The Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet has recommended that issues of growing concern in football be tackled by appropriate groups in the governance structure.

The action at the cabinet's September 12-14 meeting in Atlanta concerned a recommendation from the Division I Football Issues Committee that a comprehensive study of football be conducted by a group appointed by the Division I Board of Directors. A number of football membership issues had prompted the Football Issues Committee's request, particularly a proposal that would modify the minimum football attendance requirements for Division I-A institutions.

While the cabinet agreed that college football is facing several important issues, such as the Division I subdivision structure, increasing budgets for football and a general concern about the long-term viability of intercollegiate football programs on all levels, it did not agree that a comprehensive study of football by a separate group was necessary at this time. The cabinet instead would prefer that those issues and others be assigned to appropriate governance entities within the current structure.

The cabinet also emphasized that it does not support a review of a potential Division I-A football playoff at this time.

Cabinet members believe that entities within the current governance structure are in the best position to gather information and study issues related to the aforementioned topics. The relevant entities could seek expertise (for example, legal counsel) and add representation (for example, Board of Directors or Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representation) where appropriate.

The Management Council will review the issue during its October meeting. The Council also will review Proposal No. 2000-36 regarding football attendance requirements. The Football Issues Committee had requested that Proposal No. 2000-36 be tabled until completion of a comprehensive study. The Championships/Competition Cabinet is asking that the Council table Proposal No. 2000-36 in October, regardless of whether a comprehensive study is conducted.

"I think the cabinet felt strongly about studying football at this time -- particularly as it relates to student-athlete welfare, both in the sport of football (I-A and I-AA) and in other sports affected by football's escalating costs," said Jean Lenti Ponsetto, athletics director at DePaul University and chair of the cabinet. "Similar to how we felt about basketball issues, the cabinet believes that the committees already organized in the structure have the expertise to complete the study with input from the Board of Directors, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and NCAA legal counsel.

"The Championships/Competition Cabinet holds student-athlete welfare as its highest priority and looks forward to the recommendations that support that ideal."

Bowl moratorium

In another important action concerning football, the cabinet approved a recommendation to limit the number of bowls certified for postseason competition for the next two years.

The recommendation from the Football Certification Subcommittee calls for a two-year moratorium that would limit the number of certified bowls to 26. The measure, which would be effective during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 playing seasons, will be forwarded as emergency noncontroversial legislation to the Division I Management Council for consideration in October.

"Our role is to ensure a quality-level postseason experience in bowl games for student-athletes and their fans," said Paul Griffin, athletics director at the University of South Florida and chair of the certification subcommittee. "To do that, we need to review the certification process we have in place. We'll look at everything, including the impact that the increased number of bowls has on the quality of the experience for student-athletes."

Currently, 25 bowls are certified for the 2000-01 playing season. One other bowl, the New Orleans Bowl, received initial certification from the subcommittee in April.

The subcommittee said one issue it will consider is to determine an optimum number of bowl opportunities and whether there are enough bowl-eligible teams. In seasons with 11 games, teams must finish at least 6-5 to be bowl-eligible. In 2002, teams can play a 12th regular-season game and will need to finish at least 7-5 to participate in a bowl.

In 1996-97, for example, bowl invitations were sent to 36 member institutions. This season, there will be 50 invitations. During the 1999-00 season, there were 56 bowl-eligible teams.

"It's important to remember that the NCAA has a responsibility to its student-athletes and schools to maintain the integrity of the bowl system through the certification process," said Griffin. "We want to maintain, or even better yet, improve the quality of what student-athletes experience when they participate in a bowl."

The certification subcommittee earlier had denied initial certification for the Indianapolis-based Hoosier Bowl and the Freedom Bowl in San Francisco. Officials from both bowls have been asked to provide additional information to the subcommittee.

In a related matter, the cabinet voted to amend Bylaw 30.10.2.2 to list examples of title sponsorships that are considered detrimental to student-athletes' welfare, the image of higher education and intercollegiate athletics. The requested amendment also would include a reference to muscle-building nutritional supplements.

Other highlights

Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet
September 12-14/Atlanta

Defeated a proposal to grant a fifth year of eligibility to student-athletes in football in lieu of a waiver process. The proposal had been endorsed previously by the Football Issues Committee.

Supported a proposal to establish a separate Division I Women's Rowing Championship, effective in 2002. The cabinet noted that legislation is expected to be adopted in Division III that would provide for a separate Division III championship by 2002. The cabinet also noted that currently, 74 Division I institutions sponsor women's rowing.

Supported a proposal that would establish a maximum of 29 basketball contests that may be played during the regular season. The proposal also would limit institutions to participating in (in addition to the 29 regular-season games) either one informal scrimmage against a a four-year collegiate institution or one exhibition game against a non-Division I, four-year institution played at the Division I institution's home facility. The proposal would eliminate the process that requires certification of basketball contests in which Division I institutions are participants.

Denied a request from the Division I Men's Basketball Committee that the Division I Men's Basketball Championship be granted an exception to the new ground transportation policy that, beginning in 2002-03, requires institutions located within 300 miles of the competition site to travel via ground transportation rather than by air. The current requirement is 250 miles.

Approved a recommendation from the Men's and Women's Basketball Rules Committee that Division I institutions have a shot clock that shows tenths of a second and a red indicator light mounted on each backboard by the 2001-02 season. The proposal is subject to approval by the Executive Committee.

Approved a recommendation from the Men's Lacrosse Committee to require Division I institutions to have a visible shot clock on the field by the 2002 season. The proposal is subject to approval by the Executive Committee.

Approved the establishment of a moment-of-inertia (MOI) standard for each bat length and weight based on bats previously certified by the NCAA Bat Certification Program.

Invited Division I women's swimming and diving and the Women's Soccer and Softball Committees to submit recommendations for bracket and field-size expansion at the cabinet's February meeting. The cabinet will consider those recommendations along with other initiatives that will impact the budget and are still under consideration (for example, bracket expansion for men's soccer, men's ice hockey and men's lacrosse).

Reviewed deregulation action plans submitted by the Bylaws 11 (personnel) and 16 (awards and benefits) deregulation subcommittees and the Playing and Practice Seasons Subcommittee. The cabinet will review consent packages of proposals related to Bylaws 11 and 16 at its February meeting and will review an initial set of deregulation proposals related to playing and practice seasons at the cabinet's June meeting. In the spirit of deregulation, the cabinet tabled several conference-initiated proposals.