In June 2005, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Directors’ Cup Committee changed the scoring structure of the Directors’ Cup competition, devaluing 10 sports — across three divisions — by 50 percent.

The committee’s decision to devalue Division I men’s and women’s lacrosse; Division I field hockey; National Collegiate women’s gymnastics; Divisions II and III wrestling; Division II men’s and women’s swimming and diving; and Divisions I and III men’s ice hockey was based on the fact that 25 percent or fewer of the institutions within their respective divisions sponsor those sports. The revised scoring structure seems in stark contrast to the published intent of the Directors’ Cup, which states that the program was instituted to “...honor institutions maintaining a broad-based program, achieving success in many sports, both men’s and women’s.”

While that may have been true back in 1993-94 when the Directors’ Cup was initiated, it certainly will not be the case in 2005-06 if the scoring change is implemented.

Given the high visibility of the Directors’ Cup competition, there are many programs, including Maryland, that have incorporated into their annual goals their desired ranking/standing in the Directors’ Cup. As NACDA past President Judy Rose stated, “The Directors’ Cup has become the measuring stick by which colleges and universities evaluate their athletics programs. It is symbolic of excellence.”

While I understand the need to modify policies and procedures occasionally, the latest change to the scoring structure seems uniquely discriminatory. If sports that are sponsored by 25 percent or fewer of the institutions within a division will receive only 50 percent of the points for that sport, why is no other declaration attached to sports sponsored by 26 percent to 49 percent of the membership, or sports that are sponsored by only 50 to 74 percent of the membership — or any other range?

According to the NCAA, 326 schools currently are classified as Division I. Therefore, 82 institutions (25.15 percent) must sponsor a sport for it to eclipse the 25 percent barrier imposed by the Directors’ Cup Committee.

Using that information, women’s rowing (26.38 percent) and wrestling (26.07 percent) would qualify for 100 percent scoring during their championship seasons, while women’s lacrosse (24.54 percent) and field hockey (23.62 percent) would qualify only for 50 percent scoring during their championship competition.

That significant reduction of points seems overly harsh for sports that are sponsored by only 2 percent fewer institutions than some of those sports receiving 100 percent of their championship points, especially when there are no breakpoints, as noted above.

This effect on sports in such a disproportionate manner likely will result in slowing their growth on the collegiate level, given that an institution can earn a maximum of only 50 percent of the points available for sports sponsored by 25 percent or fewer of the membership in a given division.

Because of the scarcity of funding to add new sports, many institutions will gravitate to adding sports in which they can earn 100 percent of the points available. Thus, field hockey, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s ice hockey, wrestling, swimming and diving, and women’s gymnastics might reasonably expect growth at the collegiate level to slow considerably.

In addition, the effect on emerging sports for women such as archery, equestrian and squash likely will be just as dramatic as they, too, will fall below the 25 percent or lower range for many years.

Those would be possible draconian outcomes of the committee’s decision, and I would suppose, unintended outcomes that will have a significant and negative impact on those sports.

If the committee’s rationale was that lower sponsorship equates to an easier NCAA championship bracket, that premise is incorrect. The NCAA already has compensated for fewer institutions sponsoring a sport by reducing the championship field. For example, in both men’s basketball and women’s lacrosse, 20 percent of the teams sponsored are selected to the championship field. That 20 percent equates to 65 teams for men’s basketball, while only allowing 16 teams for women’s lacrosse.

Thus, the question remains — why should a women’s lacrosse program receive only 50 percent of the championship points it has rightfully earned, as opposed to men’s basketball, which receives 100 percent of its championship points?

I ask that you join me in requesting the NACDA Directors’ Cup committee to rescind, effective with the 2005-06 school year, the newest change to the scoring structure at its mid-winter meetings in January and attempt to find a more equitable alternative to achieve its goals.

You can demonstrate your support for these two actions by e-mailing Kim Bianchini at kbianchi@umd.edu, stating that you want your name to be included on a petition that will be presented to the Directors’ Cup Committee and to the current NACDA officers at their January meeting. A copy also will be provided to the president of the United States Sports Academy, the Cup sponsor.

Kathy Worthington is the executive senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator at the University of Maryland, College Park.