The Division II Membership Review Project Team has developed a series of proposals designed to strengthen provisional membership requirements without adversely affecting the current active membership.

The proposals must be reviewed by the Division II Management and Presidents Councils and, in most cases, acted upon by the Division II membership at the 2002 NCAA Convention to become effective.

Finally, current active and provisional members would have three years (August 1, 2005) to comply with the new sports sponsorship legislation, if it were adopted at the 2002 Convention.

"Also, to be honest, we weren't sure we could sell the Division II membership on going to a 12-sport requirement. I think the 10-sport recommendation is a good compromise for the Division II membership."

Hughes, director of athletics at Central Missouri State University, noted that the existing membership should have little trouble meeting the proposed standards. Most institutions likely sponsor 10 sports as it is, but by permitting indoor and outdoor track to count separately and by permitting sports sponsored at the Division I level to count, the project team believes that the vast majority of active members will comply without having to add more sports. The changes, however, will raise the sports sponsorship bar for some prospective members since schools would have to meet the requirements at the time of Division II provisional membership application.

Financial aid

At least 50 percent of the equivalency maximum met in four sports (at least two women's sports).

At least 20 total equivalencies in all sports, with at least 10 of those in women's sports.

At least $250,000 in aggregate athletics aid expenses (at least $125,000 in women's sports).

A waiver opportunity also would be created for the new financial aid requirement.

"With the proposed financial aid requirements, we're trying to put some teeth into our philosophy," Hughes said. "Almost every one of our current members meets one of the three proposed standards, so, again, the change shouldn't have a major effect on our current membership. But this would put into legislative form what Division II stands for. These proposals also respect institutional autonomy -- you would be able to put your aid where you want to."

As with sports sponsorship, provisional applicants would need to meet a component of the new financial aid requirement before the institution would be accepted as a Division II provisional member.

Provisional member changes

The project team also recommended other changes for provisional and reclassifying members.

For prospective Division II members, it recommended extending the provisional membership period to five years (from four) by adding a one-year exploratory period at the beginning of the period. The education process would continue to be administered over four years, but prospective provisional members would be required to file a "notice of intent to affiliate with Division II" at least one year before the June 15 provisional application deadline. A $1,000 nonrefundable exploratory fee would have to accompany the application. The project team agreed that the new five-year process should not apply to the first post-moratorium provisional class after the moratorium expires in the spring of 2002.

The project team also proposed raising the application fee from $2,500 to $5,000 to cover the Association's additional costs in administering the provisional membership process. The fee is nonrefundable for successful applicants.

The project team also is recommending that the first post-moratorium provisional member institutions meet new Division II sports sponsorship and financial aid requirements before their applications for provisional membership may be accepted.

As for reclassifying members, the project team recommended extending the reclassification period from two to three years and requiring that reclassifying institutions also meet Division II sports sponsorship requirements (10, if the proposal is accepted) in order for their intent to reclassify to be accepted. The project team also plans to discuss how to treat financial aid requirements for institutions reclassifying from Division III, where athletically related aid is not permitted.

Hughes said the project team has two more conference calls and another in-person meeting scheduled before it issues its final report. A number of issues remain to be addressed, such as whether it would be possible or appropriate to cap the number of provisional members annually, whether the Division II Philosophy Statement should be modified, whether membership requirements for conferences should be strengthened and whether the division should conduct its own study of Division II football issues.