MEMORANDUM

April 12, 2004

TO:  NCAA Executive Committee.

FROM:   Judy Sweet

               Senior Vice-President for Championships

                   and Education Services.

SUBJECT:  Playing-Rules Administration.

Recent events illustrate the need for the Association to review the manner in which NCAA playing rules are administered.

The changes that were made to the governance structure in 1997 created problems with playing-rules oversight that were not anticipated at the time.  The modified process calls for proposed changes to be reviewed by the governance structure in all three divisions.  While the approach seems sound in theory, it has caused confusion and has left the Association in a position in which delays in approval could become the norm if changes are not made.

In addition, the system also calls for the Executive Committee to resolve differences among the divisions when they reach different conclusions on playing rules.  I believe that the chief executive officers who serve on the Executive Committee should not be placed in a position to make decisions on such matters as the trapezoid lane in basketball.

With that in mind, I request that the Executive Committee direct the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet and the NCAA Divisions II and III Championships Committees to conduct a joint review of issues pertaining to playing-rules administration.

JMS:ks