National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2007
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Division I gives thumbs down to text messaging
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By Michelle Brutlag Hosick
The NCAA News
The NCAA News
The Division I Management Council approved a measure that eliminates the use of text messaging in recruiting prospective student-athletes. The legislation now goes before the Division I Board of Directors for approval at the Board’s April 26 meeting in Indianapolis.
The proposal, sponsored by the Ivy Group, was one of two related to the use of technology in recruiting. The other proposal, which would have put limits on text messaging and instant messaging, was defeated in January.
Anna Chappell, former University of Arizona student-athlete and chair of the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, spoke in favor of the Ivy proposal. Chappell reminded Management Council members that while recent media reports accused the Association of being “stuffy” by ignoring new technology, it was the student-athletes she represents who expressed a desire to eliminate text messaging as a form of recruiting.
“It’s intruding on their lives and creating inappropriate relationships with coaches. If you don’t stop it now, what roads are you going to have to cross later on?” Chappell said. “If you want to ‘keep up with the times’ and ‘keep up to speed with student-athletes,’ you forget that student-athletes as a whole said they wanted the elimination of text-messaging.”
Shane Lyons, Atlantic Coast Conference associate commissioner, said eliminating the practice would also eliminate loopholes that allowed coaches to use text messaging to prod prospects to initiate telephone calls that would have been impermissible if initiated by the coach.
The Council also approved a proposal that would increase the maximum number of contests or dates of competition in which a student-athlete can participate and still qualify for a hardship waiver. The current rule allows for 20 percent of the scheduled or completed contests, and the proposal increases that maximum to 30 percent.
Also forwarded to the Board of Directors for adoption:
A proposal that would allow student-athletes with eligibility remaining to try out with a professional athletics team once after enrollment without jeopardizing his or her eligibility provided the student-athlete does not miss class time. The proposal also allows the professional team to pay expenses for a 48-hour tryout.
Legislation requiring prospects to be registered with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse/NCAA Eligibility Center and on an institutional request list before an official visit or a written offer of athletically related financial aid can be made.
A measure allowing walk-ons to purchase a training table meal at cost.
In other business, the Council heard a presentation about the creation of the NCAA Eligibility Center, which will merge the initial amateurism and academic eligibility certification functions under one roof. Currently, academic eligibility certification is handled by ACT. The change will occur in October.
Council members heard from the new center director, Todd Leyden, about staffing for the new center and plans for customer service.
Members also heard about a concept that would create a pilot waiver program allowing for early academic certification for prospective student-athletes that meet specific academic requirements after the completion of six semesters of school work. Candidates for early certification would have a minimum 95 ACT or 1100 SAT score. Prospects with slightly lower scores (1000 SAT and 85 ACT) and 12 core courses completed would also qualify if their grade-point average was higher than 3.0. Once a prospect is certified as an “early qualifier,” he or she will not have to continue through the regular certification process.
Research using data from 2005 indicate that more than 99 percent of prospects who meet those criteria after six semesters were eventually certified. Also, about half of the registrants in 2005 qualified for early certification under the proposed criteria.
Creating an early certification period could help avoid the “service hiccups” several prospects and institutions experienced in 2006 by reducing the workload during the busy eight-week period in late summer during which most prospects are traditionally certified.
Council members encouraged an educational component to be included if the concept is enacted to ensure that member institutions are aware the amateurism component must still be completed whether a prospect has received early certification academically. Others expressed concern that some institutions and prospects could figure out a way to “game the system,” but agreed that the possibility existed no matter when certifications were conducted and acknowledged that it was not a reason to close discussion on the issue.
The Division II Management Council also endorsed the early certification idea at its April 16-17 meeting.
Governance structure discussion
The Division I Council also heard an update from its governance subcommittee about that group’s work in proposing a Division I governance restructuring plan. The concept calls for the current 49-member Management Council to be replaced with two 31-member groups called the Leadership Council and Legislative Council. In addition, the current Championships/Competition and Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinets would be replaced by a 31-member Championships/Sports Management Cabinet and five 21-member cabinets covering various areas currently handled by the two larger cabinets.
Updates to the proposal include the expansion of the Championships/Sports Management Cabinet from 21 to 31 members and the application of diversity minimums of 20 percent ethnic minorities and 35 percent of either gender to two separate structural tiers — the 31-member body level (Championships/Sports Management Cabinet and the two councils) and the 21-member body level (the five remaining cabinets).
Council members expressed concern about the representation of specific titles within the structure, specifically the faculty athletics representative. Some members believed that with fewer spots on individual bodies, some conferences would be unlikely to appoint faculty members. However, some solutions were proposed to the dilemma, including having all of a conference’s seats within the governance structure rotate at the same time, which might provide for more flexibility in the appointment process.
Members encouraged the subcommittee to continue its work toward presenting final recommendations to the Board of Directors for approval in October.
The Council also discussed the Division I Baseball Academic Working Group report. Members agreed the report was well done, though some were concerned about some of the recommendations, including the idea of fall-term certification. Others worried that the possibility of a playing and practice season penalty for poor Academic Progress Rate performance would interfere with already-prescribed Committee on Academic Performance penalties. Members recommended that any APR penalties proposed by the working group be referred to CAP.
Other recommendations from the working group include changes to the financial aid structure.
April 16-17/Indianapolis
No. 06-17-A Ethical Conduct — Sports-Wagering Activities
Intent: To specify and clarify prohibited sports-wagering activities and the individuals to whom the prohibitions apply.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Source: Division I Management Council (Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct).
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-17-B Ethical Conduct — Sports-Wagering Activities — Pools and Fantasy Leagues
Intent: To specify and clarify prohibited sports-wagering activities and the individuals to whom the prohibitions apply and to specify that sports wagering includes participation in a pool or fantasy league in which there is an opportunity to win a prize.
Source: Mountain West Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-20 Personnel — Limitations on Number of Off-Campus Recruiters
Intent: In fencing, golf, men’s gymnastics, rifle, men’s tennis and men’s water polo, to increase, from one to two, the number of coaches who may contact or evaluate prospects off-campus at any one time.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-22 Amateurism — Involvement with Professional Teams — Tryout after Enrollment
Intent: To specify that, after initial full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual who has eligibility remaining may try out with a professional athletics team (or participate in a combine including that team) at any time, provided the individual does not miss class; further to specify that an individual may receive actual and necessary expenses in conjunction with one 48-hour tryout per professional team (or a combine including that team) and that a self-financed tryout may be for any length of time.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-24 Amateurism — Involvement with Professional Teams
Intent: In sports other than basketball and football, to specify that an enrolled student-athlete may enter a professional league’s draft one time during his or her collegiate career without jeopardizing eligibility in that sport, provided the student-athlete is not drafted and within 72 hours after the draft he or she declares his or her intention to resume participation in intercollegiate athletics.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-27 Amateurism — Financial Donations from Outside Organizations
Intent: In football and men’s basketball, to permit an institution to enter into a reciprocal marketing agreement with a professional sports organization for the purpose of marketing and promotions.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-30 Recruiting — Limitations on Number of Evaluations
Intent: In women’s basketball, to specify that evaluations at nonscholastic events may occur during the last full weekend (including Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of the fall contact period and the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the spring evaluation period.
Source: Big East Conference.
Effective date: Immediate.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-32 Recruiting — Telephone Calls and Recruiting Materials
Intent: In men’s ice hockey, to permit an institution (1) to make one telephone call per month to a prospective student-athlete on or after June 15 at the end of the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school; (2) to make one telephone call per week to a prospect beginning August 1 before the prospective student-athlete’s senior year in high school; and (3) to provide recruiting materials (including general correspondence related to athletics) on or after June 15 at the end of the prospective student-athlete’s sophomore year in high school.
Source: Big East Conference.
Effective date: Immediate.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-38 Recruiting — Recruiting Materials — Attachments to General Correspondence
Intent: To specify that attachments to general correspondence may include any materials printed on one or both sides of a single sheet of 8 ½ by 11 inches plain white paper with black ink.
Source: Big East Conference and Ivy Group.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-40 Recruiting — Recruiting Materials — Electronic Transmissions
Intent: To specify that electronically transmitted correspondence that may be sent to a prospective student-athlete is limited to electronic mail and facsimiles.
Source: Ivy Group.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-42 Recruiting — Recruiting Materials — Other Recruiting Materials
Intent: To permit an institution to print and provide other recruiting information that is posted on the institution’s Web site to prospective student-athletes via regular mail as attachments to general correspondence or during official or unofficial visits.
Source: Mountain West Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-45 Recruiting — Advertisements and Promotions
Intent: To permit a conference office to coordinate sportsmanship initiatives that may involve prospective student-athletes and their educational institutions, as specified.
Source: Big Ten Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-46-A Recruiting — Official Visit Requirements and Written Offers of Athletically Related Aid
Intent: To specify that an institution shall not provide an official visit to a high school or preparatory school prospective student-athlete until he or she registers with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse and is placed on the institutional request list; further to specify that an institution shall not provide a high school or preparatory school prospective student-athlete a written offer of athletically related financial aid until he or she has registered with the Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse and the institution places the prospective student-athlete on the institutional request list with the Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse.
Source: Board of Directors.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-47 Recruiting —Official Visit — Length of Official Visit
Intent: To establish an exception to the 48-hour official visit for reasons beyond the control of the prospective student-athlete and the institution and to specify that in such instances, the institution shall submit a report to the conference office noting the details of the circumstances.
Source: Pacific-10 Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-55 Administrative Regulations — Recruiting Calendars — Softball
Intent: In softball, to specify that evaluations are not permissible (contact only) from the day after Labor Day through Thanksgiving Day, except from the second Friday in October through the first Sunday in November (contact/evaluation period); further, to specify that in those states that play the high school softball season in the fall, evaluations shall be permissible during the season, except during dead periods.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-57 Administrative Regulations — Recruiting Calendars — Women’s Soccer
Intent: To establish a recruiting calendar in the sport of women’s soccer, as specified.
Source: Big 12 Conference and Southeastern Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-58-1 Administrative Regulations — Recruiting Calendars — Cross Country and Track and Field
Intent: To amend Proposal No. 2006-58 to include dead periods in conjunction with the Division I men’s and women’s cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field championships, as specified.
Source: Sun Belt Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-58 Administrative Regulations — Recruiting Calendars — Cross Country and Track and Field
Intent: To establish a recruiting calendar for cross country and track and field, as specified.
Source: Sun Belt Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-60 Eligibility — General Eligibility Requirements — Change in Eligibility Status
Intent: To specify that, in order for any student-athlete to be eligible to compete in postseason competition occurring between regular terms, an institution shall certify that he or she has satisfactorily completed six semester hours or six quarter hours of academic credit during the preceding regular academic term.
Source: Atlantic Sun Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-62 Eligibility — Seasons of Competition — Tennis and Swimming and Diving
Intent: In tennis and swimming and diving, to specify that a student-athlete’s participation in organized events while serving a mandatory military obligation is exempt from the application of the legislation governing the use of seasons of competition prior to initial full-time enrollment in a collegiate institution and residency on enrollment.
Source: Division I Management Council (Administrative Review Subcommittee).
Effective date: August 1, 2007 for student-athletes initially enrolling at a Division I institution on or after August 1, 2007.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-63-A Eligibility — Criteria for Determining Season of Eligibility
Intent: In tennis and swimming and diving, to specify that a student-athlete’s participation in the Olympic Games, Pan American Games, World Championships, World Cup and World University Games is exempt from application of the legislation governing seasons of competition and residency in those sports.
Source: Championships/Competition Cabinet (Olympic Sports Liaison Committee).
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-63-B Eligibility — Criteria for Determining Season of Eligibility
Intent: In tennis and swimming and diving, to specify that a student-athlete’s participation in the Olympic games is exempt from application of the legislation governing seasons of competition and residency in those sports.
Source: Big Ten Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Rendered moot by the approval of 2006-63-A.
No. 06-64 Eligibility — Seasons of Competition — Hardship Waiver
Intent: To increase the maximum number of contests or dates of competition in which a student-athlete may participate in a season and remain eligible for a hardship waiver to three scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition or 30 percent of the institution’s scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition.
Source: Horizon League.
Effective date: Immediate, applicable to student-athletes who initially enrolled full time in a collegiate institution on or after August 1, 2003.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-65-A Eligibility — Freshman Academic Requirements — Core-Curriculum Time Limitation
Intent: To specify that a prospective student-athlete must complete his or her core-curriculum requirements not later than the high school graduation date of the prospect’s class [as determined by the first year of enrollment in high school (ninth grade) or the international equivalent as specified in the NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility]; however, if the prospect graduates from high school within the described time frame, he or she may use one core course completed in the year after graduation (summer or academic year), but not later than the end of the academic year immediately after the high school graduation date of the prospect’s class.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007 (applicable to individuals who initially enroll full time at a collegiate institution on or after August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-65-B Eligibility — Freshman Academic Requirements
Intent: To specify that a prospective student-athlete must complete his or her core-curriculum requirements not later than the high school graduation date of the prospect’s class [as determined by the first year of enrollment in high school (ninth grade) or the international equivalent as specified in the NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility].
Source: Big Ten Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007 (applicable to individuals who initially enroll full time at a collegiate institution on or after August 1, 2007.
Council action: Rendered moot by approval of 2006-65-A.
No. 06-71 Financial Aid and Awards, Benefits and Expenses — Training-Table Meals
Intent: To permit an institution, during the championship segment of the playing and practice season of each sport, to provide one training-table meal per day to a student-athlete who does not receive athletically related institutional aid that covers full board costs without the provision of the meal being considered financial aid.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-72 Financial Aid — Midyear Graduate Replacement
Intent: In women’s gymnastics and women’s tennis. To specify that the financial aid of a counter who graduates at midyear with eligibility remaining and who does not return to the institution for the following academic term may be provided to another student-athlete without making the second student-athlete a counter for the remainder of the academic year.
Source: Conference USA.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-73 Awards, Benefits and Expenses — Conference Awards — Athlete of the Year Trophy
Intent: To specify that a conference may provide a trophy in conjunction with its “athlete of the year” award and that the maximum value of the trophy is $1,500.
Source: Big Ten Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-75 Awards, Benefits and Expenses — Training-Table Meals
Intent: To specify that a student-athlete who does not receive institutional athletically related financial aid covering the full cost of board, including a walk-on or partial scholarship recipient, may purchase on training-table meal per day at the same rate that the institution deducts from the board allowance of student-athletes who receive athletically related financial aid covering board costs.
Source: Pacific-10 Conference.
Effective date: Immediate.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-78 Awards, Benefits and Expenses — Benefits, Gifts and Services
Intent: In women’s equestrian, to permit a student-athlete to retain and use an institutional horse during the summer vacation period.
Source: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-81 Playing and Practice Seasons — General Playing-Season Regulations
Intent: In baseball, to specify that individual skill-related instruction outside the playing season is permitted during an institution’s vacation period from January 15 to the first day of classes of the institution’s second academic term; further, to specify that more than four student-athletes from the team may be involved in skill-related instruction with their coaches from September 15 through one week before final examination period for the fall term and from January 15 to April 15, and that no more than four student-athletes from the same team may be involved in skill-related instruction with their coach(es) at any one time in any facility before September 15, between the opening day of classes for the second academic term and January 15, and after April 15.
Source: Big West Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-82 Playing and Practice Seasons — General Playing Season Regulations
Intent: In field hockey, women’s lacrosse, soccer and volleyball, to specify that no class time or final examinations shall be missed for competition conducted during the nonchampionship segment; further to specify violations of this provision shall be institutional violations; however, they shall not affect the student-athlete’s eligibility.
Source: Big Ten Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-83 Playing and Practice Seasons — Location of Qualifying Regular-Season Multiple-Team Event
Intent: In basketball, to specify that a qualifying regular-season multiple team event may occur in Canada or Mexico.
Source: America East Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-85 Playing and Practice Seasons — Preseason Practice — Limit on Number of Participants
Intent: In Championship Subdivision football, to increase the number of participants who may engage in practice activities before the institution’s first day of classes or the institution’s first contest, from 90 to 105.
Source: Southern Conference
Effective date: Immediate.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-87 Playing and Practice Seasons — Number of Dates of Competition — Maximum Limitations
Intent: In golf, to permit an institution to participate in a total of nine three-day tournaments (with a maximum of 54 holes per tournament) or 24 dates of competition.
Source: Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-89 Playing and Practice Seasons — Number of Contests
Intent: In softball, to specify that each contest of a tournament in which an institution participates shall count as one contest toward the institutional and student-athlete maximum contest limitations; further, to specify that an institution shall limit its total playing schedule with outside competition during the playing season to 56 contests (games and scrimmages) during the segment in which the NCAA championship is conducted and eight contests (games and scrimmages) during another segment, provided no class time is missed for competition during the nonchampionship segment, including activities associated with competition (for example, travel and other pregame or postgame activities) conducted during the nonchampionship segment.
Source: Mountain West Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Amended effective date to August 1, 2008. Approved as amended.
No. 06-112 Executive Regulations — Automatic Qualification — Women’s Rowing
Intent: To specify that women’s rowing shall be included in the team sports grouping for purposes of evaluating criteria for automatic qualification for the NCAA championship.
Source: Big East Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-113 Executive Regulations — Automatic Qualification — Sports Groupings for Automatic Qualification — Exception
Intent: To specify that, subject to the approval of the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet, a sport committee may grant exceptions to the six-team requirement for team sports that are sponsored by less than 30 percent of the membership, provided the conference previously included six teams that sponsored the sport.
Source: Championships/Competition Cabinet (Bracket Format Subcommittee).
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
The proposal, sponsored by the Ivy Group, was one of two related to the use of technology in recruiting. The other proposal, which would have put limits on text messaging and instant messaging, was defeated in January.
Anna Chappell, former University of Arizona student-athlete and chair of the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, spoke in favor of the Ivy proposal. Chappell reminded Management Council members that while recent media reports accused the Association of being “stuffy” by ignoring new technology, it was the student-athletes she represents who expressed a desire to eliminate text messaging as a form of recruiting.
“It’s intruding on their lives and creating inappropriate relationships with coaches. If you don’t stop it now, what roads are you going to have to cross later on?” Chappell said. “If you want to ‘keep up with the times’ and ‘keep up to speed with student-athletes,’ you forget that student-athletes as a whole said they wanted the elimination of text-messaging.”
Shane Lyons, Atlantic Coast Conference associate commissioner, said eliminating the practice would also eliminate loopholes that allowed coaches to use text messaging to prod prospects to initiate telephone calls that would have been impermissible if initiated by the coach.
The Council also approved a proposal that would increase the maximum number of contests or dates of competition in which a student-athlete can participate and still qualify for a hardship waiver. The current rule allows for 20 percent of the scheduled or completed contests, and the proposal increases that maximum to 30 percent.
Also forwarded to the Board of Directors for adoption:
A proposal that would allow student-athletes with eligibility remaining to try out with a professional athletics team once after enrollment without jeopardizing his or her eligibility provided the student-athlete does not miss class time. The proposal also allows the professional team to pay expenses for a 48-hour tryout.
Legislation requiring prospects to be registered with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse/NCAA Eligibility Center and on an institutional request list before an official visit or a written offer of athletically related financial aid can be made.
A measure allowing walk-ons to purchase a training table meal at cost.
In other business, the Council heard a presentation about the creation of the NCAA Eligibility Center, which will merge the initial amateurism and academic eligibility certification functions under one roof. Currently, academic eligibility certification is handled by ACT. The change will occur in October.
Council members heard from the new center director, Todd Leyden, about staffing for the new center and plans for customer service.
Members also heard about a concept that would create a pilot waiver program allowing for early academic certification for prospective student-athletes that meet specific academic requirements after the completion of six semesters of school work. Candidates for early certification would have a minimum 95 ACT or 1100 SAT score. Prospects with slightly lower scores (1000 SAT and 85 ACT) and 12 core courses completed would also qualify if their grade-point average was higher than 3.0. Once a prospect is certified as an “early qualifier,” he or she will not have to continue through the regular certification process.
Research using data from 2005 indicate that more than 99 percent of prospects who meet those criteria after six semesters were eventually certified. Also, about half of the registrants in 2005 qualified for early certification under the proposed criteria.
Creating an early certification period could help avoid the “service hiccups” several prospects and institutions experienced in 2006 by reducing the workload during the busy eight-week period in late summer during which most prospects are traditionally certified.
Council members encouraged an educational component to be included if the concept is enacted to ensure that member institutions are aware the amateurism component must still be completed whether a prospect has received early certification academically. Others expressed concern that some institutions and prospects could figure out a way to “game the system,” but agreed that the possibility existed no matter when certifications were conducted and acknowledged that it was not a reason to close discussion on the issue.
The Division II Management Council also endorsed the early certification idea at its April 16-17 meeting.
Governance structure discussion
The Division I Council also heard an update from its governance subcommittee about that group’s work in proposing a Division I governance restructuring plan. The concept calls for the current 49-member Management Council to be replaced with two 31-member groups called the Leadership Council and Legislative Council. In addition, the current Championships/Competition and Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinets would be replaced by a 31-member Championships/Sports Management Cabinet and five 21-member cabinets covering various areas currently handled by the two larger cabinets.
Updates to the proposal include the expansion of the Championships/Sports Management Cabinet from 21 to 31 members and the application of diversity minimums of 20 percent ethnic minorities and 35 percent of either gender to two separate structural tiers — the 31-member body level (Championships/Sports Management Cabinet and the two councils) and the 21-member body level (the five remaining cabinets).
Council members expressed concern about the representation of specific titles within the structure, specifically the faculty athletics representative. Some members believed that with fewer spots on individual bodies, some conferences would be unlikely to appoint faculty members. However, some solutions were proposed to the dilemma, including having all of a conference’s seats within the governance structure rotate at the same time, which might provide for more flexibility in the appointment process.
Members encouraged the subcommittee to continue its work toward presenting final recommendations to the Board of Directors for approval in October.
The Council also discussed the Division I Baseball Academic Working Group report. Members agreed the report was well done, though some were concerned about some of the recommendations, including the idea of fall-term certification. Others worried that the possibility of a playing and practice season penalty for poor Academic Progress Rate performance would interfere with already-prescribed Committee on Academic Performance penalties. Members recommended that any APR penalties proposed by the working group be referred to CAP.
Other recommendations from the working group include changes to the financial aid structure.
Other highlights
Division I Management CouncilApril 16-17/Indianapolis
- Agreed to sponsor two pieces of legislation in the 2007-08 cycle concerning meals provided to student-athletes incidental to competition. The first proposal, which was one option recommended by the Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet, would allow institutions to provide food to student-athletes from the evening before competition until they are released after the competition, in addition to the current meal rule. The second proposal would allow institutions to provide either a postgame meal after student-athletes are released from competition or up to $15 in cash in lieu of the meal.
- Heard from the Championships/Competition Cabinet that a working group had been appointed to review the results of the recent survey about the use of male practice players in Division I.
- Discussed Committee on Academic Performance concepts, including the creation of the Supplemental Support Fund, which would provide financial assistance to low-resource institutions that submit proposals for programs that would decrease barriers to retention and progress toward degree.
- Reviewed the results of the SCORE and GOALS studies.
- Requested that the Executive Committee examine the issue of global warming and consider creating a template for guidance and/or best practices in becoming more climate friendly at championship events.
- Elected Jacqueline Campbell, associate commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference, as chair of the Council to replace Kate Hickey, senior associate athletics director at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, whose term expired at the close of the April meeting.
Division I Management Council legislative actions
The Division I Management Council took the following actions at its April 16-17 meeting on proposals that had been initially approved in January and distributed for comment:No. 06-17-A Ethical Conduct — Sports-Wagering Activities
Intent: To specify and clarify prohibited sports-wagering activities and the individuals to whom the prohibitions apply.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Source: Division I Management Council (Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct).
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-17-B Ethical Conduct — Sports-Wagering Activities — Pools and Fantasy Leagues
Intent: To specify and clarify prohibited sports-wagering activities and the individuals to whom the prohibitions apply and to specify that sports wagering includes participation in a pool or fantasy league in which there is an opportunity to win a prize.
Source: Mountain West Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-20 Personnel — Limitations on Number of Off-Campus Recruiters
Intent: In fencing, golf, men’s gymnastics, rifle, men’s tennis and men’s water polo, to increase, from one to two, the number of coaches who may contact or evaluate prospects off-campus at any one time.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-22 Amateurism — Involvement with Professional Teams — Tryout after Enrollment
Intent: To specify that, after initial full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual who has eligibility remaining may try out with a professional athletics team (or participate in a combine including that team) at any time, provided the individual does not miss class; further to specify that an individual may receive actual and necessary expenses in conjunction with one 48-hour tryout per professional team (or a combine including that team) and that a self-financed tryout may be for any length of time.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-24 Amateurism — Involvement with Professional Teams
Intent: In sports other than basketball and football, to specify that an enrolled student-athlete may enter a professional league’s draft one time during his or her collegiate career without jeopardizing eligibility in that sport, provided the student-athlete is not drafted and within 72 hours after the draft he or she declares his or her intention to resume participation in intercollegiate athletics.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-27 Amateurism — Financial Donations from Outside Organizations
Intent: In football and men’s basketball, to permit an institution to enter into a reciprocal marketing agreement with a professional sports organization for the purpose of marketing and promotions.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-30 Recruiting — Limitations on Number of Evaluations
Intent: In women’s basketball, to specify that evaluations at nonscholastic events may occur during the last full weekend (including Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of the fall contact period and the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the spring evaluation period.
Source: Big East Conference.
Effective date: Immediate.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-32 Recruiting — Telephone Calls and Recruiting Materials
Intent: In men’s ice hockey, to permit an institution (1) to make one telephone call per month to a prospective student-athlete on or after June 15 at the end of the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school; (2) to make one telephone call per week to a prospect beginning August 1 before the prospective student-athlete’s senior year in high school; and (3) to provide recruiting materials (including general correspondence related to athletics) on or after June 15 at the end of the prospective student-athlete’s sophomore year in high school.
Source: Big East Conference.
Effective date: Immediate.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-38 Recruiting — Recruiting Materials — Attachments to General Correspondence
Intent: To specify that attachments to general correspondence may include any materials printed on one or both sides of a single sheet of 8 ½ by 11 inches plain white paper with black ink.
Source: Big East Conference and Ivy Group.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-40 Recruiting — Recruiting Materials — Electronic Transmissions
Intent: To specify that electronically transmitted correspondence that may be sent to a prospective student-athlete is limited to electronic mail and facsimiles.
Source: Ivy Group.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-42 Recruiting — Recruiting Materials — Other Recruiting Materials
Intent: To permit an institution to print and provide other recruiting information that is posted on the institution’s Web site to prospective student-athletes via regular mail as attachments to general correspondence or during official or unofficial visits.
Source: Mountain West Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-45 Recruiting — Advertisements and Promotions
Intent: To permit a conference office to coordinate sportsmanship initiatives that may involve prospective student-athletes and their educational institutions, as specified.
Source: Big Ten Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-46-A Recruiting — Official Visit Requirements and Written Offers of Athletically Related Aid
Intent: To specify that an institution shall not provide an official visit to a high school or preparatory school prospective student-athlete until he or she registers with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse and is placed on the institutional request list; further to specify that an institution shall not provide a high school or preparatory school prospective student-athlete a written offer of athletically related financial aid until he or she has registered with the Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse and the institution places the prospective student-athlete on the institutional request list with the Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse.
Source: Board of Directors.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-47 Recruiting —Official Visit — Length of Official Visit
Intent: To establish an exception to the 48-hour official visit for reasons beyond the control of the prospective student-athlete and the institution and to specify that in such instances, the institution shall submit a report to the conference office noting the details of the circumstances.
Source: Pacific-10 Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-55 Administrative Regulations — Recruiting Calendars — Softball
Intent: In softball, to specify that evaluations are not permissible (contact only) from the day after Labor Day through Thanksgiving Day, except from the second Friday in October through the first Sunday in November (contact/evaluation period); further, to specify that in those states that play the high school softball season in the fall, evaluations shall be permissible during the season, except during dead periods.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-57 Administrative Regulations — Recruiting Calendars — Women’s Soccer
Intent: To establish a recruiting calendar in the sport of women’s soccer, as specified.
Source: Big 12 Conference and Southeastern Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-58-1 Administrative Regulations — Recruiting Calendars — Cross Country and Track and Field
Intent: To amend Proposal No. 2006-58 to include dead periods in conjunction with the Division I men’s and women’s cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field championships, as specified.
Source: Sun Belt Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-58 Administrative Regulations — Recruiting Calendars — Cross Country and Track and Field
Intent: To establish a recruiting calendar for cross country and track and field, as specified.
Source: Sun Belt Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-60 Eligibility — General Eligibility Requirements — Change in Eligibility Status
Intent: To specify that, in order for any student-athlete to be eligible to compete in postseason competition occurring between regular terms, an institution shall certify that he or she has satisfactorily completed six semester hours or six quarter hours of academic credit during the preceding regular academic term.
Source: Atlantic Sun Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-62 Eligibility — Seasons of Competition — Tennis and Swimming and Diving
Intent: In tennis and swimming and diving, to specify that a student-athlete’s participation in organized events while serving a mandatory military obligation is exempt from the application of the legislation governing the use of seasons of competition prior to initial full-time enrollment in a collegiate institution and residency on enrollment.
Source: Division I Management Council (Administrative Review Subcommittee).
Effective date: August 1, 2007 for student-athletes initially enrolling at a Division I institution on or after August 1, 2007.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-63-A Eligibility — Criteria for Determining Season of Eligibility
Intent: In tennis and swimming and diving, to specify that a student-athlete’s participation in the Olympic Games, Pan American Games, World Championships, World Cup and World University Games is exempt from application of the legislation governing seasons of competition and residency in those sports.
Source: Championships/Competition Cabinet (Olympic Sports Liaison Committee).
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-63-B Eligibility — Criteria for Determining Season of Eligibility
Intent: In tennis and swimming and diving, to specify that a student-athlete’s participation in the Olympic games is exempt from application of the legislation governing seasons of competition and residency in those sports.
Source: Big Ten Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Rendered moot by the approval of 2006-63-A.
No. 06-64 Eligibility — Seasons of Competition — Hardship Waiver
Intent: To increase the maximum number of contests or dates of competition in which a student-athlete may participate in a season and remain eligible for a hardship waiver to three scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition or 30 percent of the institution’s scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition.
Source: Horizon League.
Effective date: Immediate, applicable to student-athletes who initially enrolled full time in a collegiate institution on or after August 1, 2003.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-65-A Eligibility — Freshman Academic Requirements — Core-Curriculum Time Limitation
Intent: To specify that a prospective student-athlete must complete his or her core-curriculum requirements not later than the high school graduation date of the prospect’s class [as determined by the first year of enrollment in high school (ninth grade) or the international equivalent as specified in the NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility]; however, if the prospect graduates from high school within the described time frame, he or she may use one core course completed in the year after graduation (summer or academic year), but not later than the end of the academic year immediately after the high school graduation date of the prospect’s class.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007 (applicable to individuals who initially enroll full time at a collegiate institution on or after August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-65-B Eligibility — Freshman Academic Requirements
Intent: To specify that a prospective student-athlete must complete his or her core-curriculum requirements not later than the high school graduation date of the prospect’s class [as determined by the first year of enrollment in high school (ninth grade) or the international equivalent as specified in the NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility].
Source: Big Ten Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007 (applicable to individuals who initially enroll full time at a collegiate institution on or after August 1, 2007.
Council action: Rendered moot by approval of 2006-65-A.
No. 06-71 Financial Aid and Awards, Benefits and Expenses — Training-Table Meals
Intent: To permit an institution, during the championship segment of the playing and practice season of each sport, to provide one training-table meal per day to a student-athlete who does not receive athletically related institutional aid that covers full board costs without the provision of the meal being considered financial aid.
Source: Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-72 Financial Aid — Midyear Graduate Replacement
Intent: In women’s gymnastics and women’s tennis. To specify that the financial aid of a counter who graduates at midyear with eligibility remaining and who does not return to the institution for the following academic term may be provided to another student-athlete without making the second student-athlete a counter for the remainder of the academic year.
Source: Conference USA.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-73 Awards, Benefits and Expenses — Conference Awards — Athlete of the Year Trophy
Intent: To specify that a conference may provide a trophy in conjunction with its “athlete of the year” award and that the maximum value of the trophy is $1,500.
Source: Big Ten Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-75 Awards, Benefits and Expenses — Training-Table Meals
Intent: To specify that a student-athlete who does not receive institutional athletically related financial aid covering the full cost of board, including a walk-on or partial scholarship recipient, may purchase on training-table meal per day at the same rate that the institution deducts from the board allowance of student-athletes who receive athletically related financial aid covering board costs.
Source: Pacific-10 Conference.
Effective date: Immediate.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-78 Awards, Benefits and Expenses — Benefits, Gifts and Services
Intent: In women’s equestrian, to permit a student-athlete to retain and use an institutional horse during the summer vacation period.
Source: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-81 Playing and Practice Seasons — General Playing-Season Regulations
Intent: In baseball, to specify that individual skill-related instruction outside the playing season is permitted during an institution’s vacation period from January 15 to the first day of classes of the institution’s second academic term; further, to specify that more than four student-athletes from the team may be involved in skill-related instruction with their coaches from September 15 through one week before final examination period for the fall term and from January 15 to April 15, and that no more than four student-athletes from the same team may be involved in skill-related instruction with their coach(es) at any one time in any facility before September 15, between the opening day of classes for the second academic term and January 15, and after April 15.
Source: Big West Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-82 Playing and Practice Seasons — General Playing Season Regulations
Intent: In field hockey, women’s lacrosse, soccer and volleyball, to specify that no class time or final examinations shall be missed for competition conducted during the nonchampionship segment; further to specify violations of this provision shall be institutional violations; however, they shall not affect the student-athlete’s eligibility.
Source: Big Ten Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-83 Playing and Practice Seasons — Location of Qualifying Regular-Season Multiple-Team Event
Intent: In basketball, to specify that a qualifying regular-season multiple team event may occur in Canada or Mexico.
Source: America East Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-85 Playing and Practice Seasons — Preseason Practice — Limit on Number of Participants
Intent: In Championship Subdivision football, to increase the number of participants who may engage in practice activities before the institution’s first day of classes or the institution’s first contest, from 90 to 105.
Source: Southern Conference
Effective date: Immediate.
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-87 Playing and Practice Seasons — Number of Dates of Competition — Maximum Limitations
Intent: In golf, to permit an institution to participate in a total of nine three-day tournaments (with a maximum of 54 holes per tournament) or 24 dates of competition.
Source: Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
No. 06-89 Playing and Practice Seasons — Number of Contests
Intent: In softball, to specify that each contest of a tournament in which an institution participates shall count as one contest toward the institutional and student-athlete maximum contest limitations; further, to specify that an institution shall limit its total playing schedule with outside competition during the playing season to 56 contests (games and scrimmages) during the segment in which the NCAA championship is conducted and eight contests (games and scrimmages) during another segment, provided no class time is missed for competition during the nonchampionship segment, including activities associated with competition (for example, travel and other pregame or postgame activities) conducted during the nonchampionship segment.
Source: Mountain West Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Amended effective date to August 1, 2008. Approved as amended.
No. 06-112 Executive Regulations — Automatic Qualification — Women’s Rowing
Intent: To specify that women’s rowing shall be included in the team sports grouping for purposes of evaluating criteria for automatic qualification for the NCAA championship.
Source: Big East Conference.
Effective date: August 1, 2007
Council action: Defeated.
No. 06-113 Executive Regulations — Automatic Qualification — Sports Groupings for Automatic Qualification — Exception
Intent: To specify that, subject to the approval of the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet, a sport committee may grant exceptions to the six-team requirement for team sports that are sponsored by less than 30 percent of the membership, provided the conference previously included six teams that sponsored the sport.
Source: Championships/Competition Cabinet (Bracket Format Subcommittee).
Effective date: August 1, 2007.
Council action: Approved.
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