Feedback Forum is a feature designed to highlight key issues or potential policy changes and solicit immediate feedback from the membership.

The types of issues on which Feedback Forum will seek input are:

Proposed policy and procedural changes. Periodically, the national office staff is asked to change, revise or eliminate a policy or procedure that may affect member institutions, conferences or the general public. If the suggested changes are legislative in nature and contained in the Manual, it would be necessary for them to be considered in accordance with the policies established by each division. There are instances, however, in which the changes being suggested are not legislative; rather, they are procedural and are left to the discretion of the appropriate oversight committee and/or staff. In such cases, because the changes may affect member institutions, it would be advantageous for the staff to receive input from member schools as to how the oversight committee and/or national office should proceed.

Proposed rule-making changes. NCAA committees and cabinets routinely seek feedback on key issues they are addressing. This feedback is sought through a variety of means (for example, circulation of agendas and supplements before meetings, direct mailings soliciting feedback). Though the staff will continue to solicit membership feedback in those ways, Feedback Forum will highlight key issues being discussed before important meetings in order for the appropriate committees to receive membership input to help guide their decisions.

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This edition of Feedback Forum features the NCAA Divisions I and II Coaches' Certification Exam Online Testing Program.

Beginning with the 2003-04 academic year, member institutions and conferences had the ability to access the NCAA Divisions I and II Coaches' Certification Exam via the Internet. The exam is designed to test institutional coaching staff members' knowledge of the NCAA Manual and the practical application of NCAA rules related to recruiting, eligibility and financial aid.

The online testing initiative was carried out in order to provide member institutions and conferences with improved access to the exam and answer keys and eliminate the need for a paper test with scantron-scoring. This method of testing will be used again for the 2004-05 exams, and the NCAA membership services staff currently is in the process of creating the tests and updating the Web site.

The ultimate goal is to completely eliminate the need for a paper exam. The membership services staff wants input regarding the online testing procedures, including suggestions for improvement, and comments or suggestions about the content of the exams. In this manner, the staff may better understand and serve the needs of member institutions and conferences with regard to the administration of the Divisions I and II Coaches' Certification Exams and determine whether the exam is accomplishing its intended purpose as an educational tool.

First, begin by letting us know if you used the online exam last year, whether you will use it again this year and whether you prefer to use the online version or the paper version of the exam. You may include comments regarding ease of use, security and accessibility and any other suggestions deemed appropriate. In addition, please include comments regarding exam content, including, for example, whether the exam was too simple or too difficult. You also may suggest additional relevant questions to be included on future exams. As always, feedback is critical to the development of such initiatives, so suggestions and comments are encouraged and may be forwarded to the membership services staff at feedbackforum@ncaa.org.