ORLANDO, Florida -- A collection of leaders from Division II institutions and conferences took a hard look at the division's three- to five-year future May 11-12 as they considered how to link the longstanding Division II strategic plan with the newly approved Association-wide plan.

"This was a magnificent activity for me," said George Hagerty, president of Franklin Pierce College and chair of the Division II Presidents Council. "I wish the media could be here. What we talked about is how we put students first and how we are going to improve that experience."

To bond the Division II and Association-wide plans, the attendees -- selected presidents, conference commissioners, athletics directors, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives, former coaches and student-athlete representatives -- focused on seven Division II goals. Each of those goals referred to objectives described in the Association-wide plan and related Division II strategies. In addition, a listing of Division II initiatives supporting the objectives were provided.

The goals were:

No. 1: Division II student-athletes will be better-prepared for increased academic achievement and lifelong success. The strategies focused on reviewing and enhancing Division II academic standards and promoting success when it occurs. There was some concern expressed about whether criteria for degree-completion grants are too restrictive and whether the application process for NCAA postgraduate scholarships is too demanding, especially for staffs with limited personnel.

No. 2: Division II student-athletes will be enriched by a collegiate athletics experience that features a safe and well-balanced environment, equitable treatment and a commitment to sportsmanship. Objectives included student-athlete involvement in governance and means to ensure enhanced sportsmanship and equitable treatment of student-athletes, regardless of gender or race. Discussion focused on life-skills programs offered at NCAA institutions and educating student-athletes about NCAA rules, especially those that directly relate to the well-being of Division II student-athletes. The group also discussed whether the NCAA should be more involved in the development of game officials, given the effect that officiating has on the student-athlete experience.

No. 3: Division II championships will be enhanced to ensure that Division II student-athletes have access to a quality, positive and rewarding national championships experience. Participants, who were meeting concurrently with the inaugural Division II National Championships Festival, talked about making the Division II championships experience one of the hallmarks of Division II membership, perhaps even surpassing the Division I experience in certain sports. There also was discussion about enhancing communication with the membership regarding championship-selection decisions.

No. 4: Division II operations and services will be conducted in an effective and efficient manner consistent with the division's strategic initiatives and budget priorities, and Division II membership affiliation will be strengthened. The objectives, as well as follow-up discussion, centered on Division II membership stability, especially a recent loss of members to Division I. The group also talked about possibly increasing Division II sports-sponsorship requirements and strengthening Division II provisional membership requirements, and about creating subclassifications according to financial aid commitments in football.

No. 5: Division II institutions and member conferences will be active participants in the governance and management of Division II intercollegiate athletics, and the gender and ethnic diversity of coaches and administrators will help strengthen the Division II governance structure and the institutional environment for Division II student-athletes. Participants in the review process discussed the need for greater chief executive officer involvement at the local, conference and national levels. The group also agreed that Division II needs to do a better job in introducing careers in athletics to current Division II student-athletes.

No. 6: The Division II membership's commitment to rules education and compliance enhancements will strengthen Division II athletics departments and assist in leveling the competitive playing field in Division II. The objectives and proposed initiatives point toward increased membership education in this area. In addition, discussion involved whether gradations should be made among secondary violations, how information about what constitutes lack of control may be shared more effectively and how grant money could be used to enhance this area (for example, increase attendance at regional rules-compliance seminars).

No. 7: Communication and technology initiatives will result in a better-informed Division II membership, and the public will gain a greater understanding and appreciation of Division II's values. Participants focused on the division's ongoing lack of identity, both inside and outside of the Division II membership. One suggestion was to distill the Division II purpose into a message so concise that it could be placed on a small card. There also appeared to be a consensus that the Association in general should be more aware of the benefits of its division structure and more active about nurturing it.

"We have asked our membership to be very involved with strategic planning over the last year," Division II Vice-President Mike Racy said. "You could understand how there might be some 'planning fatigue,' but this group really showed more 'planning energy.' They generally approved of the direction that the Division II plan prescribes and how it aligns with the Association-wide plan, but they also had some valuable new insights."

Hagerty opened the meeting by observing: "If you have no destination in mind, any road will do." At the conclusion, he noted that he often receives counsel from an associate who claims that important work always has promise.

"We all need to think of what the promise is," Hagerty said. "There is one there for Division II, and I think we can describe it in a powerful way."