SAN DIEGO -- The Division III Presidents Council took a major step in advancing the division's strategic planning document and addressed Convention legislation during a pre-Convention meeting January 9.

The Council noted an urgency for Division III to create initiatives that would support the three key strategic-planning priorities identified by the governance structure: student-athlete welfare, membership education and diversity. To that end, the Council approved the establishment of a special committee to develop specific initiatives and determine their budgetary impact.

Members of the Presidents Council, Management Council and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will be included on the special committee. The Presidents Council charged the Administrative Committee with determining the exact composition and duties of the committee, as well as creating a timeline for its deliberations.

In legislative matters, the Council agreed to sponsor an amendment-to-amendment on Proposal No. 55, delaying the effective date of the prohibition of outside competition in nontraditional seasons for the sports of golf and tennis to August 1, 2001.

An amendment-to-amendment of Proposal No. 87, which would permit student-athletes who were enrolled as full-time students the previous academic year and have established eligibility for the subsequent academic year to participate on a summer foreign tour, also was sponsored.

Other actions

In other actions, the Presidents Council:

Endorsed the Management Council's recommendation to support noncontroversial legislation to expand the Association-wide National Youth Sports Program Committee and to permit student-athletes with remaining eligibility to receive commemorative items incidental to participation in the Olympic Games, World University Games, Pan American Games, World Cup and world championships through the applicable national governing bodies.

Endorsed the Management Council's approval of a change to Division III Administrative Review Subcommittee policy that the director of student-athlete reinstatement shall determine whether a case includes new information.

Supported the Management Council's decision to maintain the Administrative Review Subcommittee's policy of having the Management Council chair cast the deciding vote in case of a subcommittee tie.

Endorsed the Management Council's support of the Administrative Review Subcommittee's request that conferences or the Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee (for independents) would be the final ruling body regarding hardship waiver cases.

Discussed the impact the new CBS rights fee contract would have on the Division III budget and reserve. The Council requested a written descriptive report of the Association's reserves for its April meeting.

Agreed to sponsor legislation that would allow the Division III Committee on Infractions to impose fines in cases involving major violations of NCAA legislation.

Identified for future consideration the concept of a post-Convention Presidents Council meeting.