The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference plans to add Lake Erie College and Ohio Dominican University as provisional members beginning July 1, 2010.

The GLIAC Presidents Council, made up of the presidents of the league’s 12 current member institutions, voted to accept the two schools during a meeting Tuesday at Findlay. The vote comes two weeks after the GLIAC Executive Council recommended membership for the two schools that made formal presentations to the league June 1.

Membership is conditional based on how the two schools progress through the Division II membership process.

Lake Erie, located in Painesville, Ohio, applied for Division II membership in 2006-07 and is currently in its first year of provisional Division II membership. The school formerly competed as a member of Division III. Ohio Dominican, formerly a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, is completing year one of the two-year candidacy phase.

The Division II Membership Committee will meet in July to determine the status of all member schools currently reclassifying or entering Division II. Schools can achieve active status in as little as three years (two candidacy years and at least one provisional year).

GLIAC officials say full-member status will be granted to each institution once it achieves full Division II membership.

Thomas Haas, Grand Valley State University president and chair of the GLIAC Presidents Council, said the addition of the two Ohio schools helps GLIAC members reduce missed class time and travel costs, while strengthening the league both academically and athletically.

Incoming GLIAC Commissioner Dell Robinson said the league’s expanded footprint in Ohio also affords exposure in untapped media markets. Nine of the GLIAC’s current 12 members are in Michigan, with the other three in Ohio.

Founded in 1856, Lake Erie currently has more than 1,200 students and will offer 20 varsity sports in 2009-10. Ohio Dominican, located in Columbus, currently offers 14 intercollegiate sports for its 3,100 students.

The two schools would join current GLIAC members Ashland, Ferris State, Findlay, Grand Valley State, Hillsdale, Lake Superior State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Northwood (Michigan), Saginaw Valley State, Tiffin and Wayne State (Michigan).

The GLIAC conducts championships in 20 sports, 10 for men and 10 for women.