The Division I Management Council has approved eight legislative proposals that are intended to dramatically change the culture of basketball.

The proposals, which were forwarded to the Division I Board of Directors for possible adoption at the Board's April 27 meeting, are designed to improve basketball student-athletes' collegiate experience, change the recruiting process and enhance the image of the sport.

Staff contact: David Berst.

MEMBERSHIP -- Management Councils forward legislation to create moratorium

The three division Management Councils have approved legislation to establish a two-year NCAA membership moratorium.

In Division I, the moratorium would apply to institutions wishing to apply for Division I provisional membership, reclassify from Division II to Division I or become a multidivisional member with a Division I sport. Similar moratoriums also were approved by the Divisions II and III Management Councils.

The recommendations will be forwarded to the appropriate presidential bodies in each division before the Executive Committee considers the measures April 28.

DRUGS -- Survey shows increase in early teen steroid use

Steroid use by eight-, 10th- and 12th-graders jumped sharply in 1999, reaching the highest level in the '90s for both boys and girls.

A report by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, reported April 18 in USA Today, showed that the percentage of eighth-grade males using steroids in 1999 was 2.5 percent -- easily surpassing the previous high of the '90s for the same group.

The percentage of boys using steroids increased with age, climbing to 2.8 percent for 10th-graders and 3.1 percent for 12th-graders. The girls' rates decreased, however, from 0.9 percent for eight-graders to 0.7 percent for 10th-graders and 0.6 percent for 12th-graders.

GAMBLING -- Senate committee advances bill to ban college sports gambling

FONT SIZE=4>The Senate Commerce Committee on April 13 approved the Amateur Sports Integrity Act (S. 2340) by a vote of 18 to 2.

The action sets the stage for S. 2340 to go to the Senate floor. The bill would remove from the current federal law the exemption that allows Nevada to continue to allow betting on college sporting events.

Staff contact: Doris Dixon.

TELEVISION -- Basketball championship ratings decline for men and women

The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship title game won its Monday night television slot as it has every year since 1988, but the game drew a rating of 14.1, the lowest since the event premiered on CBS in 1982.

Ratings also were down for the Division I Women's Basketball Championship game on ESPN, falling from last year's record of 4.3 to 3.5.

Staff contact: James Marchiony.

© 1998 National Collegiate Athletic Association