The Division II Administrative Committee has directed the Administrative Review Subcommittee to grant a waiver to institutions that would prefer to conduct their "midnight madness" events this year on the nights of Friday, October 12, or Saturday, October 13.

The Administrative Committee also agreed to ask the Division II Presidents Council to consider sponsoring legislation for the 2002 Convention to allow the membership to vote to make a permanent change.

Some Division II institutions asked the Administrative Committee to adopt noncontroversial legislation to change the first permissible practice date in basketball to be identical to the Division I rule, which is "the Saturday nearest October 15." The current Division II rule (Bylaw 17.5.2.1) states that preseason practice cannot begin before October 15. Because the 15th falls on a Monday this year, that means that without the waiver, Division II "midnight madness" events would have to be held during the Sunday night/Monday morning period of October 14 and 15. For that reason, the Administrative Committee was asked to change the rule via noncontroversial legislation.

In the alternative, the Administrative Committee agreed to direct the Administrative Review Subcommittee to look favorably upon any request by a Division II member institution asking permission to conduct a "midnight madness" event on the nights of October 12 and 13 (Friday and Saturday), with the condition that no other practice activities can be conducted by that institution until Tuesday, October 16.

A mailing will be sent to Division II athletics directors confirming the waiver opportunity.