National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2001
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Division I Board of Directors defers action on certified events
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The NCAA News
If a group could be graded on its ability to digest complex issues, then the Division I Board of Directors would have earned an A at its April 26 meeting in Indianapolis. Faced with a challenging and complicated agenda, the Board managed to carve out paths by which several issues could be resolved as efficiently and quickly as possible.
Of the issues, perhaps none was more complex than Proposal No. 2000-106, which proposes a limit of 29 on the number of regular-season games in men's basketball and would require institutions to count participation in all games toward that limit. Initially submitted last October and sent out for comment, the proposal has stirred plenty of debate since, but the Division I Management Council felt strongly enough about it at its April meeting to approve it and forward it to the Board for possible adoption.
The Board, however, deferred action on the proposal and instead charged that a study be conducted to determine the effects of the proposal on a number of concerns. While the Board affirmed its interest in a uniform limit on the number of regular-season games by retaining the opportunity to implement the proposal in August 2004, it felt that additional study was necessary to address specific areas, including:
Missed class time and any other potential academic impact on graduation rates for each certified event.
The number of contests, television exposures and participating teams associated with each certified event (including a breakdown of the data for the top-, mid- and lower-level programs) to analyze competitive equity.
Financial records of the certified events to shed light on the costs incurred by the Division I institutions participating in the events and to develop data that will allow institutions to make informed decisions in the future.
Existing certification requirements, including possible enhancements (for example, specifying a maximum number of teams and contests per event).
The impact, if any, of participation in certified events on RPI calculations and the evaluation for and selection to the Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
The Board charged the Basketball Issues Committee, the Division I Men's Basketball Committee and the Championships/Competition Cabinet's Certified Contests Subcommittee to study those areas and report back to the Board no later than January 2004. In the meantime, the Board approved a moratorium (until August 1, 2004) on the certification of any new events in basketball. The moratorium also prohibits any current event from altering its format to increase the number of contests or the number of teams. (Any new events that filed applications for certification by the April 15, 2001, deadline could still be considered for certification.)
"The Board still has an interest in setting a finite limit on the number of contests for basketball, but we also have concerns about the legislation as it came to us," said William E. Kirwan, Board chair and president of Ohio State University. "The moratorium will give us time to gather data in order for us to make a well-informed decision."
One facet of the study already is in place. An existing rule that went into effect during the 2000-01 academic year that allows institutions to participate in certified events for no more than two years during a four-year period (the so-called "two-in-four rule") will be monitored to determine its effect on the competitive-equity component of certified events. The idea behind the two-in-four rule is to spread the access to certified events and to prevent the more prominent schools from dominating the events.
"Part of the reason for the length of the moratorium is to give the two-in-four rule enough time so that we can determine its impact," said NCAA President Cedric W. Dempsey.
The moratorium also means that certified contests will go on through the 2003-04 season (though the events still are subject to an annual certification process).
The Board expects to receive reports from the study by January 2004 and would be in position to make changes that could be effective for the 2004-05 playing season.
Proposal No. 99-121-1-A
Among other complicated matters the Board tackled was a proposal that ties the number of grants-in-aid institutions can award in men's basketball to that institution's average four-year graduation rate in the sport.
The proposal originated with the Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues and was part of that group's reform package. The Management Council had defeated the measure when it was proposed, but the Board last year revised the proposal (No. 99-121-1-A) to state that institutions with graduation rates of 50 percent or higher in men's basketball would retain the current limit of 13 scholarships, while those with a rate of less than 50 percent would be reduced to 12. The Board then remanded the amended proposal back to the Council to define what constitutes "good academic standing."
The Council had revised the proposal to specify that in calculating graduation rates, institutions could exclude student-athletes who transfer to another four-year institution or who depart to a professional league, as long as they meet satisfactory academic-progress requirements in the preceding term.
But the Board raised concerns about the part of the proposal that deals with calculating graduation rates.
"The Board's concern is that the proposal does not address the issue of transfers coming in from a two- or four-year institution or student-athletes who depart for any reason and who have met satisfactory academic-progress requirements," Kirwan said. "If we are going to adjust how we calculate graduation rates, we should do so in a way that addresses more of the circumstances where our graduation rates currently are misleading."
Such cases could include student-athletes who transfer in from two-year as well as four-year institutions but are not currently included in the graduation rate, student-athletes who leave school in good academic standing for reasons other than turning professional, or those who desire to turn professional but who are unable to sign with a team.
The Management Council will review the matter again in July, and Kirwan indicated that the issue could be resolved by the implementation date of the proposal (August 1, 2003).
Amateurism
The Board also took a look at the amateurism deregulation package that is progressing through the Division I legislative pipeline.
The Management Council spent a great deal of time with the package two weeks earlier and had forwarded four proposals affecting postenrolled student-athletes to the Board for possible adoption. Those proposals would permit enrolled student-athletes to engage in fee-for-lesson employment; provide for NCAA payment of student-athlete disability insurance premiums; allow prospects and student-athletes to accept Operation Gold money for place finish in events such as the Olympics; and permit student-athletes to arrange for loans based on future potential earnings as a professional athlete.
While second approval from the Council put those proposals in position to be adopted by the Board, the Board noted that it had agreed in January to discuss amateurism in detail during its summer meeting before considering the entire amateurism deregulation package in November. Thus, the Board deferred action on the proposals except for the one concerning Operation Gold funds, which the Board approved as emergency legislation in order to give current student-athletes the ability to participate in Operation Gold programs that already are underway.
In addition to the amateurism legislation, the Board acted on more than 60 other legislative proposals that were forwarded from the Management Council. Those proposals that the Board adopted are included in the chart on page 12.
Budget approval
The Board also reviewed a report from the Division I Budget Committee, including an allocation of $1 million for Division I initiatives. Of that total, more than $750,000 is targeted to fund new championships initiatives such as bracket expansions for men's and women's soccer and women's swimming and diving, enhanced championships awards, reimbursements for selected championship play-ins, increases in officiating fees and increases in sizes of sports and rules committees.
However, the Board paused on an allocation of $363,000 that would initiate regionals in the men's and women's outdoor track and field championships and expand the number of participants at the national meets. The Board did not disagree with the intent to expand the field size, but it took issue with the establishment of regionals that may interfere with exam schedules, devalue conference championships and possibly extend the season.
Therefore, the Board agreed to support an embargo of any funds from the 2001-02 NCAA budget that would be allocated to establish or conduct regional meets or expand NCAA championships in men's and women's outdoor track and field until additional information concerning the format of the events is reviewed.
The Board also approved an additional Division I distribution of about $10.5 million, of which $5 million would be allocated to the men's basketball fund distribution and $5 million would be allocated to the broad-based distribution. Also, $200,000 would be allocated to the academic enhancement fund (due to four new members), and $310,000 would be allocated to the conference grant fund.
Other highlights
Division I Board of Directors
April 26/Indianapolis
Received a status report regarding the meetings and work of the Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics; provided input to the NCAA president regarding the process for reviewing the final recommendations of the Knight Commission; agreed that the Division I Board of Directors should be involved in leading the analysis and coordination of responses to the report and recommendations; and requested that NCAA staff include a block of time during the August meeting of the Board for discussion of the final report.
Accepted the appointment to the Board, as selected by the Ivy Group, of James Wright, Dartmouth College, replacing Harold Shapiro, effective after the April 2001 meeting.
Discussed concerns that have been raised by several institutions and conferences regarding the impact of the recently adopted legislation limiting the number of initial scholarships in men's basketball to eight over two years, with no more than five in one year; noted that a number of appeals have been submitted for review by the Management Council Administrative Review Subcommittee that have not been granted; agreed that the impact of this legislation merited further review; and noted that the Men's Subcommittee of the Division I Basketball Issues Committee will examine the issue at its next meeting.
Recommended that the NCAA president communicate directly with all chief executive officers of the Association regarding the sponsors and the provisions of the so-called "National Collegiate and Amateur Athletic Protections Act of 2001," which was introduced by the Nevada delegation as an alternative to the NCAA-supported McCain/Graham gambling bill; and noted that the new bill includes several additional provisions that appear targeted at the higher-education community and that could jeopardize federal funding.
Legislation adopted by the Board of Directors
The Division I Board of Directors approved the following legislative proposals for adoption at its April 26 meeting in Indianapolis:
No. 2000-11, permitting Division I women's rowing teams to participate beyond the playing season in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association championships under specified conditions. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-13, permitting competition in the Women's Gymnastics National Invitation Tournament to be included among the list of events that may be exempted from the contest limits. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-29 (as amended by Proposal No. 2000-29-1), permitting a coaching staff member who serves on an official committee of USA Basketball to be involved in noncoaching activities for the U.S. Junior National teams; further, eliminating the two-year term limitation regarding involvement of coaching staff members in noncoaching activities. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-48, permitting prospective and current student-athletes to accept Operation Gold Grant funds. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-52, permitting courses taught via distance learning to be used to meet all continuing-eligibility requirements. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-53, amending the composition of the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse Committee as specified. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-54, permitting women's golf coaches to give private lessons to prospects under specified conditions. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-56, specifying the composition of the Division I Women's Soccer Committee shall not include more than two members from the same region. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-57, permitting an institution to provide complimentary admissions to prospects on official visits in the same manner such admissions are provided during unofficial visits. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-60, specifying that an institution may participate in a certified event in the same state or territory outside the United States more than once during a four-year period, while retaining the requirement that an institution may not participate in more than two certified events every four years. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-61, permitting an institution to provide financial aid under specified circumstances to a professional athlete provided he or she has completed four seasons of competition. (The Council defeated Proposal No. 2000-61-1, which would have allowed the financial aid to be provided regardless of whether the student-athlete had completed four seasons of competition.) (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-63 (as amended by Proposal No. 2000-63-1), eliminating the academic requirement applicable to learning-disabled prospects that a special administration of the PSAT, SAT, PLAN (or PACT Plus) or ACT must receive approval before the prospect receiving an official visit. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-64, specifying that a de minimis violation occurs if a student-athlete fails to obtain an employment earnings written statement before beginning employment, provided the written statement is obtained before receiving more than $500 in earnings. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-66 (as amended by Proposal No. 2000-66-1), increasing the number of volunteer coaches in women's rowing from one to four. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-68, specifying that an institutional violation does not occur when an institution makes more than one call per week under the official-visit exception, and the official visit is subsequently canceled due to circumstances beyond the control of the prospect or institution. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-75, specifying employee dependent tuition waivers under specified conditions shall not be considered institutional aid. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-76, specifying a student-athlete's eligibility for a medical hardship shall be calculated by the number of scheduled contests or dates of competition rather than completed contests or dates of competition. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-81, including benefits received under the United States Navy Nuclear Officer Program among the list of exempted government grants. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-83, permitting softball coaching staff members to evaluate prospects during high-school regional and state-championship competition. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-86, permitting men's and women's basketball prospects who received financial aid to attend summer school before initial full-time enrollment, and who are denied admission for full-time enrollment, to enroll at another institution without being considered a transfer student. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-87 (as amended by Proposal No. 2000-87-1), permitting the athletics director to authorize another noncoaching staff member to provide the written approval required for a student-athlete to participate in permissible promotional and employment activities, as specified. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-91, permitting an institutional staff member to provide transportation from and to the nearest bus, train station or major airport on the occasion of the prospect's arrival and departure from campus to attend required orientation sessions, provided the prospect has been accepted for admission. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-92, eliminating the prior-written-permission requirement to contact a student-athlete who is enrolled at a non-NCAA or non-NAIA, four-year institution. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-93, establishing July 15 after the junior year in high school as the first permissible date for an institution to make in-person, off-campus contact with prospective student-athletes in women's gymnastics. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-95, permitting a counter in Division I-AA football who graduates at midyear or who graduated during the previous academic year to be replaced with an initial counter. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-96, permitting a student-athlete who qualified for a hardship waiver during the previous academic year to compete on an institution's foreign tour during the summer vacation period at the end of that academic year without using a season of competition for the previous academic year. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-98, specifying that an institution's softball team shall not compete against any outside team that includes high-school prospects, except for exempted contests against a foreign team or U.S. national team. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-99, specifying instances in which a de minimis violation shall not render a student-athlete ineligible, while retaining the fact that such a violation shall be considered an institutional violation. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-100, specifying that if circumstances change and a medically exempt student-athlete subsequently practices or competes at another institution, his or her previous institution shall not be required to count the exempted financial aid. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-101, permitting student-athletes who have exhausted eligibility in cross country or track and field to receive financial aid under specified conditions without counting in the team limits. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-104, permitting a student-athlete to receive miscellaneous benefits that have little or no cost to the institution, as specified. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-110, establishing a Division I Women's Rowing Championship effective with the 2002 season, and establishing a Division I Women's Rowing Committee. (Effective date: August 1, 2001, effective with the 2002 championship.)
No. 2000-111, eliminating the requirement that the loss of eligibility for a student-athlete who has practiced, competed and/or received institutional financial assistance while ineligible shall apply only to the institution involved in the violation. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-112, permitting any student-athlete from the host institution of a conference or NCAA championship to miss class time to engage in practice activities the day before the championship. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-113, specifying that an institution that has forwarded to the national office written notice of its intention to change its football membership classification from Division I-AA to Division I-A no longer shall be eligible to participate in the Division I-AA Football Championship. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-114, specifying that the position on the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports allocated for secondary interests be permanently filled by the National Federation of State High School Associations' staff liaison to the Sports Medicine Advisory Board. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 2000-115, permitting a student-athlete to serve on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee up to one year after the completion of his or her intercollegiate athletics eligibility. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-116, permitting the Committee on Infractions to impose financial penalties in the form of fines in cases involving findings of major or secondary violations of NCAA legislation. (The Management Council amended the proposal to remove part C regarding restitution.) (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-118, eliminating legislative references to compensation restrictions applicable to volunteer coaches related to legitimate noncoaching employment opportunities, while maintaining the current rules prohibiting compensation from the athletics department. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-119, eliminating the requirement that athletics department staff members shall not use the institution's name or logo in the endorsement of commercial products or services for personal gain without prior written approval from the institution's chief executive officer. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-120, eliminating the certification process for Division I all-star basketball games. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-121, eliminating the need for athletics personnel to obtain approval from the institution's chief executive officer for athletically related income and benefits, as specified. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-122, eliminating specified restrictions related to outside income in addition to institutional salary, as specified. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-123, eliminating the legislative prohibition regarding employment or income arrangements between institutional athletics department staff members and professional sports organizations. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-124, specifying that the promotional restrictions related to privately owned summer camps also shall apply to institutionally owned and operated camps. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 2000-125 (as amended by Proposal No. 2000-125-1), making consistent the regulation governing employment of athletics department staff members in institutional and noninstitutional camps and clinics. (Effective date: August 1, 2001).
No. 2000-126, eliminating all regulations related to the telecasting, cablecasting or televising of intercollegiate football games of member institutions. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 01-33, expanding the Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules Committee to 11 voting positions, as specified. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 01-34, permitting the Preseason NIT to be played beginning the Monday of the week immediately before Thanksgiving week and concluding the day after Thanksgiving each year. (Effective date: August 1, 2001.)
No. 01-35, expanding the Women's Gymnastics Committee from six to seven members and establishing composition requirements. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 01-36, expanding the Men's Ice Hockey Committee from four to six members. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 01-37, establishing an NCAA Women's Volleyball Rules Committee comprising nine members, including the secretary-rules editor. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 01-38, adding the drug "ecstasy" to the list of banned substances under the category of "Stimulants." (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 01-47, specifying that the Committee on Infractions may take action to vacate performances in cases where there has been ineligible participation in a championship. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 01-50, modifying the men's basketball recruiting calendar to establish a dead period Monday through Thursday during the week that includes the initial date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent and to establish the beginning of the academic-year evaluation period as the day after the initial date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent. (Effective date: Immediately.)
No. 01-62, establishing a moratorium through the 2003-04 academic year that permits certification only for basketball events previously certified for the 2001-02 season. (Effective date: Immediately.)
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