Metropolitan State President Stephen Jordan begins his second term as chair of the Division II Presidents Council this year. With another important NCAA Convention on the horizon and a number of key Division II initiatives underway for 2009, The NCAA News asked President Jordan to comment on the successes of 2008 for the division and identify primary goals for the coming year.

Part 2 of the Q&A looks ahead at the strategic initiatives for 2009. Part 1 took a look back at how Division II successfully positioned itself to where it is today.

Q  Looking ahead, what will be your personal points of emphasis with the Division II Presidents Council in 2009?

Jordan: This question of sustainability is critical – following through on what we put in place, assessing initiatives and building upon those goals identified in the strategic plan.

In addition to that, for me personally, I have a great interest in gender equity for athletics participation and in the administrative structure of Division II. Because we have such a large number of HBCUs and HSIs, I think that kind of diversity is a critical issue for the division – but I’m also concerned about the data I’ve seen about the lack of progress in gender equity in athletics participation and in athletics leadership positions in the last decade. We saw great progress for women up until 2000, but there hasn’t been much change since. We have to deal with that. It is an important issue for Division II, and I was pleased at the last Executive Committee meeting to see that it was an important item for the Association as well.

Q  Division II seems to be a little ahead of the curve on the game-environment effort (particularly since Division II has approached the matter as being more than just sportsmanship). What evidence can you cite that indicates the game-environment push is resonating with Division II members?

Jordan: The game-environment effort is a strategic component of Division II’s emphasis on community engagement. It started with Division II actually changing its bylaws – deregulating rules regarding competitive equity to facilitate community engagement – realizing that colleges and universities are part of the community and that athletics is a great way to attract community members to our campuses (the whole front porch concept). With that in place, if we do not have the right kind of game environment – fan-friendly, affordable, where people can engage in cheering for teams but not against them – if we can create that kind of positive environment, then we really can achieve this vision of engagement with our colleges and communities.

Division II has been a leader in this. We are close to the goal of having 100 percent of presidents sign on to the game-environment pledge. That is an outward expression, but as you dig deeper in conversations with the commissioners and athletics directors associations, there is a genuine interest and commitment from them as well to be part of the solution. Even in my own conference, expectations are high about what game environment should be – about how visiting teams should expect to be received when they arrive, about what the authority of the conference commissioner might be to enforce standards and about the importance of presidents to call their colleagues if there are issues. As I meet with athletes, too, game environment is on their minds as well. They know how important it is to them to have the right kind of environment. Many schools have used the idea of student-athletes reading the game-environment statement before contests. There is a genuine belief in this initiative throughout Division II, and it is catching on with the Association at large. There will be an Association-wide panel at the Convention in fact that has sportsmanship in the title, but it really is more broadly about game environment.

Q  Division II is in the final year of a three-year agreement with CBS College Sports Network that has brought new exposure to Division II regular-season and postseason competition. What have been the benefits so far, and what are you looking for in future deals?

Jordan: I’ve consistently heard a belief that these TV games have had a positive impact on institutions and conferences that was the kind of exposure they could not have paid for individually. What’s unique about our contract is the importance that every conference has the opportunity to have that exposure. This wasn’t about just highlighting a few select conferences but about exposing Division II to the entire country. It’s an important statement from Division II’s own membership that all conferences share in this benefit. It’s emblematic of the way we act things out as a division; we have strategic emphases and we recognize that if we are going to succeed, it happens at the ground level at conferences and institutions. It’s a great example of how institutions and conferences work together to align with the larger Division II goals.

Q  What’s your New Year’s resolution for Division II this year?

Jordan: Maintain the momentum. I am so proud of our leadership that has set a direction, but in the long run, it’s about sustainability, about continuing presidential leadership and about acting out the strategic plan. So for me, the resolution is how we as a Presidents Council can continue that momentum on behalf of our membership.