The Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference presidents approved a new five-year strategic plan for the conference last month, highlighted by a greater emphasis on lacrosse and support for cost containment in Division I athletics.

Commissioner Richard Ensor said the MAAC presidents agree with NCAA President Myles Brand’s desire to bring costs for Division I athletics programs under control.

“The MAAC supports the effort to bring more focus on the spiraling costs of athletics at the Division I level,” Ensor said. “We are providing support in today’s efforts to continue that focus.”

The plan calls for the conference to continue to work with Brand on the issue.

The conference, already home to several competitive lacrosse programs for both genders, will work on elevating the sport for men and women. The plan calls for the transition of the Women’s Lacrosse League sponsored by the MAAC to a core sport, with no requirement that all conference teams belong to the league. Several MAAC women’s teams currently play with the Big East, while the men’s teams play with the ECAC.

The conference will also seek additional members for its Men’s Lacrosse League – with cost containment top-of-mind – and will conduct a four-year study of the sport.

Another important element of the plan is the implementation of an annual meeting of the league’s faculty athletics representatives. Though the group was formed as part of the MAAC constitution 20 years ago, it was not activated.

“Our league has been run by presidents, and they believed they represented the voice of the faculty,” Ensor said. “This time, we will elevate it to a committee that will meet annually and provide some input to the conference.”

In addition to the strategic plan, the conference also noted its opposition to the NCAA Division I Basketball Academic Enhancement Group recommendation for a mandated summer school for entering men’s basketball student-athletes. Ensor said that not all MAAC institutions offer summer school; additionally, MAAC teams are generally academically successful.

“The presidents don’t want to see the 12-month basketball season become the standard,” he said. “And frankly, they’re not keen on trying to staff all of the different elements throughout the summer.”

This is the third strategic plan released by the conference in Ensor’s 20-year tenure. It took about 18 months to complete.