During the Division II business session January 10, Management Council chair Clint Bryant pointed with pride to the division's accomplishments, especially with regard to legislative deregulation and efforts to improve administrative diversity. In claiming that the accomplishments were consistent with goals cited by NCAA President Cedric W. Dempsey in his State of the Association address, Bryant said: "I would like for the president to know that the train has already left the station in Division II. We stand here as living proof of what can be done in this Association if you are truly committed to the vision. We stand here today not as passengers waiting to board or sitting comfortably on this train. I would suggest, Mr. President, that Division II stands here today as architects of the rail line, that Division II is the engineer of the system, that Division II is driving the train. We may not be providing the resources, but it is apparent that we are providing the leadership."

Although Division II has the fewest members of any division, it led attendance at the 2000 NCAA Convention.

The totals by division:

Division I 400

Division II 598

Division III 582

Media 17

Total 1,597

In addition, Division II also had considerably greater presidential representation. A total of 66 Division II chief executive officers attended the Convention, compared to 41 Division III CEOs and 20 from Division I. Of particular note was the fact that all 18 presidents from the Gulf South Conference attended the Convention.

Division II Presidents Council vice-chair Arend D. Lubbers updated delegates on current initiatives that relate to the 10 priorities of the strategic plan:

Student-athlete welfare: Championships memento program, development of student-athlete advisory committees at conference level, examination of initial-eligibility standards.

Championships: Possible expansion of bracket and field sizes.

Finances: Use of unallocated funds, prioritization of major initiatives, determination of ways to help members cope with rising costs.

Deregulation: Bylaws 11 and 13 deregulated at the 2000 Convention; reviews underway of Bylaws 12 and 15.

Division II identity: Key messages being developed.

Rules compliance: Work underway to implement plan that will provide greater resources to assist membership with rules compliance.

Diversity: Matching-grant program implemented; plans being developed to enhance diversity in governance structure.

Enhancement of the role of faculty athletics representatives and senior woman administrators: Reviewing plans developed by the Faculty Athletics Representatives Association and the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics.

Amateurism: Membership education program underway; legislation likely to be considered at 2001 Convention.

Technology: Project team working with the NCAA staff to make the best use of new technology.

Although no immediate changes are contemplated in Division II initial-eligibility standards, the Presidents Council received a presentation from the Division II Academic Requirements Committee on three possible alternative models. Those were a full sliding scale (that is, one without test-score endpoints), elimination of standardized tests as a requirement and use of a standard of a 725 SAT/2.000 grade-point average requirement (rather than the current 820/2.000 standard). The Academic Requirements Committee presented the pros and cons of each model, including the one currently in use. The committee also presented the presidents with Division II-specific research.

-- David Pickle