The NCAA Executive Committee at its August 10 meeting in Indianapolis approved a recommendation from its Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues to establish a moratorium that extends potentially through 2003-04 on selecting any new NCAA predetermined championship sites and other events in South Carolina.

During the moratorium, the NCAA staff has been directed to undertake a comprehensive review of how criteria approved by the Executive Committee in April would apply to awarding championship events in South Carolina, as well as in other states. Those standards approved in April include the following:

Among other criteria considered when selecting current and future championship sites, the NCAA will continue to consider the ability of a site to provide a quality experience for the participants and fans and to conduct those events safely.

In determining whether a proposed site can provide a quality experience, the NCAA will consider the site's ability to assure that the benefits inherent in championship competition will flow fairly to all participants and its ability to promote an atmosphere of respect for and sensitivity to the dignity of every person.

The NCAA's focus will be on education and a quality championship experience.

In April, the Executive Committee also voted to prohibit awarding predetermined championship sites in Mississippi, where the flag is incorporated into the state flag, for the foreseeable future.

The moratorium does not affect the Executive Committee's April decision to honor existing contracts for predetermined championships already scheduled for South Carolina. (Existing contracts will be honored in the state of Georgia, as well.) Championship events awarded to member institutions in South Carolina on the basis of seeding or record will continue to be permitted.

In other action, the Executive Committee supported issuing a reminder of recommended policy from the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports regarding heat-related practice and playing issues (see statement, page 22). The warning came as a result of heat-related illnesses and two deaths among college football student-athletes.

Included in the reminder is a specific discussion regarding diuretics or other dehydration drugs that may be contained in nutritional supplements.

2001-02 budget

The Executive Committee's August meeting also is when the group approves the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget approved for the 2001-02 fiscal year is a record $345,815,000. Total revenue is expected to increase by about $20.25 million (6.2 percent). That growth, similar to the jump in the 2000-01 budget, is primarily due to the television rights fees from the existing CBS sports contract, from which a total of more than $271 million in revenues is expected, about $15 million more than in 2000-01. Overall championships revenue also increased -- mostly from Division I men's basketball -- due to increased arena capacity and ticket revenues, and revenues from licensing and royalties jumped because of a $3.5 million increase in corporate partner revenues.

More than half of the revenue, $181.7 million, will be distributed directly to Division I institutions to support their athletics programs. An additional $10.51 million has been allocated for this year, including $5 million to the basketball fund distribution, $5 million to the broad-based distribution, $200,000 to the academic enhancement fund distribution due to four new members and an additional allocation of $310,000 to the conference grant fund. Thirty-one Division I conferences will receive an additional $10,000 or a total of $180,000 per conference office.

In a budget-related matter, the Executive Committee also reviewed the Association's committee travel policies with any eye toward cost-savings initiatives.

The NCAA's current policy requires all committees to hold at least 50 percent of their meetings in Indianapolis, a policy that has helped the Association reduce overall committee costs. Because Indianapolis is centrally located, with reasonable transportation costs, and its hotels are on average less expensive and it reduces staff travel costs, NCAA committee expenses have decreased by about 11 percent in the last two years.

The Executive Committee reviewed options that would reduce costs even further, including several that would require committees to conduct more than 50 percent, if not all of their meetings in Indianapolis. While such an option would have the greatest impact on reducing costs, the Executive Committee noted the impracticality of the proposal since there are certain times during the year (particularly during automobile racing dates) when Indianapolis couldn't accommodate all of the NCAA's meeting demands.

Ultimately, the Executive Committee endorsed a recommendation to retain the current policy and select a list of approved properties and city destinations based on the cost of airfare, ground transportation, hotel costs and access to city locations. The NCAA also will negotiate with quality hotel properties in a variety of geographical locales for a minimum number of room nights.

Other highlights

NCAA Executive Committee
August 10/Indianapolis

Noted that the Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues agreed to conduct a review of issues related to member institutions' use of American Indian mascots, nicknames and imagery.

Added Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) to the list of NCAA-banned substances, effective August 1, 2003 (the delay in effective date provides a one-year notice period).

Approved the following chair appointments for Association-wide committees: Eugene Marshall Jr., Ramapo College, Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee; Kathy Beauregard, Western Michigan University, Olympic Sports Liaison Committee; Floyd Laisure, Bethune-Cookman College, Postgraduate Scholarship Committee.

Reviewed a report regarding the NCAA television news service, which has been located in New York City since 1968, and endorsed a recommendation that it be closed.

Approved the appointments of Karl Eller, chair and CEO of the Eller Media Company, and Charles Wethington, president emeritus at the University of Kentucky, to terms on the NCAA Foundation Board of Directors.

NCAA issues reminder on risk factors in heat illness

Due to a heightened concern about heat-related illness and deaths in the sport of college football, the NCAA reminds member institutions' athletics department personnel and their student-athletes of the risk factors and warning signs associated with heat illness. The NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook Guideline 2c, "Prevention of Heat Illness," is a primary resource for this information. Handbook guidelines can be found on the NCAA's Web site at http://www.ncaa.org/library/
sports_sciences/sports_med_handbook/index.html.

Risk factors

Air temperature, humidity and dehydration are common risk factors associated with heat illness. In addition, the following factors also put student-athletes at increased risk:

Supplements. Nutritional supplements may contain stimulants, such as ephedrine, ma huang or caffeine. These substances can dehydrate the body and/or increase metabolism and heat production. They are of particular concern in people with underlying medical conditions such as hypertension, asthma and thyroid dysfunction.

Medical conditions. Examples include illness with fever, gastro-intestinal illness or sickle cell trait.

Acclimatization/fitness level. Lack of acclimatization to the heat or poor conditioning.

Clothing. Dark clothing absorbs heat. Protective equipment limits heat dissipation.

Warning signs

Warning signs with heat illness include cessation of sweating, weakness, cramping, rapid and weak pulse, pale or flushed skin, excessive fatigue, nausea, unsteadiness, disturbance of vision and incoherency. If heat illness is suspected, prompt emergency treatment is recommended.

For more information, contact your team physician or athletic trainer.

Stimulant drugs such as amphetamines, ecstasy, ephedrine and caffeine are on the NCAA banned-substance list and may be known by other names. A complete list of banned-substances classes can be found on the NCAA Web site at http://www.ncaa.org/sports_
sciences/drugtesting/banned_list.html.

Year-end report outlines past success, points to future improvements

As part of the NCAA Executive Committee's August meeting agenda, the group conducted a review of NCAA President Cedric W. Dempsey, as well as a review of current-year accomplishments and future plans.

The initiatives included comprehensive reviews of issues in Division I football and men's basketball, deregulation of six major bylaws in the NCAA Manual, and a call for NCAA member institutions and athletics administrators to refocus on the educational mission.

The Executive Committee reviewed reports on each initiative, as well as future plans, and commended Dempsey and the national office staff on the progress made in each area.

The following is a summary of the major initiatives launched in 2000-01 and plans to complete their implementation.

The goal of the study is to provide a long-term plan to ensure the viability of college football. During this next year, the staff will work with the Oversight Committee and the Football Issues Committee to complete the reports and recommendations that have been developed so that the study will be completed in a timely manner.

In conjunction with the development of this legislation, and pending approval of the membership, the NCAA plans to implement a pilot mentoring program for teenage prospective student-athletes in 2002, a more vigorous and effective enforcement/certification effort for summer basketball events, an educational curriculum for summer events and initiatives to encourage the National Association of Basketball Coaches to help change, and assume more responsibility for, the conduct of coaches during the summer recruiting season.

Amateurism deregulation. The Division I membership is reviewing pre- and post-enrollment amateurism deregulation packages, with an anticipated final vote by the Management Council and Board of Directors this fall. The pre-enrollment proposals include modifying bylaws dealing with athletes accepting prize money, entering the draft, signing professional contracts, competing with professionals and accepting compensation for athletics participation. The companion post-enrollment proposals allow student-athletes to receive various financial benefits, including having the NCAA pay for disability premiums and guarantee loans. In addition, student-athletes would be allowed to receive compensation for providing sports lessons.

Additionally, more controversial proposals have been approved by the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet and will be reviewed by the Management Council in October. The majority of those proposals are designed to provide student-athletes with additional benefits (for example, academic-support services, medical benefits).

Division II deregulation efforts have seen significant success, as each of the 24 proposals was adopted. The Division II membership has, with nearly unanimous votes, eliminated restrictions related to evaluations and printed recruiting materials, and adopted major changes related to summer financial aid, on- and off-campus employment and countable aid. Eight proposals related to playing and practice seasons will be voted on at the 2002 Convention, and a deregulation summit related to eligibility legislation was conducted in July.

Because many of those issues are grounded in the financial aspects of intercollegiate athletics, Dempsey has advocated that the NCAA, as the governing body associated with intercollegiate athletics, needs to better understand the relationship between money and competitive equity. In that vein, the Board has approved the development of a study that will obtain baseline data, and the appointment of a task force composed of presidents that are willing to spend time to understand the educational and financial implications on intercollegiate athletics, and develop support from their presidential colleagues to move a reform agenda (see Board of Directors story, page 1).

Better business practices. During the past year, the national office staff has completely redesigned its purchasing activities, overnight shipping services, Convention services, paper and envelope purchases, litigation reporting and tracking, foundation gift reporting and tracking, television news service, telephone services and investment services -- changes that have the potential to save the Association more than $250,000 per year.

The staff also is exploring improvements in other areas, including:

Continuing to explore ways to improve the championships experience for student-athletes.

Implementation of a technology plan for the national office that focuses on membership initiatives and includes Web-based projects to: (1) maintain game statistics, (2) improve the interpretive process, (3) publish divisional manuals with linking interpretations, (4) improve the student-athlete reinstatement process, (5) deliver championship selection shows via Web-casting, (6) improve the revenue distribution system and (7) collect more membership data.