LITIGATION

Plaintiffs file motion to amend initial-eligibility complaint

Plaintiff attorneys in the Cureton v. NCAA case have filed a motion to amend their complaint in an attempt to prove that the NCAA has impermissibly used race as a discriminatory factor through its use of Division I initial-eligibility standards.

A federal district judge originally ruled for the plaintiffs in the case, but a federal appeals court overturned the ruling in December.

Staff contact: Elsa Kircher Cole

MINORITY ISSUES

Committee develops budget initiatives for 2000-01 and beyond

The Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee has developed several budget initiatives for the current year and beyond to enhance opportunities for ethnic minorities in intercollegiate athletics.

The committee identified initiatives totaling more than $740,000. While recognizing that funding may not be available to cover all the initiatives in the 2000-01 budget cycle, the committee believes the initiatives deserve priority treatment.

The initiatives include three types of development: expanding current NCAA programs to enhance opportunities for ethnic minorities in athletics; public relations, recruitment and training strategies to increase the pool of qualified minority candidates; and research initiatives designed to study ways to change the hiring culture in athletics.

Staff contact: Donnetta Moorman

INITIAL ELIGIBILITY

Division II committee requests research on different standards

The Division II Academic Requirements Committee has requested research on what effects various initial-eligibility standards would have in Division II.

The Division II Academic Requirements Committee, which met February 10-11 in Sarasota, Florida, has asked for alternate models since Division II uses a cutoff (820 SAT or 68 ACT) on standardized-test scores. Division I's use of such a cutoff score was a primary factor in a lower-court ruling that temporarily set aside Division I initial-eligibility standards.

The Academic Requirements Committee asked for research on what effect the following initial-eligibility approaches would have on access and graduation rates in Division II:

* A sliding scale similar, but not identical, to the one currently used in Division I.

* Requiring prospective student-athletes to have completed more core courses (for instance, an extra year of math).

* Giving more weight to specific portions of standardized tests.

* Allowing prospects to qualify by meeting to-be-determined standards in two of the three current standards: grade-point average, standardized test scores and core courses.

<HREF="MAILTO:ROLIVER@NCAA.ORG"Robert A. Oliver

NCAA FOUNDATION

Eight scholarships awarded for sports journalism program

The Freedom Forum, in cooperation with the NCAA Foundation, has awarded eight $3,000 scholarships for 2000-01 to undergraduate students majoring in journalism or sports journalism at NCAA member institutions.

Since 1992, The Freedom Forum has awarded 67 $3,000 scholarships through a grant made to the NCAA Foundation.

The recipients for 2000-01 and their undergraduate institution are: Heather A. Dinich, Indiana University, Bloomington; Samuel D. Eifling, Northwestern University; Paul D. Glader, University of South Dakota; T. Nolan Hayes, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Kathleen F. O'Brien, University of Notre Dame; Aneesh V. Raman, Harvard University; Jerod H. Smalley, Marshall University; and Pauline B. Vu, University of California, Los Angeles.

<HREF="MAILTO:MPEAVEY@NCAA.ORG"Marion Peavey

WATER POLO

Committee wants feedback on stautus of two-point shot

The Men's Water Polo Committee will survey coaches in March to help determine the future of a two-point shot. The committee wants more feedback from the water polo community before revisiting a possible rule change this spring.

<HREF="MAILTO:MBOCKELMAN@NCAA.ORG"Mark Bockelman