Attendance by Division II chief executive officers far surpassed that of the other two divisions. Unofficially, 81 Division II CEOs attended the Convention, compared to 20 for Division I and 47 for Division II.

The Division II Presidents Council took the following action on NCAA championship competition in states using official displays of the Confederate flag: "The Division II Presidents Council strongly opposes the hosting of all NCAA championships and playoffs following the 2000-01 season in states that officially display a flag that contains an image of the Confederate flag. Division II member institutions in South Carolina, Mississippi and Georgia that earn championships sites will be asked to comply voluntarily with this resolution, effective with the 2001-02 playing season. The Division II Presidents Council calls on the NCAA Executive Committee to be proactive in examining the Association's role in addressing issues regarding the principles of nondiscrimination outlined in the NCAA Constitution."

The Division II Management and Presidents Councils noted with interest an article that appeared in the January 5 issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education entitled "Lack of Resources Hampers Graduation Rates in Division II." The article correctly noted that 49 percent of Division II student-athletes receiving athletically related aid who entered in 1993-94 had graduated, compared with 58 percent in Division I. However, the article may have drawn some incorrect conclusions. For example, the article said, "The athletes in the NCAA's graduation-rates survey are all on scholarships ... and as such aren't forced to leave for economic reasons." But Division II uses equivalencies in all sports, unlike Division I, which requires full grants-in-aid in several high-profile sports. Thus, financial pressures may be greater for many Division II student-athletes. Also, the story did not note that the Division II long-range budget plan calls for a $1 million annual allocation for academic support, beginning in 2003-04.

In an effort to bolster the number of volunteers for Division II committee assignments, the Division II Nominating Committee set up a table outside the Convention ballroom at which interested individuals could express interest in serving. Nominating Committee Chair Phil Roach, director of athletics at Rollins College, was pleased with the response, noting that the membership took all of the forms that were available.

The Convention featured an improved voting system that greatly facilitated the counting of roll-call votes. Delegates voted with electronic units, as they have in recent years, but this time, the results were tabulated and posted immediately on large screens at the front of the room.

Gladys Styles Johnston, chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and Clint Bryant, director of athletics at Augusta State University, were honored during the Division II business session with resolutions of appreciation from the membership. Johnston concluded her term as chair of the Presidents Council while Bryant finished his term as Management Council chair. They will be replaced by Patricia Cormier, president of Longwood College, and Jerry M. Hughes, director of athletics at Central Missouri State University.

The Division II Management Council expressed concern about the absence of a Division II selection for the NCAA Outstanding Sportspersons of the Year Award. Although a number of Division II student-athletes were nominated for the award, the selection committee determined that none of them met the standard of having achieved a particularly notable act of sportsmanship. The Management Council noted that it had earlier expressed a concern that such acts would be difficult to identify; it also suggested that the award may place too much emphasis on a single act. Regardless, the Management Council will request that representatives from all three divisions be selected in the future.