NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland – In conjunction with the NCAA’s 103rd annual Convention this week in Washington, D.C., The NCAA News caught up with a few NCAA athletics administrators, student-athletes and faculty to get their observations on the importance of the Association’s annual gathering, among other topics of interest.

In Part 1 of a four-part series, today’s collection features NCAA members who have attended several Conventions, including before the Association federated its governance structure in 1997.

1. Bridget Belgiovine, athletics director at Wellesley

How many NCAA Conventions have you attended? Nineteen Conventions in 20 years. A back injury (I wish I could say it was because I was doing something athletic, but that’s not the case) prevented my attendance in 2007.

What do you remember most about your first one? 1989 was my first Convention while serving as an assistant athletics director at Springfield College. I thought I could just plan my trip and attend, and then my athletics director Ed Steitz called me in his office and asked how I was going to “get in.”  That’s how I learned that you had to be a listed “delegate,” which meant Dr. Steitz had to approve my attendance. Luckily, he did, and it’s been an adventure ever since.

How has the Association’s decision to federate its governance in 1997 affected the Convention? Is the current version of the Convention better or worse for the Association than its predecessor? There are two significant effects of the decision to federate. One is the loss of Association-wide debates with colleagues from all three divisions about the role and place of intercollegiate athletics. The other is the diminished opportunities to interact with colleagues from all three divisions.

The current version is more challenging for the Association as each division’s autonomy arguably takes precedence. It’s far more challenging to coordinate larger Association-wide events. The delegates reception (especially with the large shrimp) may be the last vestige of the Association’s true camaraderie.

What’s your most vivid Convention memory? Falling off my chair from the dais during a Division III business session.

What’s the best thing about the Convention? Three things (as I’m not sure I could have only one). One is interacting face-to-face with colleagues (and NCAA staffers) from all over the country, enjoying social time. Two is a Division III business session debate on a legislative proposal with varied and passionate individual and institutional perspectives shared. And three, the annual appearance of Don Quixote (also known as Jim Nelson from Suffolk University). Wonder when Don will appear this year?

You’ve been both an NCAA staff member who has helped administer the Convention as well as a voting delegate. Does having participated from both perspectives help you appreciate the Convention differently? I appreciate the time and effort and the “staging of presentations” that it takes to plan the Convention, particularly now with the federated structures. From the membership side, my focus on Convention takes shape much closer to the event. In other words, my attention to all the details is not as focused as it was when I was a staff member. I also realize how hard it is to please the membership.

2. Jerry Hughes, athletics director at Central Missouri

How many NCAA Conventions have you attended? Twenty-eight annual Conventions and two special Conventions.

What do you remember most about your first one? My first Convention was in Houston in 1982. I remember on the day it was over, everyone had a tough time getting to the airport since Houston had been hit by its first ice storm in years. Traffic was at a standstill.

How has the Association’s decision to federate its governance in 1997 affected the Convention? Is the current version of the Convention better or worse for the Association than its predecessor? It has made the Convention much more time-efficient. While the debate in the old days was sometimes entertaining, delegates from all divisions wasted a lot of time listening to items that did not pertain to their division.

What’s your most vivid Convention memory? Probably the very lively debate in the early days of Prop 48 (academic entrance requirements and test scores).

What’s the best thing about the Convention? Getting to see old friends from all around the country.

3. Paul Engelmann, faculty athletics representative at Central Missouri

How many conventions have you attended? This is my 24th annual Convention, plus two special Conventions in the 1980s.

What do you remember most about the first one? Two things stick out about that first one in 1985. First, 1984 was an Olympic year, and there were banners completely surrounding the meeting room in the Opryland listing all the medal winners at the Olympics and their NCAA institutions – it was very impressive. The other vivid memory was watching Doug Flutie being interviewed by the press. This Convention was held less than two months after his “Hail Mary” pass, and I was sufficiently impressed to see him in person.

How has the Association’s decision to federate its governance in 1997 affected the Convention? Is the current version of the Convention better or worse for the Association than its predecessor? The federated system is much more streamlined, and has certainly resulted in a more efficient process. It was not unusual for the business portions of the Convention to last for several days; now we in Division II typically conduct our business meeting in four or five hours, sometimes less.

However, much of the excitement previously there is gone. Most institutions sent at least three representatives, and just about everyone – from all three divisions – attended the Honors Dinner. While portions of the business meeting became tedious at times, in general you left the Convention with a much better understanding of the reasons for and the logic behind the various proposals. Floor debate was often extensive and emotional; and while some of the “heavies” from the larger institutions tended to dominate discussion, there was little reluctance on the part of representatives from smaller institutions to voice opinions as well. It’s one of the reasons that I’m proud that neither Division II nor Division III gave up the one school/one vote concept during federation. I suspect that many of our Division I colleagues wish that they had not given it up, either. In short, I’m not sure that “quicker” is “better.”

What’s your most vivid Convention memory? For several years, I had served as parliamentarian for the Division II business session, which was typically pretty short. Alan Chapman, former president of the NCAA and a department chair at Rice, served as parliamentarian for the Division I business session as well as the general business sessions. His nickname was “The General,” due to the respect he commanded for his encyclopedic knowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order and the commanding presence he had when advising the chair on issues of parliamentary procedure. Challenges to his rulings were sometimes made, but his decisions (to the best of my recollection) were always upheld.

The 1997 Convention was that last one in which all three divisions met as a single body. Alan called me in late December to tell me that he was too busy to attend, and that I would have to serve as parliamentarian for the general business session. Whereas Alan’s knowledge of parliamentary procedure was beyond extensive, mine was significantly less so, and I truly cringed at the thought of making some sort of lame mistake before the membership of all three divisions. Fortunately, no challenges of parliamentary procedure occurred, and I survived the meetings.

What’s the best thing about the Convention? On a job-related level, it’s gaining an understanding of why new legislation is (or isn’t) adopted, which enables me to fulfill my role on campus far better than I would be able to do otherwise. On a personal level, without a doubt it’s the chance to see people who have become close friends over the years (often through committee work) whom I would not see otherwise.

4. Tom Hansen, commissioner of the Pacific-10 Conference

How many conventions have you attended? More than 30. I remember being quite in awe at my first in Los Angeles in the early 1960, watching the process as legislation was considered and listening to the passionate and usually effective speeches on the floor.

How has the Association’s decision to federate its governance in 1997 affected the Convention? Is the current version of the Convention better or worse for the Association than its predecessor? The Convention definitely has been affected by federation. There no longer is a compelling reason for representatives of FBS conferences and members to attend unless they are involved in the governance structure. The Convention remains of great interest for Divisions II and III.  However, the benefits of the restructuring of Division I far outweigh the fact that the Convention is less attractive to the division. The very viability of the NCAA was at stake because of the old voting structure.

What’s your most vivid Convention memory? One certainly was when I was an NCAA staff member and was assigned to greeting President Ford and escorting him into the hotel to the Honors Luncheon in Washington, D.C. to receive the Theodore Roosevelt Award.

A second was having every living winner of the Medal of Honor who had been a college athlete attend the Honors Luncheon. Also, having a group of Hollywood stars who had been college athletes attend the Honors Luncheon (several in makeup because they were working that day) was memorable.

What’s the best thing about the Convention? The best thing about the Convention always was seeing so many good friends and colleagues over several days. That has disappeared for the FBS now.

You’ve been both an NCAA staff member who has helped administer the Convention as well as a voting delegate. Does having participated from both perspectives help you appreciate the Convention differently? Having been on the staff does give one a different perspective. I attended many after having served on the staff. You appreciate how hard the staff works to make the arrangements and the dedication of the officers, Council and Executive Committee members who lead the sessions. You also learn behind the scenes how to be effective when you are a delegate. I also claimed for years “alumni privileges” in helping myself to a cup of coffee from the staff coffee pot behind the curtains.