The Men's and Women's Fencing Committee has made several significant recommendations regarding the structure of future championships and the reporting of regular-season results.

The committee, which met April 11-14 in Indianapolis, recommended to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet that the regional meets officially be designated as the first round of NCAA championships competition and that the four hosts be provided with a stipend to help cover their costs.

Institutions that have hosted the regionals have not been reimbursed for expenses such as officials' fees and the rent on scoring equipment beyond what they use in regular-season meets. Also, some institutions have been reluctant to send their fencers to the regional meets, in part because they have not been officially considered a part of the NCAA championships.

David Sapery, the official statistician at the championships, was asked to submit a proposal that would expand his duties to include management of a Web site that would allow institutions to submit match scores during the regular season. Based on these submissions and the seeding criteria, Sapery would produce a ranking list that would be included on the Web site and would also be used by the committee for championships selections.

The committee will review Sapery's proposal before it is forwarded to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet.

The committee also recommended the following budget-related items to the cabinet for consideration at its September 2003 meeting:

That the head official's fee be increased to $500, effective with the 2004 championships.

That the Association purchase 12 Uhlmann weights and shims to provide consistency in the type of materials used to check equipment at the championships.

That awards be presented to the top four men's teams and the top four women's teams at the championships. Currently, awards are given to the top four teams based on the combined men's and women's scoring.

In other actions, the committee approved the following regional allocations for the 2004 championships:

Other highlights

Men's and Women's Fencing Committee
April 11-14/Indianapolis

Approved a strength-index formula for every fencer that will help in seeding for the regional meets, determine final rankings at the conclusion of the regionals and assist the committee in selecting championships participants.

Voted to contact John Moss as to his availability to serve as head official for the 2004 championships.

Recommended Brandeis University to be host of the 2004 championships.

Agreed to continue studying the regional alignment because of the difference in the number of teams between regions.

Voted that fencers must compete in a minimum of 20 bouts to be eligible for the national championships.