Four-division structure ...

Division I

• Athletics aid (defined levels of scholarship support)
• National recruiting base
• Largest financial commitment
• Programs that maintain clear line of demarcation between intercollegiate and professional sports

Division II

• Athletics aid (partial scholarships)
• Regional/community recruiting base
• Moderate financial commitment
• Institutionally subsidized programs that balance academic and athletics interests

Division III

• No athletics aid
• Current sport-sponsorship requirements
• Student body recruiting base
• Current or less restriction on athletics activities
• Financial commitment to support institution’s purpose for athletics (for example, programs that attract students or emphasize particular sports)
• Institutionally integrated programs that serve student body (consistent with current philosophy statement)

New Division
• No athletics aid
• Increased sport-sponsorship requirements
• Student body recruiting base
• Increased restriction on athletics activities
• Financial commitment to support institution’s purpose for athletics (for example, support broad range of sports)
• Institutionally integrated programs that serve student body (emphasizing proposed distinguishing characteristics listed below)

A new division or subdivision would distinguish itself by…
• Encouraging student-athletes to pursue a more broad-based educational experience and participate in a full range of available co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Athletics activities would be more limited in scope and duration.
• Holding institutions more accountable to philosophical priorities, through reporting or review processes in areas including financial aid, academic performance, special admissions, diversity, gender equity and sport equity.
• Empowering presidents with greater authority and responsibility for athletics programs, in consultation with appropriate campus constituencies, to ensure full integration of the athletics program with the institution’s educational mission.

A new division or subdivision could…
• Reduce contest maximums and the scope and length of playing and practice seasons to allow student-athletes greater flexibility to participate in a full range of co-curricular/extracurricular experiences.
• Establish a more limited recruiting process through such methods as recruiting calendars and limitations on in-person and electronic contact.
• Establish a regular review of academic performance comparing student-athletes to the general student body.
• Establish a regular review of the academic profile of entering student-athletes as compared to the general student body.
• Establish authority for the Presidents Council and/or Chancellors and Presidents Advisory Group to identify key proposals adopted or defeated by the membership and forward them directly to all presidents for reconsideration.

A new subdivision...

• Current or reduced sport-sponsorship requirement
• Common or separate championships
• Current or less restriction of student-athlete activities
• Current level of institutional accountability
• Current level of presidential involvement

• No athletics-based aid
• Shared philosophy statement
• Shared governance structure

• Increased sport-sponsorship requirement
• Common or separate championships
• Increased restriction of student-athlete activities
• Increased level of institutional accountability
• Increased level of presidential involvement