The following is a proposal that the Division III Management Council has agreed to sponsor as an intent-based modification. The approved revision is consistent with the intent of the original legislation. Those items that the Management Council has not yet reviewed in legislative form are marked with an asterisk.Bold typeface indicates new wording; italicized typeface indicates wording removed.

Membership -- Multidivision Classification*

Intent: To specify that a Division III institution revoking multidivision classification (moving one or more sports from Division I to Division III) must complete a two-year reclassification process prior to being eligible for competition in Division III championships.

Bylaws: Amend 20.4 by adding new 20.4.3, page 231, as follows:

"20.4.3 Revoking Multidivision Classification. A Division III institution revoking multidivisional classification (moving one or more sports from Division I to Division III) must complete a two-year reclassification process in accordance with 20.4.3.1, 20.4.3.2 and 20.4.3.3 prior to being eligible for competition in the Division III championship in the sport in question.

"20.4.3.1 Deadline for Submission of Approved Form. When revoking multidivision classification, a member shall submit its request to the Association's president on a form approved by the Executive Committee. The form must be received in the national office (by mail or wired transmission) not later than June 1. Any form received after that date shall be postmarked not later than May 25.

"20.4.3.2 Compliance with Criteria. If the member has met all applicable division membership criteria of this article and complied for the two years before June 1 with all other bylaw requirements as they pertain to the sport in question, the member shall be eligible for participation in the division in that sport effective the September 1 that the institution selects as its effective date.

"20.4.3.3 Three-Year Requirement. Once the institution has been approved for Division III classification, it shall remain classified in the division (for that sport) for a minimum of three years."

[20.4.3 and 20.4.4 renumbered as 20.4.4 and 20.4.5, unchanged.]

Source: NCAA Division III Management Council (Membership Committee).

Effective date: Immediately.*