The Divisions I, II and III Women's Rowing Committees spent much of their June 24-27 meetings in San Francisco reviewing the first year of having individual championships instead of a National Collegiate event.

The committees reiterated their intent to keep all three divisional championships at the same site in the near future, citing the success of the joint championship site last year in Indianapolis.

The committees also reaffirmed that the date formula would remain unchanged for 2003, though the groups did consider alternative championship formats. Using the current formula, the championship will begin on the last Friday in May and end either the last Sunday in May or the first Sunday in June.

In a related matter, the committees will begin soliciting bids this fall for the 2004 and 2005 championships. The committees will consider one-year and two-year bids, but the groups would prefer that a host commit for two years.

In Division I committee actions, the group strongly encouraged travel and competition outside of the region in order to better be able to compare teams for championship selection. The committee cited difficulties in selecting the best possible field when teams compete against the same teams the entire year. With teams traveling out of region, the committee believes it would gain a better understanding of which teams are comparable in ability, which ultimately would produce a better championship field.

In other business, the Division I committee encouraged more recruitment of qualified female officials and a female head official for the championship.

The Division II committee proposed a change in the championship format to the Division II Championships Committee.

The Division II committee also reappointed Tom Box, athletics director at Seattle Pacific University, as the chair.

The Division III committee added out-of-region competition and, secondly, competition against Divisions I and II institutions and nonmember institutions as secondary selection criteria for the championship, noting all references to competition imply competition versus intercollegiate varsity teams.

The committee also voiced concerns with recent legislation regarding the length of playing seasons. The proposed model limits the playing and practice season to 14 weeks, with 20 practice opportunities during the traditional segment, and a decrease in the number of countable contests from 20 to 18. Five weeks and a maximum of four contests would be allowed in the nontraditional segment. The 14-weeks start date is determined by working backward from the championship selection date.

The committee feels a reduction in the number of weeks in the traditional and nontraditional seasons would be detrimental to the teaching, training and physical well-being of the student-athlete and would not be a positive change for rowing.