RESEARCH -- Race demographics study shows little positive change

The latest study of athletics personnel at NCAA member institutions shows few increases in the percentages over a four-year period of ethnic minority administrators and coaches employed by NCAA member schools.

In athletics administrator roles, the percentage of African-American males has decreased since 1995. That decrease was offset only minimally by a slight increase in African-American female administrators to produce a 0.3 percent increase in the number of African-Americans in overall administrative positions at Divisions I, II and III schools.

The positions of director of athletics, associate director of athletics, assistant director of athletics and senior woman administrator all declined slightly with regard to the percentage of ethnic minority representation.

Staff contact: Donnetta Moorman.

AMATEURISM -- Division I subcommittee takes action on education-expense issue

The Division I Subcommittee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement has taken steps to provide limited relief to prospective and enrolled student-athletes who have received impermissible educational expenses while in high school or preparatory school.

The subcommittee has sent a one-time directive to Division I institutions and conferences about reinstatement procedures to be used in cases involving student-athletes who received impermissible educational expenses to attend high school and preparatory schools.

The directive states that any impermissible educational expenses (for example, tuition, room, board and fees) received by an individual before August 1, 2000, for attendance at a high school or prep school before August 1, 2000, will result in the individual being withheld from the next 10 percent of his or her team's regularly scheduled contests following full disclosure of receipt of the benefit. Repayment of the impermissible expenses will not be required.

Staff contact: Julie Roe-Sumner.

BASKETBALL -- Committees agree to modify rules governing free-throw lanes

Committees agree to modify rules governing free-throw lanes

The NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Rules Committees recently agreed on a modification of existing free-throw-lane rules.

The men's committee voted to reduce the number of players permitted on the free-throw lane from eight to six (four defensive and two offensive, not including the shooter). The players in the two inside lane spaces will be permitted to position themselves to the edge of the block farthest from the end line. The change is meant to reduce congestion and the potential for rough play after a missed free throw.

The women's committee, which already limited the number of players on the free-throw lane to five (three defensive and two offensive), will continue that rule but permit the third defensive player in the lane away from the basket to line up at either the third or fourth position. Last season, the third defensive player away from the basket, who generally is charged with blocking out the shooter, was limited to the third lane position. The change is intended to give the third defensive player the flexibility to be closer to blocking out the shooter.

Staff contacts: Marty Benson (men) and Heather Yost (women).

LITIGATION

Judge in Cureton case denies plaintiffs' motion to reconsider

Judge in Cureton case denies plaintiffs' motion to reconsider

U.S. District Judge Ronald J. Buckwalter has denied a plaintiffs' motion for reconsideration of his previous order denying them the opportunity to amend their complaint in the case of Cureton v. NCAA. The plaintiffs had sought to amend the complaint to claim that the NCAA purposefully discriminates against Blacks through Division I initial-eligibility standards.

The plaintiffs appealed the latest decision to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Staff contacts: Elsa Cole.