The Division III Initiatives Task Force reviewed present and past initiatives and heard presentations on several successful programs when it met September 13 in Indianapolis.

The task force also reviewed the Division III strategic plan and discussed the role of the plan in the efforts of the task force and the long-term goals of the initiatives.

"After analyzing the grant requests and examining the progress of the initiatives, the task force felt strongly that the initiatives are really making a difference in Division III student-athlete welfare and diversity," said John Biddiscombe, athletics director of Wesleyan University (Connecticut) and chair of the task force.

The task force, which remains committed to all of the 2002-03 initiatives and the extension of the initiatives through 2003-04, also noted that a better budget situation than expected means that it could recommend the restoration of funds that had to be reallocated last year in an effort to offset an overage in championships expenses.

The task force also remains committed to its three priority areas -- student-athlete welfare, diversity, and membership education and communication -- and it discussed the possible reallocation of some unallocated funds from the 2001-02 budget.

To assist with an in-depth examination of programs and possible reallocation of unspent money, the task force asked the chair to appoint a subcommittee to make specific recommendations. Those appointed to this subcommittee are: Biddiscombe; Carlyle Carter, commissioner of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference; Kathryn Springsteen, faculty athletics representative and vice-president of academic affairs, Wilmington College (Ohio); Tom Courtice, president of Ohio Wesleyan University; and Meg Stevens, State University College at Cortland, student-athlete representative.

The task force asked the subcommittee to consider reinstating the conference technology grant during 2003-04, which had been reduced to $5,000 from 10,000, at a cost of $200,000. It's likely the subcommittee also will look at restoring $120,000 to the women and ethnic minority internship program and $100,000 each to the three initiative grant programs (student-athlete welfare, membership education and diversity). The subcommittee also will consider increasing the maximum initiatives grant from $5,000 to $10,000.

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