Calendar

STATE LEGISLATION

Deadline approaches for bill in California State Assembly

A California legislative proposal that could require 47 universities and colleges in that state to discontinue membership in the NCAA did not advance from committee prior to a June 25 deadline for reporting bills to the state Assembly, and will die if no further action is taken before the legislature's scheduled August 31 adjournment.

SB 193 would prohibit California universities and colleges from membership in any organization whose rules restrict student-athlete grants-in-aid, health insurance coverage, agent relationships and transfers to other institutions. The bill was passed in May 2003 by the California State Senate and was then assigned to the California State Assembly's Committee on Higher Education, which held a hearing on the proposal in July 2003.

The bill also was the focus of an October 2003 meeting hosted by the Pacific-10 Conference. That session involved legislators and representatives of members institutions of the NCAA and other intercollegiate athletics associations.

Many of the issues raised in the bill recently have been addressed by new NCAA legislation or are under active review by governance groups.

STAFF CONTACT: Abe Frank (afrank@ncaa.org)

DATA COLLECTION

Division I programs reminded to submit APR data this fall

In May, the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program (APP) data-collection mechanism was made available to all institutions sponsoring Division I sports. As was detailed in a February 5 memorandum, the APP is an Internet-based software program for the electronic management and submission of academic-performance data that supports the Academic Progress Rate (APR), the newly created measurement for academic success that anchors the disincentives structure. These data are required to be submitted based on the Board's adoption of NCAA Proposal Nos. 03-112 and 02-72. Access to the program is available at: web1.ncaa.org/APP.

The APR is a term-by-term measure of eligibility, retention and graduation for student-athletes who have received athletics grants-in-aid during the academic terms in question.

Official electronic submission of the data to calculate the APR is required within two weeks after the first day of classes each fall term and must be completed by an institutional official designated by the CEO. Institutions that fail to submit their data by the required date may render their athletics team ineligible for postseason competition.

STAFF CONTACT: Eric Hartung (ehartung@ncaa.org)