The NCAA Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet gave approval at its February 8-9 meeting in Tampa, Florida, to changes in a legislative package of amateurism rules for pre-enrolled prospective student-athletes. The changes are in response to feedback from various constituencies and from the Division I forum at the annual Convention in January.

The package of changes to the Association's amateurism bylaws for prospective pre-enrolled student-athletes will be considered by the Division I Management Council in April but is not expected to receive final consideration by the Board of Directors until April 2001.

Chief among the changes is one that will eliminate the "year of grace" between high-school graduation and initial enrollment in college. In the new legislative package, prospective student-athletes would lose a year of collegiate eligibility for every year of participation in organized competition immediately following the summer after high-school graduation. The grace period had been one of the more controversial pieces of the amateurism package.

The Amateurism and Agents Subcommittee also proposed and the cabinet approved exceptions to the application of the amended organized competition proposal for up to two years of participation in USA Hockey or Canadian Amateur Hockey Association competition in the sport of men's ice hockey, for one-year enrollment in a preparatory school following high-school graduation, and for one-year participation in the Olympics or Pan American games.

Approval was given to a definition of organized competition that would exclude so-called "low levels" of competition. According to the definition, organized competition would be:

* Any competition in which compensation is provided to any participants (including actual and necessary expenses).

* Any competition pursuant to the signing of a contract for athletics participation.

* Any competition pursuant to involvement in the draft process.

* Any competition that is funded by a professional sports organization, excluding nonprofit organizations.

* Any competition that is funded by a representative of an institution's athletics interests.

The cabinet also approved a recommendation for emergency legislation to permit prospective and current student-athletes to accept Operation Gold grant money at the 2000 Olympics. The emergency legislation could be considered by the Management Council and Board of Directors in April.

The Amateurism and Agents Subcommittee also reported on its initial discussions regarding changes in amateurism rules for enrolled student-athletes and noted that it has considered only minimal changes. The cabinet will set aside a half-day for discussion of possible changes at its June meeting.

Based on a recommendation from the Recruiting Subcommittee, the cabinet supported a waiver request that would permit college basketball coaches to attend the Hoop Summit basketball game to be conducted at the 2000 Final Four. The event falls in the recruiting "dead" period, and without the waiver, coaches would be prohibited from attending the game.

Legislative proposals

In other business, the cabinet considered and took action on a number of legislative proposals referred to it by the Division I Management Council. The cabinet recommended support for the following proposals:

* Proposal No. 98-37 that would allow currently enrolled student-athletes (as well as prospective student-athletes) to receive funding to cover actual and necessary developmental training expenses that are approved by the U.S. Olympic Committee or appropriate national governing body. (The cabinet also recommended that the proposal be considered as emergency legislation.)

* Proposal No. 99-65 that would permit an institution to provide complimentary admissions to an institutional awards banquet for the spouse and children of any student-athlete being honored at the banquet.

* Proposal No. 99-70 that would permit an institution to provide snacks, consisting specifically and solely of fruit and bagels, to student-athletes following one practice each day. (The cabinet recommended that "bread items" be substituted for bagels.)

* Proposal No. 2000-05 that would permit student-athletes who are members of the Olympic team to accept all prizes and benefits associated with participation in the Olympic Games, regardless of whether or not the student is enrolled at the time of participation.

* Proposal No. 2000-06 that would increase to $100 the limit for which an institution does not have to declare an individual (that is, prospective or enrolled student-
athlete) ineligible and seek reinstatement when the individual receives an improper benefit, provided the individual repays the value of the improper benefit. (The cabinet agreed that the proposal should be amended to reduce the limit to $50.)

* Proposal No. 2000-09 that would permit a student-athlete to receive awards associated with participation in the Olympic Games at any time, regardless of whether the student is enrolled as a regular student at the time of the Olympic Games. (The cabinet agreed that the prizes should be nonmonetary.)

* Proposal No. 2000-10 that would permit family members of student-athletes participating in the Olympic Games to receive benefits provided to all family members of Olympians.

* Proposal No. 2000-14 that would establish a dead period surrounding the NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championship.