Following are the minutes of the April 27 meeting of the Division II Presidents Council at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis. All actions taken by the Presidents Council are included. Highlights of the meeting were reported in the May 8 issue of The NCAA News.

1. Minutes. The Presidents Council reviewed the minutes of its January 9, 2000, meeting.

It was voted that the January 9 minutes be approved as distributed.

2. Report of the Executive Committee. The Presidents Council reviewed the minutes of the Executive Committee's January 11, 2000, meeting without taking any formal action.

3. Division II Strategic Plan. The Presidents Council reviewed the Division II strategic plan tracking chart used to monitor Division II strategic initiatives. No formal action was taken.

4. 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; 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. Association-Wide Committee Recommendations.

(1) Committee on Women's Athletics. The Presidents Council considered a recommendation from the Management Council to equalize the number of Division II postseason opportunities for men and women in concept and agreed to refer the recommendation to the Championships Committee to develop a plan for Division II to reach equity within the next three years. The Management Council also recommended that the Presidents Council not support the Committee on Women's Athletics recommendation to equalize postseason championship opportunities before new opportunities for men are funded, because there is a belief by Management Council representatives that the division can achieve gender equity in championships within the recommended time frame, while expanding opportunities for all student-athletes.

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

(2) Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. The Presidents Council considered a recommendation from the Management Council to include a statement in the NCAA Drug-Testing Consent Form that reminds the student-athlete of his/her responsibility to ask appropriate athletics department staff person(s) for the list of banned substances and about the status of specific substances, including nutritional or dietary supplements, before use.

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

b. Division II Committee Recommendations.

(1) Championships Committee.

(a) Awards. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to present official NCAA awards to the top eight place finishers in all individual-team championships, effective with the 2000-01 championships.

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

(b) Officials' Air Travel. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to permit all officials for team championship finals to travel via air transportation, if necessary.

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

(c) Per Diem. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to provide per diem for two days before the start of a competition for the finals sites of the following team championships: baseball, field hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball and women's volleyball.

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

(d) Squad-Size and Travel-Party Increases. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to increase the squad-size and/or travel-party sizes of the following sports: baseball (increase travel party from 28 to 30); field hockey (increase travel party from 24 to 26); men's lacrosse (increase travel party from 33 to 34); men's soccer (increase travel party from 23 to 24); women's soccer (increase travel party from 23 to 24); softball (increase travel party from 23 to 24); and women's volleyball (increase squad size from 12 to 14 and increase travel party from 17 to 20).

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

(e) Mementos. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation that each member of the official travel party at all finals sites of Division II championships be provided with a memento valued at approximately $50.

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

(f) Championship Bracket and/or Field-Size Expansion. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to increase the bracket and/or field size for the following Division II championships:

* Men's and women's cross country -- That the field size be increased from 132 to 184 participants, effective with the 2000 championships.

* Field hockey -- That the bracket size be increased from two to four teams, effective with the 2000 championship.

* Men's lacrosse -- That the bracket size be increased from two to four teams, effective with the 2001 championship.

* Women's lacrosse -- That the bracket size be established at four teams, effective with the 2001 championship.

* Men's and women's indoor track and field -- That the field size be increased from 126 to 154 participants, respectively, effective with the 2001 championships.

* Men's and women's outdoor track and field -- That the field size be increased from 236 to 310 participants, respectively, effective with the 2001 championships.

* Women's volleyball -- That the bracket size be increased from 32 to 48 teams, effective with the 2000 championship.

* Wrestling -- That the field size be increased from 140 to 160 participants, effective with the 2001 championship.

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

(g) Softball Rules. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to approve a revision to softball's Rule 3-1, effective January 1, 2000, to include a compression standard for softballs.

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

(h) Formula for Determining Bracket Sizes. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation that the formula for determining Division II championship bracket sizes be based on the actual number of institutions that sponsor a sport rather than a sponsorship percentage.

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

(2) Membership Committee.

(a) Project Team. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to establish a Division II project team to study membership growth issues.

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

(b) Convention Attendance Requirement -- Provisional Member Director of Athletics. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation that the Division II Educational Assessment Program for provisional members be modified to require Convention attendance by the institution's director of athletics in years two, three and four of provisional membership.

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

(3) Nominating Committee.

(a) Appointments. The Presidents Council considered the following committee appointments recommended by the Management Council:

* Academic Requirements Committee -- John Rich, faculty athletics representative, Emporia State University; Dearrion Snead, compliance coordinator, Southwest State University; and Wayne Tanna, compliance coordinator, Chaminade University.

* Championships Committee -- Lynda Goodrich, athletics director, Western Washington University.

* Committee on Infractions -- Julie Warrington, senior woman administrator, University of Northern Colorado.

* Legislation Committee -- Ross Brummett, faculty athletics representative, Carson-Newman College; and Kim Vinson, senior woman administrator, Cameron University.

* Nominating Committee -- Ann Jirkovsky, faculty athletics representative, Bellarmine College.

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

(b) Reappointments. The Presidents Council considered the following committee reappointments recommended by the Management Council:

* Academic Requirements Committee -- David Brooks, faculty athletics representative, West Liberty State College.

* Championships Committee -- Peter Chapman, athletics director, Missouri Western State University; and David Riggins, athletics director, Mars Hill College.

* Committee on Infractions -- Larry Blumberg, faculty athletics representative, Washburn University.

* Nominating Committee -- Ralph McFillen, commissioner, Mid-American Intercollegiate Association; and Geri Knortz, athletics director, St. Michael's College.

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

c. NCAA Convention and Legislation.

(1) Legislative Form. The Presidents Council reviewed in legislative form proposals for the 2001 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 as presented.

(2) Legislative Concepts. The Presidents Council reviewed in concept proposals for the 2001 Convention that the Management Council agreed to recommend that the Presidents Council support.

It was voted that the Presidents Council support the legislative concepts as presented.

(3) Deregulation. The Presidents Council reviewed the legislative form of the Bylaw 15 deregulation proposals as approved by the Management Council.

It was voted that the Presidents Council support the legislative form of the deregulation proposals as presented.

5. 2000 NCAA Convention Survey Results and Comments. The Presidents Council reviewed the 2000 Convention survey results and comments. No formal action was taken.

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

a. Division II Administrative Committee. The Presidents Council reviewed the minutes from the committee's Telephone Conference Nos. 1 and 2.

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

b. Amateurism Project Team.

(1) The Presidents Council reviewed in concept the amateurism deregulation proposals as recommended by the project team and approved by the Management Council.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve in concept the amateurism deregulation proposals.

(2) The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to permit prospective and enrolled Division II student-athletes to accept Operation Gold money at the 2000 Olympics.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the noncontroversial legislation as recommended by the Management Council.

c. Budget and Finance Committee.

(1) Preliminary Budget and New Initiatives for 2000-01. The Presidents Council reviewed the proposed new financial initiatives and the 2000-01 preliminary budget.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the new initiatives and preliminary budget as recommended by the Management Council.

(2) Division II Membership Trust. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation to approve the establishment of the Division II membership trust at 30 percent of the division's operating revenue. The Presidents Council approved the recommendation in concept and agreed to defer official action on this recommendation until August.

(3) CBS Bonus Payment and Additional Unallocated Funds. The Presidents Council reviewed a committee and Management Council recommendation that the governance structure solicit membership input on how the CBS one-time bonus payment should be allocated. The Presidents Council agreed to solicit feedback from the Division II membership regarding how to use Division II's current surplus dollars.

(4) Budget Requests Falling Outside of the Regular Budget Cycle. The Presidents Council considered a Management Council recommendation that the current limit of $10,000 per occurrence for contingency fund requests outside the regular budget cycle be eliminated. The Presidents Council voiced support for this recommendation and agreed to take official action during its August meeting.

(5) Budget Guidelines and Principles. The Presidents Council reviewed a Management Council recommendation that it approve the changes to the budget guidelines and principles as recommended by the committee. The Presidents Council deferred action on this recommendation until its August meeting.

d. Compliance Review Project Team. The Presidents Council reviewed the project team's report without taking any formal action.

e. Project Team to Review Issues Related to Diversity. The Presidents Council reviewed the project team's report without taking any formal action.

7. Meeting Schedule for Association-Wide and Division II Committees. The Presidents Council considered recommendations from the Association-wide committees (Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, Committee on Women's Athletics, National Youth Sports Program Committee) and the Division II committees (Championships, Legislation, Membership, Student-Athlete Advisory and Academic Requirements Committees) for a waiver to meet three times in 2000-01.

It was voted that the Presidents Council approve the third meting for the Division II committees and recommend that the Executive Committee grant the waivers for the three Association-wide committees with the caveat that the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee and the Committee on Women's Athletics have their third meeting in conjunction with the annual Minority Women's Summit.

8. Division II Presidents Council Vice-Chair Election.

It was voted that the Presidents Council appoint Bernard Franklin as the new vice-chair of the Presidents Council, effective September 1.

9. Association-Wide Committee Budget Requests. The Presidents Council reviewed 2000-01 budget requests from Association-wide committees.

It was voted that the Presidents Council recommend that the Executive Committee approve the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee's and the Committee on Women's Athletics' funding requests to enhance diversity and the injury surveillance enhancement expenses as recommended by the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports.

10. Report from the Executive Committee Subcommittee to Review Issues Related to Gender and Ethnicity. The Presidents Council reviewed the report from the subcommittee.

It was voted that the Presidents Council recommend that the Executive Committee express great concern over the flying of the Confederate battle flag in South Carolina and over that state's refusal to recognize Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. The Council further recommends that the NCAA take the strongest possible action to indicate its concern, such as eliminating NCAA-sponsored events in that state.

11. Division II Identity. The Presidents Council agreed to review the revised Division II identity sheet at its next meeting.

12. Report from the Division II Chief of Staff. Mike Racy, chief of staff for Division II, provided a report regarding membership growth issues that Division II must address during the moratorium. No formal action was taken.