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The NCAA News - News and FeaturesThe NCAA News -- November 8, 1999 Division II governance groups focus on Convention topics
BY DAVID PICKLE CHICAGO -- Much of the October 28 meeting of the Division II Presidents Council was spent looking ahead, both to the 2000 NCAA Convention and to major Division II initiatives that will be unfolding over the next year. Most discussion was focused on legislation that will be considered at the January Convention in San Diego, but the presidents also talked about administration of the Division II Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Program, distribution and implementation of the Division II Strategic Plan, the division's ongoing examination of amateurism, and possible problems with athletic training support at many NCAA member institutions. The $250,000 diversity grant program, approved by the presidents at their August meeting, is designed to aid Division II conferences and institutions working to enhance gender and ethnic minority diversity. Application forms were mailed to the Division II membership early in the academic year. The attention now turns to how the award winners will be determined. The Division II Management Council, which also discussed the matter at its October 18-19 meeting in Atlanta, recommended that applicants be filtered through a screening committee, with final selections being made by the Division II Project Team to Review Issues Related to Diversity. The Presidents Council, however, wants further consideration of the matter. The CEOs acknowledged that while the diversity project team has a thorough understanding of Division II issues and needs, it might not be the best group to select the awards because of conflict-of-interest perceptions that could arise if applicants are screened and the awards are chosen by peers. The presidents discussed several alternate possibilities, including judges from outside the division or a blue-ribbon panel containing former Division II Presidents Council members. Discussion also occurred on what role the staff should play in the screening and selection processes. Ultimately, the matter was sent back to the project team, which will make recommendations. The first grants are to be awarded in the summer of 2000. Strategic plan The presidents reviewed the Division II strategic plan for the last time before it is distributed to the membership. The presidents did send the document back to the Division II Strategic Planning Project Team with a request for that group to consider adding a new objective in which the Division II Academic Requirements Committee would be asked to consider the development of programs that would enhance the academic performance of Division II student-athletes. Assuming that the parties are able to reach agreement on that point, the plan will be mailed to the membership later this month. The time line will give the membership an opportunity to review the 26-page document in advance of the Convention, where it will be discussed in detail during the Division II business session. The Division II strategic plan has been in development since 1998, when the membership was surveyed about major issues in Division II. A project team composed of Management and Presidents Council representatives than developed the plan. It addresses matters relating to student-athlete welfare, championships, Division II finances, legislative deregulation, Division II identity, rules compliance, diversity, enhancing the role of the faculty athletics representative and senior woman administrator, technology/communication, and amateurism. Amateurism With regard to amateurism, the presidents received an update from Allen Lee Sessoms, chair of the Division II Amateurism Project Team. Sessoms reminded the group that a brief report on amateurism will be provided during the Chief Executive Officers Luncheon at the Convention January 9. However, he noted that the more detailed discussion of the topic will occur later that day during the Division II Issues Forum. In that vein, Sessoms stressed the importance of CEO attendance at the Issues Forum. Convention Besides discussion about the strategic plan and administration of the diversity grant, the presidents spent most of their time focusing on matters relating to the 2000 Convention in San Diego. The 48-proposal legislative package will be the largest considered by Division II since the NCAA restructured in 1997. The presidents identified a 23-proposal Presidents Council grouping containing measures believed to be of particular interest to CEOs. The grouping contains the following proposals, as numbered in the Second Publication of Proposed Legislation: No. 2-1 -- Principle of Nondiscrimination (will be voted on during the opening business session January 8). No. 2-3* -- Legislation Amendment Process--Emergency Legislation. No. 2-17* -- Eligibility--Additional Season of Competition Waiver. No. 2-19 -- Initial Eligibility--Core Curriculum Requirements. No. 2-20 -- Initial Eligibility--Core Curriculum Requirements--Nontraditional Courses. No. 2-22 -- Satisfactory Progress--International Baccalaureate Program Examinations. No. 2-24* -- Financial Aid--Board Allowance. No. 2-25* -- Housing and Meals--Vacation Period Expenses. No. 2-30* -- Women's Championships--Sports Sponsorship Minimum Period. No. 2-31 -- National Collegiate Championship--Women's Ice Hockey. No. 2-32 -- National Collegiate Championship--Women's Water Polo. No. 2-34* -- Geographical Scheduling Waiver--Football. Bylaws 11 and 13 deregulation proposals (11 total)*. *Roll-call votes. Another 11 proposals believed to have no meaningful opposition will be grouped as a consent package. The remaining 14 proposals, nine sponsored by the Presidents Council and five by the membership, will be grouped by bylaw and voted upon by a show of paddles. The Presidents Council, on recommendation of the Management Council, has agreed to support membership-sponsored Proposal Nos. 2-15 (Nonscholastic-Based Basketball) and 2-27 (Maximum Dates of Competition--Women's Lacrosse). Athletic training Both the Presidents Council and the Division II Management Council continued to address an ongoing concern about emergency medical care and athletic trainer support in the wake of a change on how athletic trainers are certified. The Presidents Council raised the concern with the NCAA Executive Committee, which met October 29, noting that athletic training support is an emerging issue that likely will be of growing concern not only for Division II but also for Division III and many institutions in Division I. The Executive Committee agreed that the issue merits further examination and referred the matter to the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. That committee was asked to examine the issue on an Association-wide basis and to recommend possible solutions.
Other highlights: Presidents Council
Division II Presidents Council
Other highlights: Management Council
Division II Management Council
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