National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2000
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STAFF WRITER
A study of various football issues in Division I appears headed to fruition, but the specifics of how the study will be conducted still are under review.
That was the message from the Division I Board of Directors, which met November 1 in Indianapolis. The Board also made it clear that whatever study would be conducted would indeed have presidential fingerprints on it.
"I want to note that the Board believes it is important for college presidents to address issues in Division I football," said Board Chair Graham B. Spanier, president at Pennsylvania State University.
The Board affirmed that desire by stating that a group composed primarily of presidents would be appointed in January to oversee the study. By then, the study's protocol also will be determined.
The issue came to the Board after a trek through the Division I governance structure. In June, the Football Issues Committee, believing that emerging issues in football -- including membership classification issues and escalating costs -- were too great in scope for that body to sufficiently address and therefore called for the Board to appoint a group that would conduct a comprehensive study of football issues.
Later, the Football Certification Subcommittee of the Championships/Competition Cabinet recommended a two-year moratorium on the number of postseason bowl games to the current number of 26, citing concerns that a further proliferation of postseason opportunities might overly tax the number of bowl-eligible teams, particularly in 2002 when teams are eligible to play a 12th regular-season game.
The Championships/Competition Cabinet subsequently agreed that several football issues merited increased scrutiny, but it recommended that any study be conducted within the existing structure rather than by a separately appointed group.
The cabinet's recommendation then went to the Management Council, which modified the specifics of the cabinet's request but agreed that the review of issues should stay inside the existing structure.
With all of that before it, the Board indicated that more presidential oversight was necessary in conducting the study, but that it was important to confer with conference offices, members of the Board and Management Council, and additional parties with an interest in football regarding the protocol and issues to be studied.
"That's the reason we are waiting until January to determine the protocol and formally appoint the committee," Spanier said. "We want to make sure that we give additional thought and get input on how the study should be conducted and what should be studied."
Thus, the Board tabled the Management Council's proposal and set forth a plan to begin the study by the end of the Board's next meeting in January.
Between now and then, a group composed of Spanier; Executive Committee Chair Charles Wethington, president at the University of Kentucky; Management Council Chair Ted Leland, director of athletics at Stanford University; and NCAA President Cedric W. Dempsey will determine the protocol for the study.
The study likely will not include discussion of a potential Division I-A football playoff and the distribution of revenue that would come with it. That has been a consistent message from all of the groups that have reviewed the original recommendations of the Football Issues Committee.
"It is important to point out that a Division I-A football playoff will not be among the issues studied," Spanier said.
Future revenue distribution
In other action, the Board approved a number of "consent package" legislative proposals that were forwarded from the Management Council, including the Board's approval of the two-year moratorium on the number of certified bowl games.
In addition, the Board approved a waiver for the Black Coaches Association (BCA) Football Classic to continue as an exempted preseason contest for 2003 and 2004 based on the BCA's existing television contract for the game.
The Board also took a preliminary look at plans for future revenue distribution once the new television contract with CBS Sports becomes effective in 2002. The Division I Budget Committee had asked the Board for feedback on a proposed distribution method that would maintain the current structure of the basketball, grants-in-aid and sports-sponsorship funds, though all three would increase by about 30 percent in 2002-03 and by 8 percent in subsequent years of the contract. In all, about $3.25 billion would be allocated to the three funds over the life of the 11-year contract.
Other components of the proposed distribution method include:
A total of about $750 million earmarked for enhancement of educational and developmental opportunities and direct benefits for student-athletes, including increases of 4.25 percent annually in the Academic Enhancement Fund and the Special Assistance Fund. Also, a third fund would be established starting at $17 million the first year and increasing by 13 percent annually throughout the life of the contract that would be allocated to conferences through the broad-based formula and be available for features such as summer matching grants for men's and women's basketball prospects to attend summer school, institutional incentive funds for improving graduation rates, degree-completion programs and funds to pay premiums for disability insurance for potential professional prospects.
An increase of 25 percent in Division I championship per diem the first year.
A first-year allocation of $1 million (increased by 4.25 percent annually thereafter) for Division I initiatives.
An allocation of $3.4 million the first year (increased by 4.25 percent annually thereafter) for initiatives deemed necessary by the Executive Committee and NCAA president.
An annual allocation of up to $1 million for local organizing committees on nonrevenue championships.
An allocation of $3 million to promote and publicize the relationship between the NCAA and CBS Sports, including an allocation of more than $1 million to the NCAA Hall of Champions for promoting that relationship, in accordance with the CBS contract.
Inflation adjustments of 4.25 percent to existing program budgets, including championships, Association-wide programs, administrative expenses and conference grants.
The Division I Budget Committee has asked for feedback from conferences before the committee's December meeting. A final revenue-distribution recommendation will be forwarded to the Board in January.
Other highlights
Division I Board of Directors
November 1/Indianapolis
Heard an update from NCAA President Cedric W. Dempsey on the first two meetings of the reconvened Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, which included discussions about presidential control issues, NCAA eligibility standards, escalating costs and increased commercialization in intercollegiate athletics. The Board noted that the Knight Commission was scheduled to meet later this month and asked that the Board receive a status report immediately after the meeting.
Reviewed a list of conference selections to the Management Council, effective after the January 2001 meeting, and noted that at least one additional woman and two additional ethnic minorities need to be selected to meet the legislated minimum requirements for diversity. The Board did not approve the recommended appointments and directed the staff to advise the conferences to coordinate the Management Council selections from each subdivision and to submit by December 1, 2000, a slate that meets the minimum diversity requirements. In addition, the Board noted that if the conferences are unable to submit a slate that satisfies the minimum requirements by that time, the Board would request [per procedures outlined in Constitution 4.5.3.1.1-(c)] each conference making a selection to the Management Council to identify four qualified candidates, including at least one woman and one ethnic minority, and would select Management Council members at the January 2001 Board meeting.
Accepted the following appointments to the Board as selected by the conferences, effective following the January 2001 Board meeting: Robert Hemenway, University of Kansas, Big 12 Conference (reappointment); William E. Kirwan, Ohio State University, Big Ten Conference; John M. Palms, University of South Carolina, Columbia, Southeastern Conference; Randall J. Webb, Northwestern State University, Southland Conference; and Donald Beggs, Wichita State University, Missouri Valley Conference.
Reviewed the current roster of the newly appointed Basketball Issues Committee and authorized the chair of the Board to appoint two current Division I-AA/AAA members of the women's subcommittee and two Division I-AA/AAA members of the men's subcommittee as dual members of both subcommittees in response to the concerns expressed by the Management Council. (Subsequently, the chair of the Board appointed the following individuals to serve as members of both subcommittees: Rebecca Stafford, Northeast Conference, Division I-AA; Patty Viverito, Missouri Valley Conference, Division I-AAA; Floyd Kerr, Southwestern Athletic Conference, Division I-AA; and Jon Steinbrecher, Mid-Continent Conference, Division I-AAA.)
Approved legislation
The following legislative proposals were approved for adoption by the Board of Directors:
No. 99-58-1, requiring Division I-AA football schools to meet the minimum scheduling requirements for a period of two years to be eligible to enter a team or an individual in an NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 99-65, permitting an institution to provide complimentary admission to an institutional awards banquet for the spouse and children of any student-athlete being honored at the banquet. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-04, permitting an individual to receive educational expenses from a sports governing organization of a foreign country that is the equivalent of the USOC or U.S. national governing body. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-05, permitting student-athletes who are members of the Olympic team to accept all nonmonetary prizes and benefits associated with participation in the Olympic Games, provided the same benefit is available to all members of that nation's Olympic team or the specific sport Olympic team in question. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-06, increasing from $25 to $100 or less the dollar limit for which an institution does not have to declare an individual ineligible and seek reinstatement when the individual receives an improper benefit. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-07, permitting a one-time transfer from a Division I-AA institution that offers athletically related aid to a Division I-AA institution that does not offer athletically related aid in the sport of football. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-09, permitting student-athletes to accept all nonmonetary prizes and benefits associated with participation in the Olympic Games at any time, regardless of whether the student is enrolled at the time of participation. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-10, permitting family members of student-athletes participating in the Olympic Games to receive nonmonetary benefits provided to all family members of Olympians. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-15, permitting Divisions I-A and I-AA football student-athletes to view up to two hours of film per week as part of the permissible eight hours of required weight training and conditioning activities during the academic year outside of the playing season. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-19, permitting student-athletes to receive commemorative items incidental to participation in the Olympic Games, World University Games, Pan American Games, World Championships and World Cup events. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-23, specifying the composition of the Men's and Women's Skiing Committee shall include two coaches who represent Alpine skiing and two coaches who represent Nordic skiing. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-24, exempting the Men's and Women's Skiing Committee from the requirement that at least 25 percent of the positions be filled by noncoaching staff members. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-25, establishing a women's volleyball rules committee. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-27, expanding the Division I Men's and Women's Tennis Committee from 12 to 14 members. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-33, clarifying that the NCAA Division I Administrative Review Subcommittee may only hear an appeal when another committee, subcommittee or conference does not have authority to act on the matter. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-35, extending the comment period on legislative proposals initially approved by the Management Council from 60 to 90 days. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-38, specifying a penalty (for example, minimum of one year in restricted membership) for failure to meet membership financial aid requirements. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-39, eliminating the reference to geographical districts in applicable NCAA legislation. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-40, specifying that the NCAA president has the authority to approve NCAA affiliated and corresponding membership applications. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-41, establishing a two-year notification requirement for institutions that intend to reclassify from Division I-AA to Division I-A. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
Changes to Administrative Bylaws (30 or 31) and Emergency Legislation
No. 2000-55, establishing a limit of 19 on an institution's official traveling party for the women's water polo championship. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-58, deleting specified legislative provisions that apply almost exclusively to the sponsoring agency of postseason bowls, while retaining such provisions as policies that will be included in the NCAA Postseason Football Handbook. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-59, eliminating criteria related to certification of exempted contests, as specified. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-71, exempting the summer dead period restrictions under specified conditions for men's basketball prospects enrolled in the summer term. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-94, increasing from $25 to $100 or less the dollar limit for which an institution does not have to declare a student-athlete ineligible and seek reinstatement when the student-athlete receives an improper benefit. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-105, permitting men's and women's basketball coaches to attend an NCAA certified event, conducted within a 30-mile radius of the site of the Men's and Women's Final Fours. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-107, establishing a two-year moratorium on the number of certified postseason football bowl games. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-108, specifying that the application for Division I football preseason exempted events seeking recertification be not later than December 15. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-109, specifying that the sponsoring agency of a preseason exempted event in football shall conform to NCAA advertising policies. (Effective date: Immediately.)