The Division III Management Council looked around, listened closely and then reaffirmed its support for the "reform" package slated for consideration at the 2004 Convention, following another review of the proposals October 20-21 in Indianapolis.

The Council continued to review feedback on the nine proposals, consistent with a process established early during Future of Division III deliberations that has emphasized membership input.

And even as that input prompted the Council to propose a change in one of the nine measures -- involving "red-shirting" -- it also left members with the sense that the membership is thoroughly discussing pros and cons of the various proposals, and will come to the Convention prepared for debate and decisions.

Council members plan to continue attending conference meetings and various other forums where they can explain the proposals in detail -- and also describe how the package addresses the overall goal of bringing institutions' practices more closely in line with Division III philosophy.

The only proposed revision involves the "red-shirting" proposal, which would count any practice after the first competition in a season as one of a student-athlete's four seasons of participation.

The proposal initially included both the traditional and nontraditional playing seasons. However, Council members determined that the proposal would not significantly reduce practice time during the nontraditional season, since nontraditional segment competition is limited and often occurs only at the end of the segment. The Council noted a host of challenging interpretative issues related to practice during the nontraditional segment, and also discussed concerns about the proposal's impact during years when student-athletes engage in such academic activities as student teaching or study abroad. Those factors prompted the Council to recommend that the proposal be amended to apply only to practice during the traditional season, thus accommodating those concerns while restating its intent that participation in athletics be limited to four years.

That recommendation will be considered by the Presidents Council during its October 30 meeting in Indianapolis, and then could be considered at the 2004 Convention as an amendment-to-amendment.

The Council similarly reviewed the other eight proposals, discussing concerns expressed by the membership, input from the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and review by groups such as the Division III Playing and Practice Seasons Subcommittee.

Included are proposals to create an annual financial aid reporting process, eliminate use of athletics endowments for financial aid purposes, enact across-the-board reductions in playing and practice seasons and contests, further limit opportunities for coaches to instruct out-of-season workouts, grant a "self-release" opportunity for student-athletes considering transfers, strengthen philosophical principles pertaining to recruiting practices, and eliminate the waiver permitting some Division III institutions to grant financial aid for sports classified in another division.

That discussion resulted in reaffirmation of support for the proposals, with Council members emphasizing the legislation's philosophical basis, and its desire that the issues be addressed and resolved on the Convention floor.

This was the Council's last opportunity to review proposed legislation until its pre-Convention meeting January 9 in Nashville. The next step is another review of the package -- including the "red-shirting" amendment -- by the Presidents Council.

The Management Council reviewed all 12 proposals that currently are anticipated for inclusion in the Presidents Council's grouping of roll-call votes at the Convention, including three proposals sponsored by member conferences that touch on issues addressed in the reform package.

It also reviewed a Convention schedule that, in a change from the past, features a Sunday-morning business session for discussion of the reform package, followed by conference and independent school meetings before the Monday-morning voting. The schedule is designed to involve chief executive officers in full consideration of the package and to provide greater discussion within conferences, before casting votes.

Budgets and championships

The Council also began efforts to get a handle on the Division III budget for 2004-06 and beyond, specifically addressing recommendations from the Division III Championships Committee and the Division III Initiatives Task Force that would have significant financial impact.

In perhaps the most significant action, the Council supported the Championships Committee's recommendation to proceed toward implementation of automatic qualification in the individual-team sports of cross country, golf and tennis, as well as an increase in the championships per diem. However, the Council agreed that it may be necessary to phase in individual-team automatic qualification over time, in tandem with other highly desired championships enhancements, due to budget constraints, including the implementation of team-sport enhancements in 2005.

As a result, the Council proposes to pursue implementation of automatic qualification in tennis. The Council also gave top priority to an increase in per diem for championships participants from $60 to at least $65, with the intent of ultimately increasing per diem to $70. The Council subsequently would pursue automatic qualification in golf and/or cross country.

The Council asked the Championships Committee to respond to that proposed prioritization, in addition to reporting on proposed plans due from sports committees for implementation of automatic qualification in the affected championships.

In a related action, the Council asked the Division III Budget Committee to review the current requirement that 15 percent of Division III revenue be set aside in reserve. The Council asked the committee to consider whether future increased revenues -- which would increase amounts held in reserve -- justify a mandated percentage less than 15 percent or, in the alternative, the establishment of a set dollar amount to be held in reserve.

Other highlights

Division III Management Council
October 20-21/Indianapolis

Did not support a Division III Championships Committee recommendation to move the three-point line in men's and women's basketball back to 20 feet, 6 ¹/4 inches, citing concern about quality of the game and institutional financial impact. The action places Division III in conflict with Divisions I and II in implementation of the rule change, thus requiring review by the newly formed Joint Rules Oversight Committee and ultimately by the NCAA Executive Committee.

Referred to the Division III Playing and Practice Seasons Subcommittee a recommendation by the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports that all three divisions enact an acclimatization and recovery model for all fall sports that include a preseason, similar to the model adopted beginning this year in football. The Council asked the subcommittee to solicit input from sports committees regarding the proposal, in the same manner that occurred during consideration of the football model.

Recommended that the Division III Presidents Council sponsor an amendment-to-amendment at the 2004 Convention to delay to August 1, 2005, the effective date of Proposal No. 2-54 in the Second Publication of Proposed Legislation. The proposal, sponsored by the Presidents Council, would require member institutions, as a condition and obligation of Association membership, to annually certify the existence of insurance in an amount up to the deductible of the Association's catastrophic injury policy to cover medical expenses resulting from student-athletes' athletics-related injuries.

Asked the Championships Committee to review the composition of the Division III Women's Soccer and Women's Ice Hockey Committees, specifically focusing on the number of positions on the committees compared with the number of Division III regions that exist in the sports.

Approved a Championships Committee recommendation to create a Women's Lacrosse Rules Committee.

Approved a Division III Nominating Committee recommendation to change the term of service for chief executive officers serving on Division III committees other than the Presidents and Management Councils from four to two years, thus reducing the time commitment and permitting more CEOs to serve. The Council also denied a recommendation that compliance coordinators be included among athletics administrators eligible for committee vacancies, expressing concern about whether individuals holding those duties typically are as involved in senior administration as others currently eligible to serve.