While Division II delegates to the 100th annual NCAA Convention will be properly focused on the 40 legislative proposals to be considered during the January 9 business session, they also will be drawn to many forward-looking presentations that will take place January 7 and 8.

A number of important potential changes are nested among the 40 proposals for the 2006 Convention. In particular, Proposal No. 23 would establish an appropriate penalty structure as part of the enforcement and championship-selection process. The proposal is intended to encourage the membership to self-report NCAA rules violations as quickly as possible and to minimize the likelihood of ineligible student-athletes taking part in regular-season or postseason play.

Other notable proposals include the following:

• No. 17, which would impose financial and other penalties on institutions that fail to complete the institutional self-study guide within the required five-year period. 
• No. 19, which would give Division II approval to create a clearinghouse to certify that prospective student-athletes comply with amateurism regulations.
• No. 22, which would create new academic requirements for student-athletes who transfer to a Division II institution with only one season of eligibility remaining.
• No. 34, which would permit student-athletes and coaches in sports other than football to engage in countable athletically related activities outside the playing season.

The proposal to change the enforcement and championships-eligibility structure is the product of a two-year effort directed by Championships Eligibility Project Team. The proposal has been broadly vetted with the membership several times over the last two years, including an educational session at the 2005 Convention, and is expected to pass easily.

“I believe Proposal No. 23 is a good example of how our member schools and conferences can use effective communication so that most of the membership can understand and support a proposal before it reaches the Convention floor,” said Division II Vice President Mike Racy. “We’re hoping we can help achieve similar buy-in with a number of other issues that will be discussed on January 7 and 8.”

A series of educational sessions from 9:15 to noon January 8 will be especially important. During 45-minute segments, the delegates will discuss issues such as “Spectator Interest in Division II Athletics — Involving the Community” (by media consultant Rich Luker); development of the new amateurism clearinghouse; and prospects for changes in Division II postseason football, as reported by the Division II Football Task Force.

Also, at 10 a.m. January 8, Division II presidents and chancellors — perhaps as many as 90 — will conduct a follow-up to the highly successful Division II Chancellors and Presidents Summit conducted last June. They are expected to focus on membership issues and ways to promote the division. At noon, Division II delegates will hear a report from the Division II Regionalization Task Force, which will seek feedback to concepts it has developed to bring more stability and uniformity to Division II’s championships-regionalization policy.

Another important session will take place at 1:30 p.m. January 7 when the national office broadcast services staff provides a presentation on television, radio and other media opportunities for Division II.