The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- December 20, 1999

Presidents Council minutes

Following are the minutes of the October 28 meeting of the Division II Presidents Council at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Chicago. All actions taken by the Presidents Council are included. Highlights of the meeting were reported in the November 8 issue of The NCAA News.

1. Minutes. The Presidents Council reviewed the minutes of its August 5, 1999, meeting. It was noted that the Presidents Council will have to carefully monitor the Association-wide public relations plan to ensure that Division II interests are represented.

It was voted that the August 5 minutes be approved as distributed.

2. Report of the Executive Committee. The Presidents Council reviewed the minutes of the Executive Committee's August 6, 1999, meeting without taking any formal action.

3. Report of the Division II Management Council.

a. Consent Package. It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the consent package of noncontroversial legislative proposals, editorial revisions; modifications of wording to conform to the intent; NCAA Bylaws 30, 31 and 32 amendments; and incorporations/editorial revisions, as recommended by the Management Council.

b. Committee Recommendations.

(1) Championships Committee.

(a) Revision of Men's and Women's Tennis Format. The Presidents 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 effective this spring (anticipated $4,200 budget expense in 1999-00).

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the committee's recommendation.

(b) Cross Country Fees. The Presidents 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 Presidents Council approve the committee's recommendation.

(c) Budgetary Adjustments. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to 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.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the Management Council's recommendation.

(d) Women's Basketball Per Diem. The Presidents Council considered a committee recommendation to provide an additional day of per diem to the eight teams that participate in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship effective the spring of 2000 ($10,400 budget expense in 1999-00).

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the committee's recommendation.

(e) Division II Women's Lacrosse Championship. The Presidents 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 Presidents Council approve the committee's recommendation and request that the Championships Committee forward a suggested bracket size and budget impact to the Division II Budget and Finance Committee for consideration.

(2) Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports.

The Presidents Council reviewed a committee report concerning emergency care and coverage in intercollegiate athletics and a proposed change to the certification process for athletic trainers.

It was voted that the Presidents Council share its concerns with the Executive Committee regarding how athletic trainer certification changes will have a negative impact on schools in all three divisions and that the Presidents Council request that the Executive Committee take the appropriate action on this issue.

(3) Membership Committee.

(a) Provisional Member Educational Assessment Program. The Presidents Council considered a committee recommendation to revise the Division II Provisional Member Educational Assessment Program as set forth in Supplement No. 3, Attachment J, of the Presidents Council's October 1999 meeting materials.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the committee's recommendations.

(b) Convention Attendance Requirement for Provisional Members. The Presidents 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 Presidents Council amend the committee's recommendation to require that provisional member chief executive officers and faculty athletics representatives must attend the NCAA Convention in years two, three and four of the four-year provisional membership period. [Note: Chief executive officer attendance is currently required only in year one.]

(4) Nominating Committee. The Presidents Council considered the following committee appointments:

(i) Championships Committee: David Riggins, athletics director, Mars Hill College; Peter Chapman, athletics director, Missouri Western State College.

(ii) Infractions Committee: 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.

It was voted that the Presidents Council ratify these committee appointments as presented.

(5) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

(a) Division II Committee Appointments. The Presidents Council considered a committee recommendation to ratify the appointment of Akin Minnis, Saint Augustine's College, to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association's representative.

It was voted that the Presidents Council ratify the committee appointment as presented.

(b) Composition of the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The Presidents Council reviewed the high turnover of representatives on the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to adopt noncontroversial legislation to modify Bylaw 21.7.6.8.1 so that a Division II conference may permit a representative on the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to complete his or her term after the individual has left undergraduate or graduate school at a Division II institution in the conference, provided such service does not extend the individual's original term of office.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the Management Council's recommendation.

c. Convention and Legislation.

(1) Proposed Legislation that the Presidents Council Will Sponsor for the 2000 NCAA Convention. The Presidents Council reviewed in legislative form proposals for the 2000 NCAA Convention that were previously approved in concept by both the Management Council and Presidents Council.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the legislative form of the proposals for the 2000 Convention.

(2) Proposed Legislation that the Membership Will Sponsor for the 2000 Convention. The Presidents Council reviewed two legislative proposals submitted and sponsored by the Division II membership that the Management Council is asking the Presidents Council to support.

It was voted that the Presidents Council agree to support Proposal Nos. 2-15 (Nonscholastic-Based Basketball) and 2-27 (Maximum Dates of Competition -- Division II Women's Lacrosse) based on recommendations from the Legislation Committee and the Management Council.

d. Management Council Committee Appointments.

(1) Elections. The Presidents Council considered the following appointments to the Management Council:

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

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

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

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

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

It was voted that the Presidents Council ratify the five Management Council appointments.

(2) Reelections. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to reelect Kevin Hickey, faculty athletics representative, Assumption College, for a second term on the Division II Management Council.

It was voted that the Presidents Council ratify Kevin Hickey's reelection.

e. National Office Federal Relations Update. The Presidents 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.

4. Reports from Division II Committees/Project Teams that Report to the Management Council and Presidents Council.

a. Division II Administrative Committee. The Presidents Council reviewed the minutes from the committee's 1999 Telephone Conference Nos. 4 and 5.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the Administrative Committee minutes as distributed.

b. Amateurism Project Team. The Presidents Council reviewed the project team's report without taking any formal action.

c. Project Team to Review Issues Related to Diversity. The Presidents Council considered a recommendation from the Management Council to allow the project team to assume the responsibility of screening and selecting grant recipients for the Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Enhancement Program. The Presidents Council expressed concerns about having individuals from Division II conferences and institutions directly involved in the selection process. The Presidents Council agreed to ask the project team to reconsider this issue and develop a selection group without current ties to the Division II membership.

d. Strategic Planning Project Team. The Presidents Council reviewed the final draft of the Division II Strategic Plan and agreed to ask the project team to incorporate into the strategic plan a goal/objective that reflects Division II's commitment to academic excellence.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the strategic plan as modified to include this new goal/objective.

5. Status Report of the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Issues Related to Gender and Ethnicity. The Presidents Council received a report from the committee without taking any formal action.

6. Division II President Council Elections and Reelections.

a. Presidents Council Elections. It was voted that the Presidents Council elect the following individuals to the Presidents Council for a four-year term effective after the January 2000 Convention:

Lawrence J. DeNardis, University of New Haven, to replace Allen Sessoms, Queens College (Region 1); and

Kay Schallenkamp, Emporia State University, to replace Marvalene Hughes, University of California, Stanislaus (Region 4).

b. Presidents Council Reelection. It was voted that the Presidents Council reelect Hazo W. Carter Jr., West Virginia State College, to the Presidents Council for a new four-year term.

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

8. Evaluation of the Division II Governance Structure.

The Presidents Council reviewed a report from the September Division II Committee Chairs/Staff Liaisons Meeting to review the current Division II governance structure. No formal action was taken by the Presidents Council.

9. Active Member Compliance Initiatives. The Presidents Council received a report concerning Division II Active Member Compliance Initiatives without taking any formal action.

10. Proposed Grouping of Legislative Proposals. The Presidents Council reviewed the proposed grouping of legislative proposals as suggested by the Management Council.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the grouping of legislative proposals and the proposals identified for roll call votes as recommended by the Management Council.

11. Convention Schedule. The Presidents Council reviewed the 2000 Convention schedule and agreed that staff should identify Presidents Council representatives to talk about various proposals on the floor of the business session.

12. Division II Championships Committee/Sports Chair Meeting. The Presidents Council received a report from President Shannon regarding the Division II Championships Committee/ Sports Chairs Meeting held in Indianapolis in September. No formal action was taken.

13. Report from the NCAA Division II Chief of Staff. The Presidents Council received a report from Mike L. Racy, Division II chief of staff, that provided an overview of the Division II governance structure.

14. Report of the Executive Committee Retreat. The Presidents Council received a report from Gladys Styles Johnston regarding the Executive Committee retreat. Ms. Johnston reported that the roles of the NCAA president and staff were discussed.