On Monday, January 8, Division II delegates to the Association's 95th annual Convention will make their choice on Proposal No. 12 (Amateurism -- Activities Prior to Initial Enrollment). If approved, it will represent one of the most important philosophical changes in the history of Division II and will have major ramifications for the Association as a whole.

The intent of the proposal is to permit individuals to participate in certain activities before initial collegiate enrollment without jeopardizing their collegiate eligibility. Under certain circumstances, individuals would be charged with a season or seasons of eligibility for participation in outside competition after high-school graduation and before initial college enrollment. The proposal does not alter Bylaw 12 standards for enrolled student-athletes.

The proposal would break ground by eliminating the "intent to professionalize" standard as the test that renders a prospective student-athlete permanently ineligible for intercollegiate competition.

Proponents of the proposed legislation note that the "intent to professionalize" standard not only has proven difficult to enforce, it also may be a misdirected policy. The project team that developed the legislation has based Proposal No. 12 on the belief that Division II student-athletes should compete against peers with similar athletics experience. Proponents say the fact that prospects may have been paid to compete before enrollment indicates only that a prospect was competing at a level high enough that he or she will be charged with a minimum of one season of competition as a Division II student-athlete.

Opponents believe that permitting pre-enrolled student-athletes to receive compensation represents a fundamental and inappropriate philosophical change. Members of the high-school community have been especially active in attempting to persuade Division II delegates to oppose the proposal because of the effect they believe it will have at the high-school level.

Divisions I and III are considering similar proposals and will be monitoring the outcome of the vote in Division II.

Beyond amateurism, Division II delegates also will consider 13 proposals (Nos. 15-27) to deregulate Bylaw 15 (financial aid). This will be the second stage of Division II's legislative deregulation effort. Last year, delegates approved deregulation proposals for Bylaws 11 and 13; Bylaw 17 will be considered at the 2002 Convention.

Discussion forums

Several issues that are important to Division II will be discussed during forums.

The most significant will be the Division II issues forum, which will be conducted from 2 to 4 p.m. January 7 in the Northern Hemisphere ballroom. At that gathering, all Division II delegates will be able to take part in discussions about the proposed deregulation of amateurism and Bylaw 15 and the activities of the Membership Review Project Team.

Carol Dunn, athletics director at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Paul Engelmann, faculty athletics representative at Central Missouri State University, will lead the amateurism and Bylaw 15 session. The primary purpose of that part of the forum will be to provide delegates an opportunity to ask questions about any of the legislative deregulation questions that will be considered at the Division II general business session January 8.

Lynn L. Dorn, director of women's athletics at North Dakota State University and chair of the Membership Review Project Team, will moderate the second session.

That project team is addressing several important issues regarding Division II membership requirements, among them:

* Should Division II modify minimum sports-sponsorship requirements? The current minimum requirement is four men's sports and four women's sports. Options being discussed include:

-- Increasing to five men's and five women's sports or four men's and six women's sports.

-- Increasing to six men's and six women's sports or five men's and seven women's sports.

-- Counting indoor and outdoor track separately.

-- Prohibiting the use of Division I sports to meet any requirement.

* Should Division II establish a minimum financial aid requirement? Division II has no such requirements at the moment. Options under discussion include the following:

-- Providing 50 percent of maximum grants in a minimum number of sports.

--Requiring a minimum number of total equivalencies with at least 50 percent provided in women's sports.

-- Requiring a minimum aggregate expenditure in athletics aid.

-- Meeting a minimum criterion with consideration given to need-based aid.

-- Inclusion/exclusion of basketball aid.

-- "Grandparenting" of nonscholarship institutions.

-- Inclusion/exclusion of aid awarded in Division I sports.

* Should Division II change its minimum scheduling requirements? The division currently has minimum requirements in football and basketball only. Options under discussion include:

-- Additional requirements in other team sports.

-- Elimination of current requirements and use of a championships qualification minimum.

-- How the issue relates to the division's regionalization policy.

-- Potential effects on sports with low sponsorship numbers.

Once again, Division II will conduct a working luncheon for Division II chief executive officers. The program, which will be conducted from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. January 7, will feature an analysis of proposed legislation, a presentation on long-range budget plans for Division II and new Division II compliance initiatives.

The Division II business session also will include a presentation on Division II's long-range budget plans.

This year's Convention also will include a series of Association-wide educational sessions, which will be conducted from 2 to 5:30 p.m. January 6.

Topics on the program include hiring, promotion and development of women and ethnic minorities; coaches' contracts; tournament and contest contracts; the effect of violence on the sports culture; commercial and corporate athletics sponsorship agreements; outsourcing athletics department Web sites; an advanced session on Title IX compliance, conducted by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights; and implementing athletic training services.