National Collegiate Athletic Association |
The NCAA News DigestAugust 4, 1997
ARTIFICIAL TURF REBOUNDS
Since 1993, the percentage of Division I-A football stadiums with natural grass playing surfaces has increased rapidly, climbing from 52.8 percent in 1993 to 64.2 percent in 1996. Whether 1997 represents an anomaly or a change in the trend remains to be seen, but for the upcoming season, the percentage of natural playing surfaces dropped to 61.6, a 2.6 percent decline from last year's figure. In all, 69 of 112 Division I-A football programs will play on natural surfaces at their primary facility in the 1997 season. Only one Division I-A institution -- Kent State University -- has actually changed playing surfaces. The Golden Flashes have bucked the recent trend in a big way, going from a grass surface to an artificial one. Three other institutions -- Boise State University, the University of Idaho and Marshall University -- are new to the I-A listing this year. All have artificial surfaces. (Idaho and Boise State actually competed as I-A institutions last year, but because of the timing of their reclassification, they were listed as I-AA in the 1996 football records book.) Marshall is in its first year as a Division I-A member. Current Division I-A teams uising grass surface:
Air Force
LEGISLATIONOnly 10 membership proposals up for Convention consideration Divisions II and III institutions have properly submitted 10 legislative proposals for the 1998 Convention. Eight of the proposals were submitted by Division II institutions, including a proposal to cut the maximum number of scholarships in Division II football from 36 to 30. The other two came from Division III. The elimination of Division I Convention proposals is the primary reason for this year's reduction in membership proposals. Division I now legislates through a representative form of governance rather than a one-institution/ one-vote process. The three divisions combined properly submitted 90 proposals for the 1997 Conven-tion. The three divisions submitted 79 proposals for the 1996 Convention. Staff contact: Stephen A. Mallonee.
BETTY FORD CENTERSpace still available for fall 1997 program Space is available for the fall 1997 semester for the Betty Ford Center Professional in Resi- dence program. The 3 1/2-day program provides an opportunity to learn about addiction and how to affect drug and alcohol policy on college campuses. Dates available include September 23-26, Octo-ber 7-10, December 2-5 and December 16-19. Expenses for this training are covered, except for transportation to and from Palm Springs, California. Staff contact: Elizabeth Binkley.
AGENTSSpecial committee's report takes three-part approach The report of the NCAA Special Committee on Agents and Amateurism recommends that the Association approach the sports-agent pro- blem through an integrated program based on three fundamental themes:
The committee noted that the initiatives in the three areas should be developed concurrently because it felt it was unlikely that initiatives based on any one theme alone would have a significant positive impact on the overall problem. Staff contact: Richard C. Perko.
RESTRUCTURINGNew membership structure in effect as of August 1 The NCAA's new governance structure became effective August. 1. A supplement to this issue -- the NCAA Restructuring Guide -- serves to assist those interested in more information about the new structure and especially about the membership of governance bodies and general committees in all three divisions.
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