National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCAA News Archive - 2010

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Jul 15, 2010 8:52:18 AM

The Division II Management Council and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will focus on several areas of mutual interest this weekend when they meet in Indianapolis at their annual legislatively mandated Summit.

In addition to a review of several important legislative matters, the student-athletes and administrators also will discuss health and safety issues, along with information provided by the national office's student-athlete affairs staff.

With regard to legislation, they will consider possible adjustments to dates of competition in the nonchampionship segment as part of their discussions surrounding Phase II of the Life in the Balance initiative.

Various Division II committees and constituent groups have developed and analyzed possible legislation relating to Phase II of the Life in the Balance initiative over the last several months. Generally, the changes are expected to be modest, in keeping with the wishes of the Division II Presidents Council, which is taking a longer view of the effort.

However, the membership continues to have different perspectives regarding dates of competition in the nonchampionship segment.

The Legislation Committee has recommended, separate from the Life in the Balance initiative, that the Management Council sponsor proposals that would add dates of competition in the nonchampionship segment for baseball, softball and men's lacrosse. Since simply adding competition dates in selected sports may conflict with the goals of Life in the Balance, the possibility exists that the Presidents Council ultimately will not agree to sponsor the proposed changes.

In the alternative, and in response to the concerns voiced by the Presidents Council, the Management Council and the SAAC will be asked to consider a possible compromise that would permit a uniform number of dates of competition to occur in all sports that have legislated dates of competition in the nonchampionship segment [field hockey (5), women's lacrosse (5), men's and women's soccer (5 each), and women's volleyball (4)] and to consider adding a uniform number of dates to those sports that currently do not have a legislated number (for example, baseball, softball, lacrosse).

For sports currently with a legislated number, research indicates that institutions currently are averaging less than half of the maximum dates permitted. Those adjusted dates could form the foundation for a uniform number of competition dates in nonchampionship segments in all applicable sports.

Under the proposed compromise, the 24-day/45-day window of the nonchampionship segment would be maintained (along with exemptions for rowing and golf), and participation in annual and discretionary exemptions during the nonchampionship segment would remain permissible. There would be no limit on the number of contests on each competition date.

The SAAC and Management Council also will be asked to discuss the possibility of not charging any student-athlete with a season of competition for outside competition in the nonchampionship segment. Currently, the application of the rule varies based on the season in which the sport is played. As with the dates-of-competition proposal, the 24/45 element would be maintained, along with the stipulation that no class time could be missed for competition in the nonchampionship segment.