An effort to collect feedback about a variety of topics listed in a 2004 Convention resolution will begin in earnest during the next couple of weeks, following the Division III Presidents Council's approval of a membership survey.

The Council, meeting August 5 in Indianapolis, reviewed and approved more than 30 questions that will be included in the survey, which seeks guidance from the membership in responding to 2004 Convention Proposal No. 66.

That resolution directed a study of membership growth and diversity, but also listed various other areas for review, prompting Division III governance groups to seek membership input in determining an agenda for responding to Proposal No. 66 that best reflects the division's priorities.

The survey, which will be mailed to institutions before September 1, will solicit membership feedback in seven subject areas: management of Division III growth; access to championships and other postseason opportunities; sport and program equity; sports sponsorship and broad-based programs; academic success of student-athletes; cultural and campus integration; and conference affiliation.

The survey should provide a clearer reading about which of those issues are most important to the membership and point the way toward more in-depth review of specific topics.

The survey will be mailed to several constituents at Division III institutions; however, chief executive officers will be asked to coordinate an institutional response, then personally sign the survey before submitting it to the national office.

CEOs will be encouraged to meet with and solicit views from athletics administrators, coaches, student-athletes and other interested groups in deciding how to respond to the survey's questions before the September 30 deadline for completion of the survey.

Plans call for discussion of results of the survey at the 2005 Convention in Dallas.

Strategic plan

The Presidents Council also approved a revamped Division III strategic plan, which continues to emphasize most of the initiatives that the division has pursued since the plan's creation in 1998, while integrating its goals into the recently adopted Association-wide strategic plan.

Included in the newly approved plan are specific "outcomes," or results, that will be used to measure success in meeting the Division III plan's goals.

Those outcomes will be measured in a variety of ways, ranging from percentages of institutions or individuals participating in programs to the level of satisfaction expressed by the membership.

The plan applies specifically to the next two years, 2004-05 and 2005-06, during which time Division III committees or other entities responsible for implementing and overseeing the initiatives will be expected to identify ways of achieving the outcomes and to make progress toward meeting those goals.

The details of the plan, including the expected outcomes, soon will be posted on the Division III Web site and also will be distributed to the membership in the September issue of the Division III Newsletter.

Championships

Presidents Council members also approved a financial contingency plan for maintaining a viable championships program and a core of the Division III initiatives, if a "catastrophic" event such as cancellation of the Division I Men's Basketball Championship occurs.

The plan, which specifically addresses any catastrophic loss of revenue that would occur during 2004-05, recommends directing funds first toward paying game expenses incurred by institutions that host championships and per diem for participating institutions.

The Council noted that the actual circumstances of any catastrophic event might justify taking actions other than those specifically recommended in the plan -- including canceling championships -- and it reserved the right to decide what those actions should be.

Council members also expressed a desire to maintain as much funding as possible for nonchampionships initiatives if revenue is lost.

The contingency plan will be reviewed annually by the Division III Championships Committee, with recommended changes forwarded to the Division III Management Council and Presidents Council, as needed.

Other highlights

Division III Presidents Council
August 5/Indianapolis