ANAHEIM, California -- There could be little misunderstanding that the Division II business session of the 2003 NCAA Convention was a Division II event.

Not only did a large backdrop behind the head table identify it as such, but banners surrounding the room featured the logos of every Division II conference. In addition, a slide show featured photos of Division II student-athletes in competition, in class and performing community service.

The changes to the big meeting room were the brainchild of outgoing Management Council Chair Mike Marcil, commissioner of the North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

"I thought it was a good first step," said Marcil, who made Division II identity issues one of the cornerstones of his two-year stint as Management Council chair. "I wish we could have had more slides of Division II student-athletes, but other than that, I was very pleased."

At their post-Convention meeting, members of the Management Council expressed pleasure with the new look. They also regretted that the slides became somewhat repetitive and said that more photos would be solicited from the membership before next year's Convention.

"This was the first Convention to be produced by the NCAA's marketing staff," said Mike Racy, Division II chief of staff, "and I believe we saw the sort of improvement that they hope to bring to the event -- more signage, more TV programming within the hotel, each room with its own identity. Everybody was reminded walking through the halls of why we are all here."

-- David Pickle