The Division III issues forum at the NCAA Convention this year is expected to include a lively debate that Division III delegates won't want to miss.

The session at 1:30-3:30 p.m. Sunday, January 12, may represent one of the most important gatherings for Division III in years. That's because the forum will be the first chance for the entire Division III membership to discuss the future of Division III. Though it's only one part of a lengthy process, this forum may set the tone and direction for the discussion, which is expected to culminate in legislation at the 2004 Convention.

For those in the membership who may not have been following the topic closely, the forum will feature an overview of the discussion thus far. The Presidents Council/Management Council Joint Subcommittee on the Future of Division III was announced at the Convention last year. The subcommittee's charge was to "examine the shared educational values of the division in light of the Division III philosophy and to explore options for legislative and organizational changes, consistent with those shared values and the philosophy."

Does that mean subdivision? Perhaps, but it's too soon to say. The membership's discussions at the forum will likely provide additional feedback on whether subdivision -- or possibly other changes -- is an option that interests a significant portion of the membership.

Scheduled speakers include Bette Landman, president of Arcadia University and chair of the Division III Presidents Council; Christopher Walker, faculty athletics representative at the University of Redlands and chair of the Management Council; Susan Bassett, director of athletics at William Smith College and vice-chair of the Management Council; and John McCardell, vice-chair of the Presidents Council. All are members of the subcommittee's oversight group.

Walker and Bassett will present the subcommittee's work so far. There are five subgroups within the subcommittee, and they have been focused on different areas within the discussion: financial aid, eligibility and recruiting, playing and practice seasons, championships and membership.

Members of the Management Council have made 38 visits to Division III conferences to get feedback on the future of Division III, and Walker and Bassett will summarize that feedback.

The highlight of the forum, however, is expected to be roundtable discussions in which the membership will have a chance to talk about virtually every aspect of the future of Division III.

Each table will have a member of the Division III Presidents Council, Management Council or Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to serve as the recorder of the discussion.

Participants at each table will be asked to select discussion questions from a list that will include a couple of overarching questions -- perhaps whether the Division maintains the proper emphasis of athletics in keeping with the Division III philosophy, for example -- and also questions on elements of each of the subgroups mentioned earlier.

The specific questions might address whether there should be competition in nontraditional seasons, regional championships, a limit on recruiting or the abolition of redshirting, for example.

It's expected that participants at each table will select and address at least one broad question, along with several specific ones.

After the roundtable discussion, there will be time for group feedback and additional questions.

Then McCardell will provide an overview of the next steps for the division, which are expected to include a membership survey and focus groups.