The Division III Management Council’s spring meeting April 20-21 in Indianapolis likely won’t produce many actions, but Council members will receive funding recommendations for the second half of the current two-year budget cycle and also review recent work by committees in areas ranging from membership criteria to championships selections.

Budget recommendations from the Division III Championships Committee include a $2 per diem increase for championship participants, support for additional coaches or staff members to accompany large travel parties in individual/team sports, and a larger squad size for cross country teams – all funded from the inflation-based increase previously approved for the second year of the 2008-10 biennial budget or from reallocation of unused funds.

The recommendations ultimately are subject to approval by the Division III Presidents Council, which will meet April 30 in Indianapolis.

The Council also will review suggestions from the Championships Committee to address concerns voiced at this year’s NCAA Convention about the collection and use of data for selection of teams for Division III championships. The committee listed a mix of procedural and educational steps it believes will help address those concerns.

Council members also are expected to review information from the Division III Membership Committee relating to how well institutions are complying with membership requirements such as sport-sponsorship minimums.

The relatively light agenda also will give the Council time to discuss issues identified at the January Convention by the Presidents Council’s leadership as priorities during the coming year.

The priorities, arising from the Council’s recent “white papers” initiative, include taking steps to emphasize presidents’ leadership role within Division III and to renew support for the division’s philosophy statement and promote its identity.