Division II Convention delegates will focus most of their attention on issues involving membership requirements and playing and practice seasons when they meet January 12-14 in Indianapolis.

The 13-proposal membership package is designed to help assure order for future membership growth in Division II. The proposals developed by the Membership Review Project Team seek to promote the stability of the division while at the same time providing access to provisional institutions and conferences that have demonstrated a commitment to Division II.

If the legislation is approved, prospective members would be required to complete a one-year exploratory period before becoming eligible to apply for provisional membership. Also, institutions would be able to apply for provisional membership only if they complied with Division II sports-sponsorship and proposed financial aid requirements.

For active members, proposals would increase the number of sports required for Division II membership from eight to 10 and would establish, for the first time, a financial aid requirement for Division II membership.

The proposed financial aid requirement has been developed as a "triple-option" proposal so that institutions could comply by meeting one of the following three standards:

Providing a minimum of 50 percent of the maximum allowable equivalencies in four sports, at least two of which would have to be from women's sports;

Providing a minimum total expenditure of $250,000 in athletically related financial aid, with at least $125,000 in women's sports; or

Providing a minimum of 20 total full equivalency grants with at least 10 total full equivalency grants being provided in women's sports.

Most of the active membership already meets one of the three tests, but representatives of a few institutions appear concerned that the proposed financial aid change may intrude on institutional autonomy.

The other principal area of focus for Division II delegates will be the nine proposals contained in the Bylaw 17 deregulation package. This is part of a five-year project by the Legislation Committee to deregulate the Division II Manual. The Convention previously approved all recommended proposals deregulating Bylaws 11, 13 and 15.

Among the highlights of the Bylaw 17 package are the following:

Proposal No. 20, which would revise the definition of countable athletically related activities.

Proposal No. 24, which would establish a prohibition against missed class time for competition in the nonchampionship segment.

* Proposal No. 26, which would establish consistent start dates and end dates for practice and competition in fall and spring segments and also would establish consistent out-of-season practice regulations for the nonchampionship segment. The Legislation Committee believes the proposal represents deregulation in the truest sense since it simplifies the current rule and provides greater consistency among sports. However, some coaches -- especially from golf and rowing -- believe the changes could adversely affect their sports. (The Official Notice contains an error on this proposal. On page 37, the first permissible date for competition for spring sports should be February 1, rather than February 15.)

Delegates also will have an opportunity to discuss Division II issues during several forums January 13 and 14.

Division II chief executive officers are invited to a January 13 luncheon, during which Bernard Franklin, vice-chair of the Presidents Council and president of Virginia Union University, will summarize key Division II issues. Wally Renfro, NCAA director of public relations, will discuss the Division II public image while Todd Petr, NCAA director of research, will provide information on costs related to operating Division II athletics programs.

All Division II delegates are encouraged to attend division-specific educational workshops that will be conducted from 1 to 2 p.m. January 13. The workshops will focus on the Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Program (open to those who are considering applying for grants); the Division II Conference Grant Program (designed to assist conference offices); and enhancing the role of the senior woman administrator (open to chief executive officers and athletics administrators).

The Division II Issues Forum, which will be conducted from 2 to 4 p.m. January 13, will examine Division II legislative deregulation, membership-requirement proposals and feature an open forum.

Also, a discussion of championships issues has been scheduled after voting has concluded at the January 14 Division II business session.