Many in the Division III membership were concerned that, under the new structure, the Division III voice would be lost in a sea of Division I representation. The fact that Divisions III and II each have only two votes and three representatives on the 20-member Association-wide Executive Committee was a matter of great concern.

The chairs of each of the three Management Councils are ex officio, nonvoting members. Division I-A has eight voting members, Divisions I-AA and I-AAA have two apiece.

As a practical matter, though, the Executive Committee has proven to be a body that is working well for the entire Association, according to Ann H. Die, president of Hendrix College, chair of the Division III Presidents Council and one of Division III's two voting representatives on the Executive Committee.

"One question many people had at the time of restructuring was, 'Is there a seat at the table for Division III?' The answer is yes," Die said. "The Executive Committee was designed for significant input from Division I, but a concerted effort has been made to make sure Divisions II and III are at the table when decisions are made. There are ample opportunities, both formally and informally, for all positions to be heard."

Others were concerned that the Executive Committee would not wield any real power or provide any real direction for the Association. Die says those concerns also seem unfounded now.

"I certainly believe we've seen a maturation of the governance structure, both in Division III and at the Executive Committee level as well since federation. The Executive Committee has, particularly under the leadership of (NCAA President) Cedric Dempsey and (Executive Committee Chair) Charles Wethington, seen its role in the organization strengthened," Die said.

"I was not on the Presidents Commission (in the old structure), but I believe the Executive Committee functions in a much more cohesive manner. There is virtually no acrimony, and I think it's proven to be a body that is valuable in addressing many Association-wide issues. I think we've seen a strengthening and maturation of the Executive Committee and its role in bringing together disparate views and opinions in creating and Association-wide position."

Die points to an Executive Committee planning retreat that took place in October 1999 as an important step in the committee's development.

"I think the members of the committee achieved a sense of ownership at that retreat," she said. "The retreat extended a dialogue that already had begun, and it cemented the relationship (of members to each other) across various viewpoints and divisions."

--Kay Hawes