The Association begins its second century January 5 when its 101st annual Convention opens at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando.

The legislative agendas in Divisions I, II and III touch on topics ranging from the regulation of text messaging in Division I to consideration of a second football championship in Division II to slowing membership growth in Division III.

But the theme for this year’s event — "An Association Providing Leadership in Changing Times" — may be best exhibited through a powerful set of Association-wide and division-specific "menu" presentations meant to stimulate discussion on the issues of the day. Those sessions will focus on a spectrum of social, technical and administrative topics in intercollegiate athletics.

As usual, the Convention will be about more than just business. Former National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will be recognized at the Honors Celebration January 7 with the Association’s highest honor, the Theodore Roosevelt Award, while Christine Grant, the longtime University of Iowa women’s athletics director, will receive the NCAA President’s Gerald R. Ford Award at the January 6 opening business session.

The 2007 Convention also will be marked by a return of daily editions of The NCAA News that will be delivered to the hotel room of every registered delegate the mornings of January 5-8.

An NCAA survey indicates that less than 1 percent of eligible student-athletes took advantage of a controversial new rule that is the subject of a Division I override vote at the January Convention.

Only 25 student-athletes who competed in one of four sports not eligible for the one-time transfer exception and graduated with eligibility remaining continued to participate in athletics at an institution other than the one from which they graduated. Earlier this year, the Division I Board of Directors adopted Proposal No. 05-54, which allowed student-athletes who received their undergraduate degree to transfer to another institution for graduate work and be immediately eligible for financial aid, practice and competition, no matter the student-athletes’ prior transfer history.

Compliance coordinators at 301 of 326 Division I schools responded to the survey.

Academic Progress Rate data showed that 14,457 student-athletes graduated during the 2004-05 year and 4,830 of them had eligibility remaining at the time of their graduation and were thus eligible to take advantage of the new rule.

Division II and CSTV have announced the schedule for six men’s and women’s regular-season basketball games to be aired over the cable television network, along with 61 games that will be offered through broadband broadcasts.

The 67-game schedule begins January 6 with six games offered via broadband at CSTV.com and NCAASports.com.

The first televised game is set for noon (Eastern time) January 20, when Eckerd’s and Rollins’ men teams tip off on CSTV.

Other televised contests include defending men’s champion Winona State vs. Northern State January 27; UC San Diego women vs. Cal State Chico February 3; Stonehill men vs. Bentley February 10; Washburn women vs. Emporia State February 17; and Armstrong Atlantic State women vs. Columbus State February 24.

The basketball series continues a partnership between CSTV and Division II that began with the airing this past fall of four football games on the television network, along with broadband broadcasts of 40 football games.

There is no subscription fee to view the advertiser-supported online broadcasts.