The NCAA research staff is seeking member participation from Divisions I, II and III for a fall 2006 administration of the GOALS (Growth, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Learning of Students in college) survey.

The survey solicits feedback about academic aspirations, engagement and satisfaction; social experiences; time commitments; and personal integration into the broader campus community.

Participants are asked to provide a sample of NCAA student-athletes and a sample from the general student body with a link to an anonymous online survey. The process for delivering the survey and collecting data is automated, so minimal on-campus support is necessary.

The information collected will supplement NCAA student-athlete data compiled in 2005-06 and provide comprehensive national comparisons of the experiences and attitudes of student-athletes with other students at similar schools. The study is expected to provide an unprecedented view of the modern student-athlete and inform policy discussions across all three NCAA divisions.

Institutions that participate in the survey will receive access to the individual survey responses from their campuses. More information can be obtained by August 31 from Ann Kearns of the research staff at 317/917-6325 or e-mail akearns@
ncaa.org.

The Division II Management Council agreed to sponsor legislation recommended earlier this year by the Division II Football Task Force to create two football playoff brackets — one for programs offering 0 to 36 financial aid equivalencies and another for programs offering up to 50 percent of the maximum equivalency limit (that is, 0 to 18 equivalencies).

The Council also agreed during its July 17-18 meeting to sponsor legislation to require that any future modifications to existing financial aid limits in any sport be approved by a two-thirds majority.

The Division III Management Council endorsed a comprehensive plan during its July 17-18 meeting to combine alcohol and drug education with testing during a pilot program involving nearly one-quarter of the division’s schools.

The initiative also includes an expansion of educational opportunities for the entire membership.

The pilot program, which must be approved by the Division III Presidents Council before it can be implemented for 2007-09, would allocate about $400,000 to $500,000 to an education and testing program involving up to 100 institutions.

Before the pilot program begins, the national office would step up efforts to make all Division III institutions and student-athletes more aware of existing educational programs and resources as part of the initiative.