The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference lifted its membership moratorium last week, and Commissioner Dennis Thomas hopes the league will expand to 14 schools.

MEAC presidents lifted the moratorium, in place since 2007, after Thomas worked with member schools to create a strategic plan for the future of the conference that emphasizes academic integrity, gender equity and geographic considerations. The conference will begin reviewing applications for membership. So far, North Carolina Central and Savannah State have indicated they hope to join the conference.

Thomas said the MEAC has no timeline for adding institutions, and only schools with football programs will be considered. Thomas said the faltering economy and its impact on member institutions played a role in the decision to add new schools.

“I think all institutions now in Division I have to be cognizant of the economy, new revenue streams, cost efficiency and cost effectiveness,” he said. “An important part of our mission statement is to optimize revenue.”

The strategic-planning process was helpful, Thomas said, since it produced a product that gave the conference “direction, guidance and a clear path for the future.”

The conference wants to move to divisional play, which will help with cost containment and student-athlete well-being by reducing missed class time. Currently, the conference is spread between Delaware and Florida, with no institutions in Georgia. Adding North Carolina Central and Savannah State would allow an even split into two divisions that would keep schools closer to home for competition.

Adding a compatible institution in Georgia to complete the league’s geographic footprint was a priority in the conference’s strategic plan.

In addition to a financial aspect, the MEAC mission statement also stresses athletics and academic excellence. Thomas said new schools will be added with all three factors – athletics profile, academic distinction and geographic location – in mind.

“The new academic-reform measures played a dominant role in how we formulated our strategic plan in terms of new members,” he said. “You have to have a component that clearly demonstrates an institution is committed to academic excellence, not only for student-athletes but also for students in general.”

The review also involved an emphasis on gender equity, with an eye toward adding schools that have strong sport offerings for female student-athletes. Currently, the conference sponsors women’s teams in basketball, bowling, cross country, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Savannah State also sponsors women’s golf.

After the MEAC lifted its moratorium, North Carolina Central Athletics Director Ingrid Wicker-McCree said the school was “extremely excited” that the conference would review its application for membership.

“Getting into a conference will definitely enhance our sports programs, particularly in the areas of recruiting, increased revenues, consistent travel schedules and fan support,” Wicker-McCree said. “The MEAC is represented by institutions which hold in high esteem the academic success of its student-athletes and quality athletics competition, and we look forward to having this opportunity to become a part of its longstanding tradition of success as a Division I member conference.”

Thomas said that the possibility of adding new schools was exciting for the conference as well.

“Any time you bring in new members, it energizes a conference,” he said. “This will only enhance and make the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference stronger.”