`MINUTES
OF THE
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Gaylord
Texan Resort January
10, 2005
Grapevine, Texas
Participants:
Donald Beggs,
Wichita State University
Carol A.
Cartwright, Kent State University, chair
Mary Sue Coleman,
University of Michigan
Paul Engelmann, Central Missouri State University
George Hagerty, Franklin Pierce
College
Walter Harrison, University of
Hartford
Robert Hemenway, University of
Kansas
Arthur Kirk, St. Leo University
Peter Likins, University of Arizona
Sydney McPhee, Middle Tennessee State University
Michael Miranda, Plattsburgh State University of New York
Chris Monasch, America East
Conference
Phillip Stone,
Bridgewater College (Virginia)
John A. White,
Beth DeBauche, NCAA, recording secretary
Myles Brand, NCAA
Bernard Franklin, NCAA
Clinton Bristow
Jr., Alcorn State University; G. Wayne Clough, Georgia Institute of Technology;
Scott Cowan, Tulane University; and
Also in attendance were: Gary Brown, associate director of The
NCAA News; Erik Christianson, director of public and media relations; Elsa
Cole, NCAA general counsel; Dennis Cryder, senior vice-president for branding and
communications; Gail Dent, associate director of public relations; Jim Isch,
senior vice-president for administration/chief financial officer (CFO); Tom
Jernstedt, executive vice-president; John Johnson, director of promotions and special
events; Kevin Lennon, vice-president for membership services; Keith Martin,
managing director of finance and operations; Wallace Renfro, senior advisor to
the NCAA president;
[Note: These minutes contain only actions taken
(formal votes or stated "sense of the meeting") in accordance with
NCAA policy regarding minutes of all Association entities. While certain items on the
Committee’s agenda were acted on at various times throughout the meeting,
all final actions within a given topic are combined in these minutes for
convenience of reference.]
The meeting was called to order
at
1. Welcome
and announcements. President
Cartwright thanked George Hagerty, the departing Division II Presidents Council
chair. She also thanked the
departing Divisions II and
2. Approval
of October 28, 2004, meeting minutes.
It
was VOTED
“To
approve the Executive Committee minutes of the October 28, 2004, meeting as distributed.”
3. NCAA President’s Report.
a. College
basketball partnership. President
Brand informed the Committee that the NCAA has brought together a group of
men’s basketball stakeholders to help define and distinguish the game of
men’s collegiate basketball as a separate game from that of the professional
one in an effort to more positively position our game to allow for future health
and growth. This partnership is an
informal group outside the normal NCAA committee structure, including a number
of persons who do not have NCAA standing, such as members of the broadcast
media and sports executives. Additional
participants may be added as the group’s conversation evolves.
b. Implementation of the student-athletes first philosophy. President Brand provided a brief update on the initial stages of the implementation of the student-athletes first philosophy, which places student-athletes at the heart of decision-making. He noted that good progress has been and will continue to be made.
c.
Mandatory binding arbitration. Phillip Stone informed the Committee
that Division
It was VOTED
“To establish a subcommittee of the Executive Committee to work with NCAA general counsel to explore whether, as a condition of membership, active members, member conferences, provisional members and affiliate members, should be subject to mandatory binding arbitration of claims arising under either federal or state law against the NCAA, its officers, employees and agents.”
4. NCAA
Executive Committee Finance Committee report.
a. First quarter budget-to-actual. The Committee reviewed the financial schedules for the first quarter 2004-05 budget-to-actual.
b. Fiscal year 2003-04 audited statements. The Executive Committee reviewed the audited financial statements prepared by the audit firm of Deloitte and Touche. Deloitte and Touche issued an unqualified opinion for the fiscal year September 1, 2003, through August 31, 2004, financial statements.
It was VOTED
“To approve the audited financial statements prepared by the audit firm of Deloitte and Touche.”
c. Reserve
policies. The Committee also
reviewed the Association’s reserve policies for fiscal year 2003-04,
noting these policies will be modified in 2004-05 to assist in funding the
quasi-endowment as noted in subparagraph (2) below. The policies for Association-wide
unrestricted reserves primarily consist of three funds:
(1) Association-wide
reserve ($54 million). This reserve
is established at one-third of the operating budget less revenue distributions. In 2004-05, this allocation will be
re-titled the NCAA operating reserve.
(2) Working
capital reserve ($49 million). This
reserve is established to provide cash flow needs until the majority of revenues
are received following the Division I Men's Basketball Championship. In 2004-05, this allocation will be
reallocated as the NCAA Quasi-Endowment.
(3) Office
building improvement reserve ($3.2 million). This reserve is established to meet the
facility repair and renewal needs of the national office, warehouse and Hall of
Champions. It is allocated $300,000
per year.
d. Recommended uses of unallocated assets. The Executive Committee reviewed the
recommended uses of net unallocated assets.
It
was VOTED
“To
approve the following uses as recommended:
“(1) $13.7 million
allocated to Division I institutions in accordance with the fiscal year 2003-04
basketball and broad-based revenue distribution formulas.
“(2) $13.7 million
allocated to the NCAA Quasi-Endowment in accordance with the recently approved
quasi-endowment policy.
“(3) $1.3 million
allocated to student-athlete programs as part of an ongoing effort to gradually
transfer the budget obligations from the former NCAA Foundation to the NCAA.
“(4) $700,000
allocated to information technology to address some of the backlog that exists
in moving more NCAA business applications to the Web.”
e. Future interest income allocations. The Executive Committee reviewed recommended
allocations for future interest income.
It
was VOTED
“To approve allocation of all future interest earnings to the quasi-endowment and that the backfill of the base operating budget will occur over the next several years as funds are available.”
f. Financial recovery plan. The Executive Committee reviewed a plan that provides direction should, for any reason, the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship be canceled. Several sources for recovery would be considered, including reserves, operating budget reductions, revenue distribution reductions, CBS payments and insurance. Any or all of these sources might be used to fully recover from a loss.
It
was VOTED
“To approve the financial recovery plan as described.”
g. Risk assessment. The Committee heard a report from Deloitte and Touche regarding key risks that could impact the Association:
(1) Adverse
reputation and brand impacts due to external and Association actions.
(2) Lack
of revenue diversification.
(3) Limitations
on the NCAA's ability to effectively govern due to federal or state legislative
intervention or adverse legal interpretation of NCAA regulations and standards.
The finance committee recommended that the
Executive Committee encourage management to implement the mitigating strategies
developed jointly by Deloitte and Touche and NCAA staff.
h. Fiscal year 2004-05 audit emphasis. The finance committee approved the following Deloitte and Touche audit services for upcoming years:
(1) Audit
of the fiscal year 2004-05 financial statements.
(2) Audit
of the fiscal year 2004-05 qualified savings and retirement plans.
(3) Preparation
of federal, state, benefits and property tax returns.
(4) Exempted
contest agreed-upon procedures.
The finance committee
also approved the following additional audit services with the understanding
that management would prioritize the work over the next two years depending on
the project scope and available resources.
Staff are authorized to use appropriate consultants or audit firms
(other than Deloitte and Touche) to complete the work.
(1) Television
and marketing assets valuation.
(2) Championships
site selection and ticketing procedures.
(3) Initial-Eligibility
Clearinghouse process review.
(4) Sales
tax recovery project related to hotel occupancy costs.
(5) Training
related to corporate sponsorships.
i. Fiscal year 2005-06 preparation budget timeline. The Committee reviewed the 2005-06 budget process and timeline. The upcoming year is the second year of the biennium, so only inflationary requests for existing programs will be considered.
5. Centennial celebration. The Executive Committee heard an update regarding the NCAA centennial celebration. The mission of the centennial celebration is to commemorate 100 years of intercollegiate athletics, by focusing on the student-athlete, in a manner that honors the past, highlights the advocacy and reform initiatives of the present and provides a look into the future. This year-long celebration, which will begin at the 2006 NCAA Convention, presents an opportunity for the Association to illustrate its breadth and depth and share its role within higher education and intercollegiate athletics with the general public, media, external stakeholders and the NCAA members.
6. NCAA
7. Task Force on Presidential Authority. The Committee received a report from the chair of the Task Force on Presidential Authority, which is examining ways for the NCAA president to reduce expenditures and enhance efficiencies in the NCAA committee structure. Based on that examination, the task force recommended adoption of a resolution.
It was VOTED
“That the following Resolution shall be adopted, which provides:
“Whereas, the current NCAA committee structure consists of 182 committees, which involves over 1,600 membership representatives at a cost of more than five million dollars annually;
“Whereas, the NCAA Executive Committee has a fiduciary duty to ensure the efficient management of the Association and intercollegiate athletics in keeping with good business practices and the NCAA Strategic Plan;
“Whereas, the NCAA Executive Committee has empowered the NCAA staff to assume a more active leadership role in the administration and direction of the NCAA, which has, and will continue to, result in changing the function of a number of committees;
“Whereas, recent technological advances have resulted in more efficient modes of communication such as telephone, video and Web-based conferencing, which have demonstrated cost savings;
“Now, Therefore Be It Resolved, that expenditures associated with the NCAA committee structure shall be reduced by:
· “Increasing the use of new and different technologies to disseminate information and conduct committee meetings;
·
“Modifying current committee
· “Reducing the size of NCAA committees by an average of 25 percent through term expirations and appropriate actions in each division to reconsider the size and responsibilities of ad hoc and standing committees and, therefore, in some instances, requiring legislative action.
“Be It Further Resolved, that the NCAA staff shall continue to study and examine the NCAA committee structure to identify means of alleviating bureaucratic inefficiencies and that an annual report shall be provided to the NCAA Executive Committee each January on the efforts to further streamline the NCAA committee structure.”
8. Litigation update. The Executive Committee received a report from the NCAA general counsel regarding litigation and settlement actions.
NCAA Constitution, Article
2. The Committee received a
report from the chair of the Executive Committee Subcommittee on NCAA
Constitution, Article 2, which indicated the subcommittee has preliminary
interest in recommending the adoption of a
new
institutional control bylaw to address violations of the principle of
student-athlete welfare through the application of a show-cause provision. The subcommittee also is interested in
recommending the adoption of a specific bylaw intended to address situations
where there has been knowing institutional involvement in offering or providing
prescription or banned drugs to a student-athlete to change athletics performance.
The subcommittee agreed that, at this stage in its examination, both options should
be subject to further consideration. The subcommittee plans to present its recommendations
to the Executive Committee at its April meeting.
9. NCAA
Division I
a. Division
I
(1) Basketball recruiting
and access legislative packages. The Board received separate presentations
from the executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and
the chief executive officer of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association regarding the development of their associations’
recruiting and access legislative packages. These legislative packages are scheduled
to receive consideration by the
(2) Report from the
Division I Baseball Issues Committee. The Board received a report from the Baseball Issues Committee regarding
that group’s recommendations for changes to the baseball playing season.
The Board indicated general support for the establishment of a uniform start
date but expressed concern with the current number of games and moving the
championship later. The Board suggested
that the committee consider modifying the length of the playing season by
reducing the maximum number of contests rather than moving the start date for
the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship one week later.
(3) Update from the
Committee on Academic Performance. The Board received a report on the work
and recommendations of the Division I Committee on Academic Performance and
approved the following:
(a) Academic progress rate (
(b) Teams with
(c) The maximum
contemporaneous penalty applicable to any team in any given year would be up
to, but not more than, 10 percent of the maximum financial aid team limit in
that sport.
(d) Institutional mission
should be a factor considered by the committee’s subcommittee on appeals
when considering waiver requests of the contemporaneous penalties.
(4) Discussion regarding
Division I-A membership standards.
Board members continued to express concern about the Division I-A
attendance requirement and requested that the NCAA staff, in conjunction with appropriate
Management Council and Conference
(5) Appointments. The
(a)
(b) NCAA Executive Committee.
Philip Austin, University of
Connecticut, Big East Conference, effective immediately.
Daniel Curran, University of Dayton, Atlantic 10 Conference (Division I-AA), effective April 29, 2005.
Philip Dubois, University of Wyoming, Mountain West Conference (Division I-A), effective April 29, 2005.
Stephen Flatt, Lipscomb University, Atlantic Sun University (Division I-AAA), effective April 29, 2005.
John Welty, Fresno State
University, Western Athletic Conference (Division I-A), effective April 29,
2005.
(c) Division
I Budget Committee.
b. Division
II Presidents Council. The
Committee received an update on the actions of the Division II Presidents
Council:
(1) 2005 NCAA Convention update. The chair of the Presidents Council reported that all 32 Presidents Council-sponsored proposals were adopted by the division’s membership, including the proposal that would require as a condition of active Division II membership that all Division II institutions submit the academic success rate data on an annual basis in a form prescribed by the Management Council.
(2) Initiative
to examine the structure of football. The Presidents Council indicated its
willingness for the Management Council to begin an initiative with the Divisions
I and
(3) Chief Executive Officer Leadership Summit. The chair of the Presidents Council provided an update on the Division II Chief Executive Officer Leadership Summit, scheduled for June 24-26 in Orlando, Florida. Formal notification regarding this event will be sent to the Division II membership within the next few weeks.
(4) Ratification of appointments. The Presidents Council ratified the appointment of the following Division II Management Council representatives:
(a) Glenn Stokes, faculty athletics representative, Columbus State University, Peach Belt Conference.
(b) Laure Smith, senior woman administrator, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
(c) David Riggins, director of athletics, Mars Hill College, South Atlantic Conference.
c. Division
(1) 2005
NCAA Convention update. The chair of the Division
(2) Future
of Division
(3) Financial
aid audit. Division
(4) Financial
crisis plan. Division
10. NCAA Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues report. The Executive Committee received a report from the chair of the Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues that the institutional self-studies are ongoing regarding the use of American Indian mascots. The subcommittee plans on providing its findings to the Executive Committee in August 2005.
11. Executive
Committee chair selection. With
the term of President Cartwright, Executive Committee chair, scheduled to expire
after the April 2005 meeting, nominations were sought for a new NCAA Executive
Committee chair.
It
was VOTED
“That
Executive Committee member
12. Governmental
relations report. The Committee
reviewed the governmental issues update.
13. Future meetings. The
Committee reviewed its future meetings schedule.
14. Adjournment. President
Cartwright adjourned the meeting at