeting.

a. Review of Division III strategic plan. The Presidents Council:

(1) Reviewed and approved the Management Council recommendation of changes to Section III, Mission Statement, noting a lack of an explicit statement regarding the significant impact of academics.

(2) Approved the Management Council recommendation to highlight issues in process in Section V and add Section VI identifying accomplishments of the plan.

b. Budgetary issues.

(1) Association-wide budget parameters. The Presidents Council approved the Association-wide budgeting process and recommended that the Executive Committee clearly articulate the Association-wide charge of the budget subcommittee and create a flowchart of decision points.

(2) Division III budget priorities. The Presidents Council reviewed the 1999 fiscal year budget and approved the Management Council recommendations to:

(a) Add the issue of exploring ways to support the deductible for catastrophic-injury insurance coverage.

(b) Reprioritize Championships Committee issues to include:

i. Championships experience needs assessment (mementos).

ii. Official travel party.

iii. Increase in per diem amount.

(3) Cost-savings initiatives. The Presidents Council:

(a) Endorsed the recent implementation of Option No. 4 to sell the NCAA aircraft and purchase executive charter service for selected flights.

(b) Recommended approval of Option No. 1 and recommended that the Executive Committee maximize flexibility if it wishes to go beyond Option No. 1 (e.g., Option No. 2 -- eliminate first-class travel). Emphasized the need for the following:

i. Need for flexibility to and from campus to accommodate schedule change.

ii. Ability to utilize upgrades.

(c) Recommended an editorial revision to amend NCAA Bylaw 21.8.5 -- Meeting Length and Sites, to include "subject to ratification by the Executive Committee."

(d) Approved the Management Council recommendation to retain four meetings per year and recommended the Presidents Council meet via telephone conference when possible.

(e) Approved the Management Council recommendations regarding digital publications and recommended to the Executive Committee the increased use of technology to improve service and save costs.

c. Committee reports.

(1) Association-wide committees.

(a) Honors Committee. The Presidents Council accepted the selections, requesting greater sensitivity in the identification of potential honorees.

(b) Olympic Sports Liaison Committee. The Presidents Council approved the Management Council recommendation to draft noncontroversial legislation to amend Bylaw 13.11.3.1 (staff members serving as announcers for contests involving national teams).

(c) Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct. The Presidents Council:

i. Approved and forwarded to the Executive Committee the Management Council recommendations to create an NCAA National Sportsmanship Award.

ii. Approved the Management Council recommendation to create a gambling video to address issues that impact student-athletes in all divisions and recommended that the Executive Committee fund the video through Association-wide resources.

iii. Recommended that the code of conduct being developed by the committee address speech issues as it is developed.

(d) Committee on Women's Athletics. The Presidents Council:

i. Approved a statement of support for gender equity as recommended by National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators and the Management Council.

ii. Recommended that the Executive Committee support in concept efforts to hire and/or promote women in top management positions at the national office, including the assignment of responsibility for women's issues.

iii. Endorsed the conduct of a gender-equity audit being conducted by the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Diversity and Gender Issues and proactive implementation of policies addressing its findings, as appropriate, and appointed M. Lee Pelton, Gloria Scott and Judson Taylor to serve as Division III representatives to the ad hoc committee to replace outgoing members.

(2) Management Council subcommittees.

(a) Administrative Review Subcommittee. The Presidents Council accepted the Management Council actions.

(b) All-Star Contests Certification Subcommittee. The Presidents Council approved the Management Council recommendations and support for:

i. Comprehensive review of Association catastrophic-injury insurance coverage, remaining cognizant of the legal impact and continued need for membership notice.

ii. Comprehensive review of institutional policies.

iii. Institutional development of policies.

iv. Strengthened application of legislation for the 2000 Convention.

Sponsorship of legislation to amend Bylaw 11.1.6 -- Involvement in Noncertified All-Star Contests.

Sponsorship of legislation to amend Bylaw 14.7.6 -- Collegiate All-Star Contests.

Sponsorship of legislation to amend Bylaw 30.2.2 -- College Football and Basketball.

(3) Division III committees.

(a) Championships Committee. The Presidents Council discussed the issues regarding baseball bats and performance standards and:

i. Expressed preference for immediate implementation of the three-pronged standard, based on health and safety concerns.

ii. Expressed concern that the Executive Committee decisions give appropriate weight to health and safety issues, as well as issues related to litigation and integrity of the game.

iii. Recommended that the Executive Committee communicate a definitive decision regarding the standard for the spring of 1999, including clarification of indemnification and bat availability to all member institutions as soon as possible.

(b) Committee on Infractions and Student-Athlete Reinstatement. The Presidents Council approved the Management Council recommendation and agreed to sponsor legislation for the 2000 Convention to amend Bylaws 21.8.6.3.1 and 21.8.6.3.3.1 to include one student-athlete representative to serve on the student-athlete reinstatement subcommittee.

(c) Interpretations and Legislation Committee. The Presidents Council accepted information regarding Phase II deregulation efforts.

(d) Membership Committee. The Presidents Council endorsed the action of the Management Council.

(e) Nominating Committee. The Presidents Council ratified the action of the Management Council.

(f) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The Presidents Council accepted the information regarding the participation of one of its eight CEO members in the 1999 Student-Athlete Leadership Conference and agreed to forward individual interest to the chair.

5. Issues related to the 1999 NCAA Convention.

a. 1999 Convention Schedule. The Presidents Council endorsed the Management Council recommendations.

b. Review of proposed legislation, speaker assignments and positions for all legislation. The Presidents Council reviewed proposed legislation, endorsed the Management Council recommendations and identified additional Presidents Council members to speak on behalf of Proposal No. 38.

6. Proposed legislation for 2000 Convention.

a. Review of proposed legislation. The Presidents Council recommended that the Executive Committee sponsor legislation to amend Constitution 2.6 -- Principle of Nondiscrimination to make the principle more descriptive.

b. Review of noncontroversial legislation adopted by the Management Council per NCAA Constitution 5.3.1.1.1. The Presidents Council:

(1) Endorsed the Management Council recommendation to remove Proposal No. 1 (Bylaws 11.1.6, 14.7.6 and 30.2.2) from noncontroversial legislation and designate it for membership vote at the 2000 Convention.

(2) The Presidents Council ratified all noncontroversial legislation approved by the Management Council and requested notification to the membership in The NCAA News (legislative assistance column) about the following legislative proposals:

(a) No. 2 -- Emerging Sports -- Equestrian (Bylaw 20.02.5).

(b) No. 3 -- Waiver of Composition Requirement -- Division III sports committees (Bylaw 21.8.1.4).

(c) No. 4 -- Admissions and Graduation-Rate Disclosure (Bylaw 30.1).

(d) No. 5 -- NCAA Championships -- Sunday Competition (Bylaw 31.1.4).

c. Legislative modifications per Constitution 5.4.1.1.1. The Presidents Council ratified all legislative modifications approved by the Management Council.

7. Process to evaluate new governance structure. The Presidents Council:

a. Approved the recommended timetable for evaluation of the Division III governance structure.

b. Approved the recommendation to create a joint subcommittee of Management Council and Presidents Council members to assist with the evaluation process.

c. Approved the Management Council recommendation to direct the staff to develop and forward written documents outlining the process and timetable to all Division III and Association-wide committee chairs and staff liaisons as part of their committee planning process for the upcoming year with feedback for the Presidents Council's August meeting.

8. Federal relations report. The Presidents Council received a report from Doris A. Dixon, NCAA director of federal relations.

9. Update -- NAIA and NCAA joint meeting. The Presidents Council approved the Management Council recommendations to forward issues to the appropriate Association-wide and Division III committees.

10. Update on nomination process for vacancies on the Presidents Council. The Presidents Council:

a. Reviewed the chart identifying Division III presidents nominated to serve on the Council.

b. Recommended various editorial revisions to the chart.

11. Other business.

a. Ad Hoc Committee to Review Diversity Issues. The Presidents Council appointed Bette Landman, M. Lee Pelton, Gloria Scott and Judson Taylor to serve as Division III representatives to the Presidents Ad Hoc Committee to Review Diversity Issues.

b. Presidents Council Nominations Subcommittee. The Presidents Council appointed Thomas Courtice, Ann H. Die and M. Lee Pelton to serve on the Presidents Council nominations subcommittee. The Council also recommended a post-Convention teleconference pending the adoption of Proposal No. 26 -- Division III Presidents Council Expansion to 15 Members.