The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- September 28, 1998

Panel set to study Division I basketball issues

A panel created to address broad-based issues in Division I basketball has been appointed and is set to begin deliberations next month.

The 27-member Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues features a diverse segment of Division I educators and sports administrators that will conduct the first of at least six meetings October 13 in Chicago.

Syracuse University Chancellor Kenneth A. Shaw, chair of the group, said that issues to be discussed will include the Division I basketball recruiting process, early departures to professional basketball leagues, influence of sports wagering, the influence of agents, the image of intercollegiate basketball, student-athlete welfare, low graduation rates and high attrition rates of basketball student-athletes, and exempted basketball events.

"It's appropriate for us to thoroughly review any and all issues that significantly impact the sport," said Shaw, who noted that 80 percent of the Association's revenues are generated by basketball. "While there isn't any one driving force for the creation of this group, it's good business to attend to what's most important."

The Division I Board of Directors approved a proposal in August for the creation of the study group. Shaw was appointed chair and stepped aside as chair of the Board to undertake the study that is expected to take about a year to complete.

The group plans to conduct hearings during the next several months to identify issues, survey the NCAA membership, gather testimony from interested individuals and groups, and eventually, make appropriate recommendations for legislation or other action to the Division I governance structure.

Shaw said that despite the breadth of the initiative, resolutions and recommendations could be implemented more expeditiously under the Association's new structure.

"Some of this may require legislation," he said. "But a lot of it I suspect is really more a matter of policy. With the Division I Management Council and Board of Directors meeting quarterly, we're in a far better position to move from ideas that are strongly supported to implementation than we were under the old structure. If we get our work done in a year, we should be in a position to within six-to-nine months from that to have all the necessary approval for implementation."

While giving no indication of the types of recommendations that might be forthcoming, Shaw did say that he expects the group to develop several meaningful changes.

"We're not doing this with the expectation that we're going to conclude all is well and that we don't need to do anything," he said. "We're going to look at our structures, institutional requirements, graduation rates and gambling issues and all the things we need to concern ourselves with, and then first determine what's right -- what we ought to do -- and second, come up with a package that the membership will accept.

"We may find that there isn't enough support from the membership to move some of these initiatives but it's too early to tell. There is much to study, and we have a group that represents a wealth of experience, knowledge and passion about college basketball to accomplish the mission."

Shaw said that representatives from a number of organizations -- including the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Women's Basketball Coaches Association, National Basketball Association, National Basketball Players Association, National Federation of State High School Associations, apparel and equipment companies, Amateur Athletic Union, camp operators, media representatives, and student-athletes -- may be invited to make presentations at the hearings.

Division I working group to study basketball issues

Members of the Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues:

Kenneth A. Shaw (chair) -- Chancellor, Syracuse University

Linda Bruno -- Commissioner, Atlantic 10 Conference

Judy Devine -- Associate athletics director, Kent State University

Milton A. Gordon -- President, California State University, Fullerton

Tom Goss -- Athletics director, University of Michigan

James A. Haney -- Executive director, National Association of Basketball Coaches

Alan Harre -- President, Valparaiso University

Charles S. Harris -- Commissioner, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

Barbara Hedges -- Athletics director, University of Washington

Terry Holland -- Athletics director, University of Virginia

James Jarrett -- Athletics director, Old Dominion University

Betty F. Jaynes -- Chief executive officer, Women's Basketball Coaches Association

William Kirwan -- President, Ohio State University

David B. Knight -- Faculty athletics representative, University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Robert Lawless -- President, University of Tulsa

Ted Leland -- Athletics director, Stanford University

J. Barton Luedeke -- President, Rider University

Mike McGee -- Athletics director, University of South Carolina, Columbia

C.M. Newton -- Athletics director, University of Kentucky

Chris Plonsky -- Associate athletics director, University of Texas at Austin

Jean L. Ponsetto -- Senior associate athletics director, DePaul University

Kenneth L. Shropshire -- Faculty athletics representative, University of Pennsylvania

Michael Slive -- Commissioner, Conference USA

Dean Smith -- Consultant to athletics department, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Eugene D. Smith -- Athletics director, Iowa State University

Charles Whitcomb -- Faculty athletics representative, San Jose State University

Stan Wilcox -- Associate commissioner, Big East Conference