National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- December 20, 1999

Subcommittee chairs meet to review core-course legislation

Chairs from the various subcommittees of the NCAA Core-Course Review Committee met November 8-9 in Chicago to discuss issues related to pending core-course legislation that is working its way through the NCAA governance structure in Divisions I and II.

Also in attendance were representatives from various high-school agencies who joined the chairs in a review of a trio of proposals that impact core-course requirements for initial eligibility. The proposals are designed to be consistent with current trends in the secondary education reform movement.

Proposal No. 99-46 (Proposal No. 18 in Division II) allows Internet-based courses and distance-learning courses to be included among courses satisfying core-curriculum requirements. The proposal also distinguishes between independent-study courses and courses taught via individualized instruction. The proposal, developed by the Core-Course Review Committee, resulted from a meeting among the committee and representatives from more than a dozen high-school agencies regarding various types of secondary education programs now available.

Proposal No. 99-47 (Division I only) amends the core-course criteria by requiring two years of math courses at the level of Algebra I or above. The proposal eliminates the gray area between level 1 and level 2 courses that has become difficult to distinguish due to the integrated approach used at most secondary schools.

Proposal No. 99-48 (Proposal No. 17 in Division II) redefines a core course for purposes of meeting core-curriculum criteria by eliminating the requirement that a course contain at least 75 percent instructional content, and stipulates instead that the course meets criteria such as being considered college preparatory by the high school and qualifying for high-school graduation credit. The proposal is consistent with a previous directive from the Division I Board of Directors to give high-school principals primary responsibility for evaluating high-school course offerings in relation to core-curriculum standards.

The Division I Management Council and the Division II Academic Requirements Committee gave initial approval to the proposals in October. The proposals will be brought back to the Management Council in January to be considered as emergency legislation that will become effective August 1, 2000 (for those student-athletes first entering a college on or after August 1, 2000). The Division I time line was established to coincide with Division II, which will consider the legislation during the NCAA Convention in January.

Clearinghouse criteria

In other action, the group discussed the criteria that the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse should use to "flag" courses for increased review. Currently, courses that meet one of the following three criteria are held to a higher threshold of review:

  • Previously denied course;

  • Course title suggests that the course may not meet the core-course requirements; or

  • Course is being submitted for approval retroactively for a student-athlete who has already graduated.

    The group recommended that courses that previously were denied should no longer be flagged, but that the other two criteria should be retained. Additionally, the group requested that the Clearinghouse and NCAA staff highly scrutinize courses tied to the eligibility of a student who already has graduated.

    The group also discussed issues with the high-school representatives regarding ways to further assist high schools with initial-eligibility work. The high-school representatives noted that the core-course review process and criteria were headed in the right direction, but made the following suggestions as possibilities for additional assistance:

  • Development of a blank preliminary certification worksheet for inclusion into the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete;

  • Establishment of a separate phone line at the Clearinghouse for high-school counselors; and

  • Development of the ability for students to access their own preliminary and final certification reports on the Clearinghouse Web site.

    The group also discussed its current structure of having each subcommittee review courses that are specific to its discipline and agreed that this format be retained for at least another year. The group also agreed to retain the meeting structure from this meeting, with subcommittee chairs conducting conference calls with their respective groups before each meeting, then reporting back to their subcommittees via conference call afterward.