Insurance

Mutual of Omaha selected for basic accident program

The NCAA has selected Mutual of Omaha as the insurer for a new Association-sponsored basic accident medical program.

The program will provide excess insurance for accident medical expenses within the $75,000 deductible of the NCAA Catastrophic Injury Insurance Program. The Association will select a group of institutions that agree to subscribe to a best-practices approach to managing medical expenses.

The program will be effective August 1 for the 2006-07 school year.

“In recent years, member institutions have expressed concern about the rising costs associated with financing medical expenses within the catastrophic program deductible,” said Keith Martin, NCAA managing director of finance and operations. “The NCAA is undertaking this initiative because we believe there is an opportunity to create a program that will benefit our members through development of best practices; quality, consistent claims management; and expense control.”

Juanita Sheely, NCAA travel and insurance manager, noted that the Association already has a long-standing relationship with Mutual of Omaha, which has insured the catastrophic program for eight years.

The program will be administered by the NCAA’s insurance and risk management administrator, American Specialty, whose president and chief executive officer, Pete Eshelman, believes the initiative will provide long-term benefits. “By creating a group program founded on best practices, member institutions will be empowered to best manage insurance and claims costs in today’s environment of annually increasing medical expenses.”

Member institutions that are interested in being considered for inclusion in the program but have not yet expressed that interest can do so by contacting Marla Peters of American Specialty at 260/673-1142 (e-mail mpeters@amerspect.com) by May 26.

Staff contact: Juanita Sheely.

Mascots

William and Mary included on list of restricted institutions

A staff review committee has included the College of William and Mary on a list of institutions subject to restrictions on the use of Native American mascots, names and imagery at NCAA championships.

The committee, following a review of a self-study by William and Mary and corresponding documents, determined that the institution should be included on the list based on the use of Native American feather imagery in conjunction with the nickname “Tribe.”

“The committee agrees with the institution’s position that the nickname ‘Tribe’ has various connotations, and notes that absent Native American imagery, the term ‘Tribe’ does not invoke Native American meanings,” said Bernard Franklin, NCAA senior vice president for governance and membership. “However, the committee believes that coupling the term ‘Tribe’ with imagery that has traditionally been linked to Native Americans, for example eagle feathers and arrowheads, transforms that use from one associated with ‘togetherness,’ ‘shared idealism’ and ‘commitment’ to a stereotypical reference to Native Americans.”

The committee believes the continued use of Native American references “creates an environment over which an institution may not have full control,” Franklin said. “Fans, opponents and others can and will exhibit behaviors that indeed are hostile or abusive to Native Americans.”

William and Mary may appeal the decision to the NCAA Executive Committee.

In a related development, five members of the U.S. House of Representatives (including Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, from Illinois) joined as co-sponsors of H.R. 5289, which seeks to limit the NCAA’s ability to impose sanctions on member institutions because of a team name, symbol, emblem or mascot.

The bill would permit an institution to sue the Association and seek a court order to halt sanctions, and also to seek damages resulting from revenue lost as a result of not being permitted to host a championship event.