The Division I Board of Directors sent a strong message about academic enhancement at its April 25 meeting in Indianapolis, adopting a four-pronged resolution to ensure enhanced performance in the classroom for Division I student-athletes. The Board also adopted several amateurism proposals at its meeting, but the group tabled one part of the amateurism package in order to give Division I members more time to discuss the ramifications of restrictions on pre-enrolled student-athletes.

Board members spent most of their meeting setting the course for academic reform. Their day included a review of proposals (already out for membership comment) that are designed to maximize graduation rates and minimize disparate impact on minority groups. Those proposals provide several alternatives for modifying the current Division I initial-eligibility standards; they also seek to establish more rigorous progress-toward-degree standards to better position student-athletes to graduate after five years. The Division I Management Council endorsed the package last month, which triggered the 90-day membership comment period and set October as a date for final action from the Council and Board.

The Board supported those initiatives and set additional long-term expectations through a resolution that was recommended by its task force. The resolution promises:

Development of ways in addition to (or other than) the current graduation-rate calculation to provide a more accurate and more current "snapshot" of academic progress of student-athletes on individual teams;

Exploration of incentives that reward institutions that demonstrate a commitment toward the academic progress of student-athletes, and penalties -- including loss of scholarships and postseason opportunities -- for those institutions that do not;

An interest in increasing by the 2006 academic year the number of core courses required for incoming freshmen student-athletes (based on additional study of the optimum number of core courses for predictability of academic success in college); and

A continued examination of the impact of modifying the current initial-eligibility sliding scale.

The resolution also directs the NCAA Academic Consultants to discuss with high-school associations an analysis of the core courses, including the possibility of increasing the number to 16 (assuming the research supports such action).

Ohio State University's Brit Kirwan, who chairs the Board, said the resolution "sets a direction for Division I in terms of academic reform and sets an expectation for the Management Council to support legislation in October that addresses these four priorities."

Kirwan said he has been impressed with presidents' resolve to enhance academic standards and establish consequences for programs that fall short. "There is a strong consensus, not only among Board members but among other presidential groups, to have meaningful penalties in place -- including restrictions on postseason play -- for those programs that are underperforming academically," Kirwan said. "Once we have established what constitutes a minimum benchmark of academic success -- and we need to do our homework properly on that -- we'll be able to determine appropriate incentives and disincentives."

Kirwan said the incentives/disincentives package probably won't appear as proposed legislation until sometime in 2003. For now, the only proposals in the legislative pipeline are those that deal with initial- and continuing-eligibility standards that the Council endorsed earlier.

The Board weighed in on that package as well, noting its preference for a proposal (No. 2002-22-B) that would increase core courses from 13 to 14 and establish a sliding scale with a minimum 2.000 core grade-point average but no minimum test-score cut. The Board was intrigued with another alternative that sets a test-score cut at 620, which matches the two-standard deviation cut of the core GPA, but members decided that a "purer" goal was to support elimination of the test cut altogether.

"We've started down a path we won't turn away from," Kirwan said of the Board's pointing toward academic reform. "The package already out for comment and the resolution we agreed to at this meeting are major steps. When it's all said and done, this initiative will have a profound effect on the way coaches and institutions set academic priorities for their student-athletes."

Francis Lawrence from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, chairs the Board's task force, which promised in January that academic reforms were imminent. He said it was key to gain the Board's support right away. "As we go further along, there may be some reaction that probably won't be as enthusiastic," he said, noting the potential controversy that any proposed penalty system would bring. "It's important that the Board back these academic reforms early, and with the kind of energy we saw during this meeting."

Organized competition tabled

The two-year debate over amateurism deregulation in Division I was poised to reach a conclusion with action on several proposals at the Board's April meeting, but part of the issue will last a bit longer now that the Board tabled one proposal the Management Council had forwarded for adoption.

The Board set aside the organized-competition rule (Proposal No. 99-106) in order to provide the Management Council more time to clarify the ramifications for prospective student-athletes participating with or on professional teams.

"The vote at the Management Council indicated members' preference about not allowing prospects to associate with professional teams," Kirwan said, "but the intended impact on eligibility remains unclear and will need
to be discussed further during the Council's meeting in July."

The package the Management Council had approved included measures that allow prospects to enter a draft and be drafted, and to accept prize money (not to exceed expenses) in open competition. The package also allows prospects to receive educational expenses to attend a high school or preparatory school if the funds are disbursed by the school and not provided by an agent, athletics representative or professional team.

While Board members agreed to adopt those proposals, they paused on the organized-competition rule because they believe its application may conflict with other parts of the amateurism package, including two measures the Council approved regarding the definition of a professional team.

Those proposals (Nos. 01-96 and 01-97) define a professional team as one that either declares itself to be professional or provides any of its players more than actual and necessary expenses, and would require prospects who participate on such teams to be declared ineligible (even if the individual was unaware that the team was "professional") and go through the reinstatement process. The organized-competition rule, though, says that individuals who participate in organized competition for no more than one year after high school (and who receive no more than actual and necessary expenses) lose one year of eligibility and are required to spend an academic year in residence after they enroll at a collegiate institution.

Those two proposals appear to conflict over how much "professionalism" Division I wants to allow prospects. Proposal Nos. 01-96 and 01-97 would seem to indicate none at all, while the organized-competition rule would allow one year of relief in specific cases. In practical terms, it also means the new definition of a professional team would supercede the organized-competition rule, since prospects who would trigger the latter (and thus be eligible for some relief) already would have been rendered ineligible by the former, which is more restrictive.

Also complicating the matter is a directive the Council issued last October regarding international basketball student-athletes.

That directive established a maximum eight-game sit-out period for those student-athletes who had received no more than expenses while participating on professional teams.

That penalty remains active, since the Council deferred until its July meeting action on a "sunset" clause that would have set an end date to that directive.

That in effect leaves several choices on the table for those prospects who participated on professional teams -- including a maximum of eight games per the October directive and apparent permanent ineligibility per the adoption of a clearer definition of a professional team.

All of that signaled to the Board that Division I members still are uncertain about the penalties that need to be in place for prospects who are caught in the definition of "professional." Thus, the group saw tabling the organized-competition rule as a logical way for Division I to sort matters out.

"Because the organized-competition rule could result in unintended consequences, tabling the proposal until we receive more guidance from the Management Council appeared appropriate," Kirwan said.

The Board also reviewed a set of amateurism issues for currently enrolled student-athletes that had been tabled earlier. Members approved one proposal (No. 2000-49) that will allow an enrolled student-athlete to receive compensation, under certain conditions, for fee-for-lesson instruction in their sport.

The Board, though, left two other proposals on the table -- one in which the NCAA would pay the premium costs for student-athletes who qualify for the NCAA's elite student-athlete disability insurance program, and another that would permit a student-athlete who qualified for the program to borrow up to $20,000.

Other highlights

Division I Board of Directors
April 25/Indianapolis

Adopted emergency legislation that for only the summer of 2002 will permit football prospective student-athletes who have signed a National Letter of Intent to engage in voluntary summer workouts conducted by an institution's strength and conditioning coach (the proposal also applies to prospects at institutions that do not participate in the National Letter of Intent program and who have been admitted or provided an offer of financial aid). In addition, institutions may finance medical expenses for those prospects who sustain injuries while participating in summer voluntary workouts conducted by the strength and conditioning coach. Any permanent changes to current legislation still would have to go through the normal legislative process.

Approved legislation that would, on a one-year trial basis in 2002, permit Division I-A football institutions to satisfy bowl-eligibility requirements with a 6-6 record. The Board also voted to delete the restriction that limits the number of bowls to no more than 26 during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. (See the chart on page 13 for a complete list of legislation the Board adopted during its April 25 meeting.)

Agreed to lift the embargo on $363,000 in funding for implementation of track and field's regional qualifying proposal and expansion of the championship as recommended by the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet and approved by the Management Council.

Approved recommendations from the Division I budget committee for 2002-03 championships initiatives, which include expansion of three brackets (women's softball, and men's ice hockey and lacrosse), and establishment of predetermined sites for the first and second rounds of the women's basketball championship.

Appointed a committee composed of Board members whose terms expire this year to nominate a successor to Board Chair Brit Kirwan, who has announced he will leave Ohio State University June 30 to assume duties as chancellor of the University of Maryland system. The full Board will select a new chair, effective July 1, later this spring via conference call.

Legislation adopted by the Board of Directors

aThe Division I Board of Directors adopted the following legislative proposals during its April 25 meeting in Indianapolis:

No. 99-107, specifying that individuals may enter a professional draft and/or be drafted before initial full-time collegiate enrollment without jeopardizing intercollegiate eligibility. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 99-110 (as amended by Proposal No. 99-110-2), specifying that before initial, full-time collegiate enrollment, individuals may accept prize money based on place finish in an open athletics event (not to exceed actual and necessary expenses) from the sponsor of the event without jeopardizing intercollegiate eligibility. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 00-47, specifying that prospects may accept educational expenses (that is, tuition and fees, room and board, and books) before collegiate enrollment from any individual or entity other than an agent, professional sports team/organization or representative of an institution's athletics interests, provided such expenses are disbursed directly through the recipient's educational institution (for example, preparatory school, high school). (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 00-49, allowing student-athletes to receive compensation for teaching or coaching sports skills on a fee-for-lesson basis, under specified circumstances. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-4 (as amended by Proposal No. 01-4-1), establishing a recruiting calendar in women's volleyball; establishing an evaluation period of 80 days, including a coach's involvement with a local sports club outside the contact/evaluation period; and reinstating the limit of two women's volleyball coaches who may recruit prospects off campus at any one time. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-17, permitting an institution to participate by conference call in meetings conducted by the AEC Cabinet Subcommittee on Legislative Review/Interpretations to review an appeal of an interpretation provided by membership services that may result in an individual or institutional violation. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 01-71, permitting institutional coaching staff members in Division I-AA football to use 42 evaluation days over a period not to exceed 42 calendar days during the fall evaluation period. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-75, establishing a five-year term of office for men's and women's basketball committee members. (Effective date: September 1, 2002.)

No. 01-77, specifying a limitation on the number of years that a former student-athlete may be eligible to receive a United States Olympic Committee/national governing body waiver of full-time enrollment; further, requiring a student-athlete who has not graduated to be enrolled (full or part-time) and making progress toward a degree. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-78, permitting a Division I-A noncoaching staff member with football-specific responsibilities to initiate and receive telephone calls from a football prospect after the prospect signs a National Letter of Intent with the institution or, for those institutions not subscribing to the National Letter of Intent, after the prospect's signed acceptance of the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 01-80, permitting an institution in field hockey to participate in three scrimmages or exhibition games during the preseason practice period before the first scheduled contest, provided the scrimmages or exhibitions are counted against the maximum number of contests. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-84, permitting an institution to provide a maximum of two senior scholar-athlete awards annually to graduating seniors under specified conditions. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 01-86, permitting the national service academies 31 official visits in baseball, 25 of which may be provided before the initial National Letter of Intent signing date. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-90 (as amended by Proposal No. 01-90-1), permitting a Division I-A football institution to be bowl-eligible with a record reflecting a winning percentage of .500 during the 2002-03 season. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-91, deleting the requirement in Division I-AA football that an institution annually must designate nine coaches to recruit off campus, while maintaining limits on the number of coaches recruiting off campus at any one time (that is, seven). (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-94, eliminating the Division I Committee on Financial Aid as a standing committee and delegating those responsibilities to the Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-95, eliminating the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse Committee. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 01-96, specifying that a professional team is an organized team that provides any of its players expenses above actual and necessary expenses or declares itself to be a professional team. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-97, specifying that an individual shall not be eligible for intercollegiate athletics if the individual ever competed on a professional team, regardless of whether the individual knew (or had reason to know) that the team was a professional team. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-98, specifying that a violation of Bylaw 13.7.6 in which the value of the benefit in an amount of $100 or less shall not affect the eligibility of the individual, provided that the individual repays the value of the benefit to a charity of his or her choice. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-99, specifying that the Women's Ice Hockey Committee shall consist of four members, including three members from Division I and one member from Division II. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 01-100, eliminating the requirement that a member conference shall report annually to the NCAA its procedures to certify coaches to recruit off campus. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-101, permitting an institution to obtain videotapes of a future opponent's athletics contest, provided no cost is incurred by the institution other than postage. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-102, permitting an institution to receive press-box tickets or complimentary tickets from an opponent for the purpose of scouting the opponent in sports in which it is permissible to scout. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-103, permitting an institution to replace a coach due to extenuating circumstances or due to a coach participating on a U.S. national or Olympic team without having to obtain approval from the Division I Management Council. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-104, eliminating the legislation that indicates that each coaching category is a separate limit and that when an institution is over its limit in one category, it may not continue to fill vacancies within limitations of another category. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-106, requiring institutions to make available general academic counseling and tutoring services to all student-athletes; further, permitting institutions to finance other academic and support services that the institution at its discretion determines to be appropriate and necessary for the academic success of its student-athletes. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-107 (as amended by Proposal No. 01-107-1), permitting only an institutional staff member to provide a student-athlete or a team with an occasional meal (and transportation to attend the meal) at any location in the locale of the institution on infrequent and special occasions. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-108, permitting an institution to provide expenses for a student-athlete and the student-athlete's teammates to be present in situations involving the death or a life-threatening injury or illness of a student-athlete's family member, without restricting such expenses to a 100-mile radius from campus or requiring a preexisting relationship to exist between the teammates and the deceased or injured individual. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-109, permitting an institution to provide reasonable refreshments to the parents (or legal guardians) of a student-athlete on an occasional basis. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-110 (as amended by Proposal No. 01-110-1), clarifying that an institution, at its discretion, may provide a pre- or postgame meal to student-athletes, as specified; further, permitting an institution, at its discretion, to provide a cash allowance (not to exceed $10) to student-athletes after home and away-from-home contests in lieu of a postgame meal. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 01-111, simplifying the rules and regulations regarding the types and value limits of awards that may be provided to student-athletes, as specified. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-112 (as amended by Proposal No. 01-112-1), establishing coaching limitations of three head or assistant coaches and the playing and practice season for women's equestrian. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-117, permitting an institution's strength and conditioning coach to assist the physician or athletic trainer in conducting a preseason medical examination. (Division I-A only.) (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 01-120, establishing a seven-year provisional membership period, including one exploratory year, for prospective NCAA Division I institutions. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-121, establishing a five-year process, including a one-year exploratory period, for an institution that wishes to reclassify membership from Division II to Division I. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-122 (as amended by Proposal No. 01-122-1), establishing additional requirements applicable to a member that petitions to have a sport classified in Division I. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 01-123 (as amended by Proposal No. 01-123-1), specifying revised Division I-A membership requirements. (Effective date: August 1, 2004.)

No. 01-126, establishing rugby as an emerging sport for women. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 01-127, extending until 2008-09 the exception for the minimum number of institutions required to establish a new women's championship. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 01-128, establishing season-of-competition waivers that may be granted due to extenuating circumstances for student-athletes who competed while eligible in a limited amount of competition. (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)

No. 02-03, permitting representatives from the Northeast Conference and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in Division I-AA football to annually exempt participation in the ECAC Football Classic from the permissible number of contests. (Effective date: August 1, 2003.)

No. 02-11, permitting sports committees to reschedule competition to begin before noon on Sunday if extenuating circumstances arise that would otherwise cause postponement of the championship. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 02-13, modifying the application procedures for postseason bowl certification, as specified. (Division I-A only.) (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 02-14, deleting the restriction that limits the number of bowls to no more than 26 during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 playing seasons. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 02-19, revising the dead period (and corresponding contact and quiet periods) in women's basketball surrounding the Women's Final Four to reflect the new dates of that championship. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 02-20, specifying that the summer dead-period restrictions in men's basketball shall apply to a prospect who is enrolled in an institution's summer term and who has signed a National Letter of Intent or other written commitment to attend the institution. (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 02-30, which -- during the summer of 2002 only -- permits prospective student-athletes who have signed a National Letter of Intent (or, for those institutions not using the NIL, after a prospect's signed acceptance of the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid) to engage in summer voluntary workouts conducted by an institution's strength and conditioning coach with department-wide duties. In addition, institutions may finance medical expenses for a football prospect who sustains injuries while participating in summer voluntary workouts conducted by the strength and conditioning coach. (Forwarded to the Board as emergency, noncontroversial legislation.) (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 02-31, removing the current membership moratorium relating to the election of new provisional and active Division I members, including institutions that desire to reclassify from Division II to Division I or desire to establish multidivisional membership. (Approved as emergency, noncontroversial legislation and forwarded to the Board of Directors for adoption.) (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 02-32, establishing June 1 as the deadline for submitting applications for conference membership that would become effective September 1 of the following academic year. (Approved as emergency, noncontroversial legislation and forwarded to the Board of Directors for adoption.) (Effective date: Immediately.)

No. 02-35, adding PPA to the list of banned substances under "stimulants." (Effective date: August 1, 2002.)