The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- December 20, 1999

Management Council minutes

Following are the minutes of the October 18-19 meeting of the Division II Management Council at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta. All actions taken by the Management Council are included. Highlights of the meeting were reported in the November 8 issue of The NCAA News.

1. Announcements. Clint Bryant, chair, noted that Dianthia Ford-Kee's absence from the meeting was excused. The agenda was reordered so that the Policies and Procedures Project Team's report would be heard after the review of the Executive Committee's minutes.

2. Review of previous minutes:

a. Minutes of the July 26-27 Management Council meeting.

It was voted that the Management Council approve the minutes from its July 26-27 meeting as distributed.

b. Minutes of the August 5 Presidents Council meeting. The Management Council reviewed the minutes from the Presidents Council's August 5 meeting without taking any formal action.

c. Report of the August 6 Executive Committee meeting. The Management reviewed the minutes from the Executive Committee's August 6 meeting without taking any formal action.

3. Review of committee recommendations affecting Division II.

a. Association-wide and common committees.

(1) Committee on Women's Athletics.

(a) Women's Bowling. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to sponsor legislation to exempt the emerging sport of women's bowling from the requirement that a minimum of 40 institutions must sponsor a sport to establish a championship.

It was moved and seconded that the Management Council agree to recommend to the Presidents Council to sponsor legislation to require a minimum institutional sponsorship number of 25 to establish a championship in the sport of women's bowling. (Defeated by voice vote.)

[Note: The Management Council agreed that Proposal No. 2-30 would apply to women's bowling, and that the sport will be "fast-tracked" to an NCAA championship like other emerging sports.]

(b) Sports Rules and Officiating Clinics. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation that the NCAA be responsible for the development of rules, as well as conducting officiating clinics, in the sports of women's volleyball and men's and women's soccer. The Management Council agreed to refer the recommendation back to the committee for clarification and further review.

(2) Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee. The Management Council accepted the committee's report without taking any formal action. It was noted that on November 9 there will be a Women of Color Summit to discuss ways to enhance minority female opportunities in athletics administration.

(3) Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct. The Management Council accepted the committee's report without taking any formal action.

(4) Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse Committee. The Management Council accepted the committee's report without taking any formal action.

b. Division II Committees.

(1) Championships Committee.

(a) Bylaw 31.1.4.1.1 Revision. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to revise NCAA Bylaw 31.1.4.1.1 to eliminate the waiver opportunity afforded Division II governing sports committees regarding an institution's policy against participating in competition on Sundays.

It was voted that the Management Council agree to recommend to the Presidents Council that it modify Bylaw 31.1.4.1.1 as recommended by the committee.

(b) Revision of Men's and Women's Tennis Format. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to change the men's and women's tennis format so that 16 regional tournaments will be conducted to determine the 16-team field in the NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Tennis Championships beginning this spring ($4,200 budget expense in 1999-00).

It was voted that the Management Council recommend to the Presidents Council that it change the men's and women's tennis format as recommended by the committee.

(c) Cross Country Fees. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to increase the fee provided to referees this fall for the Division II Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships from $100 to $150 and the starter's fee from $30 to $50 ($70 budget expense in 1999-00).

It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council approve the increase in fees as recommended by the committee.

(d) Budgetary Adjustments. The Management Council discussed the need for committees to request budget adjustments for minimal dollar amounts during the fiscal year.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend to the Presidents Council that it establish a minimum dollar amount ($1,000) that committee budget year adjustments must exceed before such expenses are forwarded to the Management Council and Presidents Council for consideration.

(e) Track and Field Qualifying Marks. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation that qualifying marks for track and field national championships will not be accepted if set in meets or events in which there are not at least two four-year institutions with at least 14 competitors per team per gender. The Management Council referred the recommendation back to the committee for clarification and further review. Specifically, the Management Council asked the committee to consider the impact that such qualifying standards would have on individuals participating in certain track meets (for example, the University of Pennsylvania Relays).

(f) Lacrosse Rules. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to revise the following NCAA lacrosse rules:

i. Rule 1-18 removing the exception for the sidewall of a gut-wall crosse.

ii. Insert the following to Rule 1-19: The sidewall shall be defined as the inside surface area, (i.e., pocket side) of the wall, running from one point at which a line that is perpendicular to the shaft and runs through the widest portion of the head intersects the wall, to the other intersection point with the wall, and includes the surface area of the stop.

iii. Insert the following in Rule 1-20, replacing two paragraphs at the bottom of page 18 that speak to the committee's future plans regarding rules on stick construction: The sidewall shall be no more than two inches wide.

It was voted that the Management Council approve the rule changes as recommended by the committee.

(g) Revision of NCAA Bylaw 20.4.3.1. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to approve an editorial revision to modify Bylaw 20.4.3.1 to specify that a Division II institution may reclassify one sport (per gender) to Division I without impacting the institution's eligibility to receive Division II enhancement funds.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council approve the editorial revision to Bylaw 20.4.3.1 as recommended by the committee.

(h) Championship Awards. The Management Council agreed to refer a recommendation to provide the top eight place-finishers in NCAA Division II individual-team championships with NCAA awards back to the committee for further consideration. The Management Council agreed to ask the committee to consider submitting a recommendation to be funded by the Division II budget for the 2000-01 academic year.

(i) Championship Bracket Determinations. The Management Council agreed to table a committee recommendation to adjust the percentage (from greater than 95 per cent to greater than 90 per cent) of Division II institutions that must sponsor a sport to establish a 48-team championships bracket. The Management Council agreed to ask the committee to determine costs associated with bracket expansion in certain sports (for example, volleyball) before considering changes to the percentage requirements.

(j) Women's Basketball Per Diem. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to provide an additional day of per diem beginning this spring to the eight teams that participate in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship ($10,400 budget expense in 1999-00).

It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council approve the additional day of per diem as recommended by the committee.

[Note: The Management Council agreed to ask the Championships Committee to look for per diem discrepancies in other men's and women's championships.]

(k) Championships Committee Strategic Plan. The Management Council received the Division II Championship Committee's Operations Plan without taking any formal action.

(l) Division II Women's Lacrosse Championships. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to sponsor noncontroversial legislation to establish a Division II Women's Lacrosse Committee and a Division II Women's Lacrosse Championship, effective spring 2001, pending final action by Division I to eliminate the current National Collegiate Women's Lacrosse Championship for Divisions I and II.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council sponsor noncontroversial legislation to establish a Division II Women's Lacrosse Committee and Division II Lacrosse Championship effective 2000-01. (For 16, against 4.)

[Note: The Management Council agreed to ask the Championships Committee to forward a bracket recommendation (and costs) to the Budget Committee by February 15.]

(m) Enhancement Fund Clarification. The Management Council agreed to clarify that when an institution is ineligible for the enhancement funds, it shall not receive either the equal distribution sent to the school or its portion of the basketball funds that is sent to the conference office.

(2) Committee on Infractions. The Management Council considered a committee request to make an editorial revision to Bylaw 13.02.10 (definition of a prospective student-athlete) to clarify that a prospective student-athlete remains a prospective student-athlete until either the first day of practice or the first day of classes.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council revise Bylaw 13.02.10 as recommended by the committee.

(3) Legislation Committee.

(a) Incorporations. The Management Council reviewed the incorporations adopted by the Division II Legislative Review Subcommittee without taking any formal action.

(b) Editorial Revisions. It was voted that the Management Council approve the editorial revisions adopted by the Division II Legislative Review Subcommittee.

(c) Interpretations. It was voted that the Management Council approve the interpretations adopted by the Interpretations Subcommittee as set forth in the July 23, 1999, minutes and in the minutes of 1999 Telephone Conference Nos. 5 and 6.

(4) Membership Committee.

(a) Committee Service. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to revise Constitution 4.3 and 4.6 and Bylaw 21.7 to restrict Division II Management Council and committee service in the Division II governance structure to representatives from Division II active member institutions.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend to the Presidents Council that an editorial revision be made to Constitution 4.3 and 4.6 and Bylaw 21.7 as recommended by the committee.

(b) Provisional Member Annual Report. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to modify Constitution 3.6.4.2 based on the original intent of the legislation to include language that will require the provisional member annual report to be completed as defined by the Division II Provisional Member Educational Assessment Program.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend to the Presidents Council that Constitution 3.6.4.2 be modified as recommended by the committee.

(c) Provisional Member Educational Assessment Program. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to revise the Division II Provisional Member Educational Assessment Program as set forth in Supplement No. 13, Attachment A, of the Management Council's October 1999 meeting materials.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend to the Presidents Council that the Division II Provisional Member Educational Assessment Program be revised as recommended by the committee.

(d) Convention Attendance Requirement for Provisional Members. The Management Council considered a committee recommendation to revise the Division II Provisional Member Educational Assessment Program so that chief executive officers (or his/her designee with oversight of athletics) and/or the faculty athletics representative must attend the NCAA Convention in years two, three and four of the four-year provisional membership period.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend to the Presidents Council that chief executive officers and/or faculty athletics representatives of provisional member institutions be required to attend the NCAA Convention in years two, three and four of the four-year provisional membership period.

[Note: The Presidents Council modified this recommendation to specify that the chief executive officer and faculty athletics representative of provisional member institutions both must attend the NCAA Convention in years two, three and four of the four-year provisional member period.]

(5) Nominating Committee.

(a) Division II Committee Appointments. It was voted that the Management Council recommend the following committee appointments to the Presidents Council for ratification:

(i) Championships Committee: David Riggins, athletics director, Mars Hill College; Peter Chapman, athletics director, Missouri Western State College; and Pam Gill-Fisher, associate athletics director, University of California, Davis.

[Note: Pam Gill-Fisher was later selected to the Management Council; thus, her appointment to the Championships Committee became void. One vacancy still exists on the Championships Committee that the Division II Nominating Committee will need to address.]

(ii) Committee on Infractions: Larry Blumberg, faculty athletics representative, Washburn University.

(iii) Nominating Committee: Mark Kosciuszko, faculty athletics representative, Ferris State University.

(iv) Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee: Shannon Schmieg, senior woman administrator, Pittsburg State University.

(b) Committee Structure Review for Division II General and Sport Committees. The Management Council received a report that the committee will review all Division II committees (including sports committees), regarding current criteria for committee selections, actual committee structure, communications links and time lines for committees and committee vacancy notifications.

(6) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. It was voted that the Management Council recommend to the Presidents Council that it ratify the appointment of Akin Minnis, Saint Augustine's College, to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association's representative.

4. Division II Administrative Committee Actions. It was voted that the Management Council approve the minutes from the committee's 1999 Telephone Conference Nos. 4 and 5 as distributed.

5. Convention and Legislation.

a. Proposed Legislation that the Presidents Council Will Sponsor for the 2000 NCAA Convention. It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council approve the legislative form of the proposals for the 2000 NCAA Convention that were previously approved in concept by both groups.

b. Proposed Grouping of Legislative Proposals. It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council approve the grouping of legislative proposals and the proposals identified for roll call votes.

c. Proposed Legislation that the Membership Will Sponsored for the 2000 Convention. The Management Council reviewed five legislative proposals submitted and sponsored by the Division II membership.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council support Proposal Nos. 2-15 (Nonscholastic-Based Basketball) and 2-27 (Maximum Dates of Competition -- Division II Women's Lacrosse).

d. Noncontroversial legislation per Constitution 5.3.1.1.1.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council approve the legislative form of all noncontroversial legislative changes as submitted.

e. Administrative Regulations (Bylaws 30, 31 and 32 Revisions).

It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council approve the legislative form of administrative and executive regulation revisions as submitted.

f. Modifications of Wording to Conform with Intent. The Management Council reviewed the legislative form of modification of wording to conform with intent proposals without taking any formal action.

g. Principle of Nondiscrimination. The Management Council reviewed the proposed legislation to modify the Principle of Nondiscrimination (Constitution 2.6) without taken any formal action.

h. Convention Schedule. The Management Council reviewed the 2000 Convention schedule for Division II without taking any formal action.

6. Division II Project Teams.

a. Amateurism Project Team. The Management Council viewed a PowerPoint presentation on the project team's progress. No formal action was taken.

b. Project Team to Review Issues Related to Diversity. The Management Council reviewed the options for establishing a screening committee and a selection committee for the Division II Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Program.

It was voted that the Management Council agree to recommend to the Presidents Council that the project team assume the responsibility of screening and selecting grant recipients.

[Note: The Presidents Council expressed concern about involving individuals in the selection process who are currently at Division II institutions or conferences. The Presidents Council agreed that to ask the project team to revisit this issue.]

c. Division II Management Council Policies and Procedures Project Team.

(1) Management Council Nominations Subcommittee. The Management Council considered a recommendation to establish a Management Council Nominations Subcommittee to review nominations and assist the Management Council election process every year.

It was voted that a Management Council Nominations Subcommittee be established and that members of the subcommittee would be appointed by the chair before each Management Council election. (For 13, against 8.)

[Note: It was agreed that the Policy and Procedures Project Team would act as the nominations subcommittee for this election.]

(2) Management Council Elections Results. The Management Council considered a project team recommendation to amend the current policy that prohibits the disclosure of Management Council election results until after Presidents Council ratification.

It was voted that the Management Council agree that election results would be shared with the Management Council on Tuesday with the understanding that the results are to be kept confidential.

(3) Policy for Committee Representatives Participating in Media Activities. The Management Council considered a recommendation to modify the language that restricts committee representatives from participating in certain media activities.

It was voted that the Management Council approve the amended language for incorporation into the committee handbook.

d. Strategic Planning Project Team. The Management Council reviewed the final draft of the division's strategic plan.

It was voted that the Management Council approve the final draft of the strategic plan as presented.

[Note: The Presidents Council agreed to modify the strategic plan to include a new objective for the student-athlete welfare priority that addresses Division II's commitment to academic success.]

7. Report from the NCAA President. The Management Council received a update from NCAA President Cedric W. Dempsey concerning NCAA marketing, licensing and promotions and the television rights negotiations for NCAA championship broadcasts.

8. Division II Management Council Subcommittees.

a. Initial-Eligibility Waiver Appeal. The Management Council considered two appeals of decisions by the Initial-Eligibility Waiver Subcommittee.

It was voted that the Management Council uphold the waiver decision of the subcommittee in both instances.

b. Management Council Subcommittee -- Administrative Review Panel. The Management Council received a report on actions taken by the Division II Administrative Review Subcommittee from June 1 through August 31, 1999. It was noted that the subcommittee processed 25 requests during this period; nine were granted and 16 were denied. Since August 1, 1997, a total of 260 Division II requests have been acted upon; 102 have been granted and 158 have been denied.

c. Management Council Subcommittee -- Expedited Initial-Eligibility Appeals and Satisfactory Progress Appeals. The Management Council received a report regarding four expedited appeals of decisions by the Initial-Eligibility Waiver Subcommittee, which were upheld by the Management Council Subcommittee. The Management Council also received a report regarding a satisfactory-progress waiver appeal that the Management Council subcommittee approved with contingencies. [Note: The Management Council received a report that the contingencies were not met, and therefore, the original decision of the Satisfactory-Progress Waiver Subcommittee was upheld.]

d. Management Council Vacancies/Committees and Project Teams. The Management Council reviewed the upcoming Management Council vacancies on Division II committees and project teams. No formal action was taken.

e. Management Council Elections. The Management Council conducted elections by written ballot to replace five Management Council representatives whose terms expire in January 2000 after the NCAA Convention.

It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council ratify the appointments of the following individuals to the Management Council, effective January 2000:

(1) California Collegiate Athletic Conference: Pam Gill-Fisher, senior woman administrator, University of California, Davis, to replace Carol Dunn, athletics director, California State University.

(2) Northern Sun Conference: Katy Wilson, athletics director, Moorhead State University, to replace Patricia Merrier, faculty athletics representative, University of Minnesota, Duluth.

(3) Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference: Mary Gardner, senior woman administrator, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, to replace Marjorie Trout, senior woman administrator, Millersville University of Pennsylvania.

(4) Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Jean Bell Chandler, senior woman administrator, Clark Atlanta University, to replace Wil Shaw, faculty athletics representative, Morehouse College.

(5) Sunshine State Conference: Phil Roach, athletics director, Rollins College, to replace G. Jean Cerra, senior woman administrator, Barry University.

f. Management Council Reelection. It was voted that the Management Council recommend that the Presidents Council ratify Kevin Hickey's (faculty athletics representative, Assumption College) reelection for a second term on the Division II Management Council.

g. Division II Committee Chairs/ Staff Liaison Meeting. The Management Council reviewed a report from the September Division II Committee Chairs/Staff Liaisons Meeting to evaluate the Division II governance structure. No formal action was taken; however, suggestions were forwarded to the Presidents Council for consideration.

h. Enhancement Fund Distribution. The Management Council considered a recommendation that the Presidents Council reconsider the time line and implementation date of the enhancement fund distribution formula and that the first distribution under the new policy occur in the spring of 2001 (based on data collected in 1999-00).

It was moved and seconded that the Management Council agree to recommend that the Presidents Council expedite the anticipated implementation date for the enhancement fund's new distribution formula. (Defeated -- for 5, against 15.)

9. National Office Staff Updates.

a. Satisfactory Progress/Remedial Course Grade-Point Average Calculations. The Management Council reviewed a report from staff requesting clarification of an October 1998 Management Council interpretation concerning the use of nondegree remedial courses.

It was voted that the Management Council agree to rescind an official interpretation issued by the Management Council in October 1998 regarding restrictions in using nondegree remedial courses (taken after the student-athlete's first year of collegiate enrollment) when calculating a student-athlete's grade-point average for satisfactory progress purposes.

b. Update on National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA). The Management Council received a report from the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports concerning the status of emergency care and coverage at NCAA institutions and the upcoming changes to the trainer certification process.

It was voted that the Management Council request that the Presidents Council be made aware of the NATA certification change and that the Presidents Council give guidance to the Management Council concerning this issue."

c. Update on Equestrian Issue. The Management Council received a status report regarding the emerging sport of equestrian. No formal action was taken.

d. Eligibility for Service on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The Management Council reviewed the recent high turnover on the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The Management Council affirmed its commitment to supporting Presidents Council action to modify current eligibility restrictions to permit student-athlete service on the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee following graduation under limited circumstances.

e. Active Member Compliance Initiatives. The Management Council received a report concerning Division II Active Member Compliance Initiatives. No formal action was taken.

f. Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Summit Survey Results. The Management Council reviewed the results compiled from surveys submitted by members of the Management Council and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee who attended the Summit in July. No formal action was taken.

g. National Office Federal Relations Update. The Management Council reviewed a report from the NCAA Federal Relations Office regarding the Student Right to Know Act and the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act. No formal action was taken.