The Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) outlined several operating procedures for the Association's 15 playing rules committees during its May 24 meeting in Indianapolis, and forwarded several initiatives through the governance structure for approval.

The bulk of the meeting was used to map the future operating structure for the group, particularly as it expands to 12 members later this summer. The staff liaisons presented several questions and situations to help mold the panel's discussion.

One change in procedure that PROP approved is to have a two-week comment period following the rules committee's meetings. Following the rules sessions, the committee will send a list of proposals to the membership and coaches associations for comment.

"We felt like we wanted to allow a little more input from the membership once the actual proposals were formulated by our committees," said Jill Willson, athletics director at Texas A&M University- Kingsville and chair of the panel.

The panel discussed the future of the group, which will expand in September. The breakdown will be six Division I members (three appointed by the Collegiate Commissioners Association) and three members each from Divisions II and III. Along those lines, the panel's expansion will allow for each member to be a liaison to each rules committee, much as the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet assigns one member to each championship committee.

"This will help keep us up to date on issues during the season in each sport and to establish a relationship with the chair and secretary-editor of the committee," Willson said. "In some rare cases, PROP may be asked to assist a rules committee during the season and having a liaison will keep our group up to speed."

A baseball rules issue concerning regulation games and the enforcement of the rule was discussed at length by the panel. It was concerned that the enforcement of this rule put the playing rules committee in a difficult situation.

"By having a liaison in the future, we feel PROP will be better equipped to assist in these situations," Willson said.

The panel also had a detailed discussion regarding the Association's secretary-rules editors, who serve as the NCAA's official rules interpreters. These positions are currently unpaid and require a large commitment and level of efficiency. PROP forwarded a proposal to fund a stipend for these positions.

"We feel like these dedicated individuals should be paid, particularly given the amount of time and effort required," Willson said. "They speak for the committee and field a tremendous amount of questions during the year, all for the love of the sport."

In other actions, PROP:

• Forwarded a proposal to fund one active game official to attend each rules committee meeting as an observer and to provide input as a consultant.

• Discussed experimental rules and the process of obtaining research for the rules committees.

• Clarified that sports for which the NCAA does not write playing rules must be consistent in any rules modifications. Championships committees in those sports (for example, golf and field hockey) must be in agreement across the divisions.

• Discussed the online rules surveys that playing rules committees are using and noted that PROP does not favor minimum criteria for level of support from these surveys.

• Approved rules proposals from the respective playing rules committees in men's and women's basketball, rifle, skiing and wrestling