MINUTES OF THE

 

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

 

 

NCAA National Office                                                                                             October 27, 2005

Indianapolis, Indiana

 

 

Participants:

 

Michael Adams, University of Georgia

Philip Austin, University of Connecticut

Clinton Bristow Jr., Alcorn State University

Daniel Curran, University of Dayton

Paul Engelmann, Central Missouri State University

Robert Fisher, Belmont University

Walter Harrison, University of Hartford, chair

Martin Jischke, Purdue University

Arthur Kirk, St. Leo University

Peter Likins, University of Arizona

Kathryn Martin, University of Minnesota, Duluth

Sydney McPhee, Middle Tennessee State University

Michael Miranda, Plattsburgh State University of New York

Ivory Nelson, Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)

Shirley Raines, University of Memphis

Phillip Stone, Bridgewater College (Virginia)

Ron Wellman, Wake Forest University

John Welty, Fresno State University

Myles Brand, NCAA

Bernard Franklin, NCAA

Delise O'Meally, NCAA, recording secretary

 

G. Wayne Clough, Georgia Institute of Technology, was unable to participate.  Jack Swarbrick, chair of the NCAA/USOC Joint Task Force, attended a portion of the meeting.

 

Also in attendance were:  Scott Bearby, associate general counsel; Gary Brown, 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; Jim Isch, senior vice-president for administration/chief financial officer (CFO); Tom Jernstedt, executive vice-president; John Johnson, director of promotions and special events; Corey Jackson, interim director of diversity and inclusion; Kevin Lennon, vice-president for membership services; Keith Martin, managing director of finance and operations; Wallace Renfro, senior advisor to the NCAA president; Greg Shaheen, vice-president for Division I men’s basketball and championships strategies; Judith Sweet, senior vice-president for championships and education  


services/senior woman administrator; Charlotte Westerhaus, vice-president for diversity and inclusion; Bob Williams, managing director of public and media relations; David Berst, Daniel Dutcher and Mike Racy, NCAA governance vice-presidents; and Bridget Belgiovine, Beth DeBauche and Terri Steeb, NCAA governance directors.

 

 

[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 3:05 p.m. by the chair, President Harrison.  All members were present as noted above.

 

 

1.         Welcome and announcements.  President Harrison welcomed all attendees.  He specifically welcomed Shirley Raines, president of the University of Memphis. 

 

 

2.         Approval of August 4, 2005, meeting minutes. 

 

It was VOTED

 

“To approve the Executive Committee minutes of the August 4, 2005, meeting with an amendment to subparagraph 3(b) to revise the wording of the resolution as follows:  “Now, therefore, be it resolved that NCAA members shall be encouraged to review their policies and consider implementing the following….” [remainder unchanged]

 

 

3.         NCAA President’s report.  President Brand provided updates, discussed a series of initiatives and sought Executive Committee input.

 

a.         Strategic plan update. 

 

The Committee received an update on progress being made in the implementation of the Association’s strategic plan.  There are 18 objectives that support five goals, and 120 initiatives support those objectives.  Of the 120 initiatives identified in the plan, 16 have been completed (13 percent); 93 are in progress (78 percent) and 11 have yet to be started. 


 

b.         Internal review of enforcement policies and procedures. 

 

Franklin provided an overview of the internal review of enforcement policies and procedures.  He noted that the review was prompted by a risk assessment analysis conducted by Deloitte and Touche but also is an area of emphasis in the Association’s strategic plan.  The Association hired an external consultant, Jim Duff, a managing partner of Baker, Donalson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz.  The scope of work includes a review of all enforcement policies and procedures, including those related to the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions, the infractions appeals committees, as well as specific waiver processes in membership services

 

c.         National Invitation Tournament (NIT)/Men’s College Basketball Partnership.  

 

The Committee received an update on the NIT/Men’s College Basketball Partnership.  The NCAA associate general counsel informed the Committee of the establishment of a limited liability corporation to handle the business of the NIT. 

 

d.         Native American mascot update.

 

Franklin provided a brief update on the status of the Native American mascot review process.  Franklin noted that, as of October 26, five decisions had been rendered and two were pending.

 

 

4.         Membership issues.

 

The Committee reviewed a recommendation from the Divisions II and III President’s Councils to establish a working group to review issues related to membership growth and the status of those divisions.  The group would consist of presidents and chancellors from all three divisions due to the Association-wide nature of this issue and would forward recommendations to the Executive Committee by January 2007.  Recommendations from the group will focus primarily on ways through which Divisions II and III can exercise their divisional autonomy to reach their short-term and long-term membership goals.  The group would preserve the fundamental relationship that currently exists among the Association’s three divisions.

 

It was VOTED

 

“To establish a multidivisional working group to review issues related to membership growth and the status of Divisions II and III.”

 

5.         NCAA Executive Committee Finance Committee report.

 

The Committee received a report from the Executive Committee Finance Committee.  The Finance Committee recommended that the Executive Committee authorize the refinancing of approximately $9.6 million of outstanding bonds and the issuance of new debt of approximately $25 million.  The bonds to be refinanced were originally issued in 1999 for the NCAA office building furnishings and fixtures and for the construction of the NCAA warehouse.  The new debt will be used to purchase a portion of the NIT’s assets and/or pay for settlement costs associated with the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association lawsuit.

 

It was VOTED

 

“To approve the bond resolution series 2005.”

 

 

6.         NCAA/USOC Joint Task Force report.  

 

The Committee received a report from Jack Swarbrick, chair of the NCAA/USOC Joint Task Force.  Swarbrick provided an overview of the work of the task force and asked the Executive Committee to endorse a recommendation to establish a program to encourage the widespread adoption of the following value statement for maintaining broad-based intercollegiate athletics programs in the United States:

 

“[Insert name of organization or institution] believes that participation in intercollegiate athletics represents a uniquely valuable educational experience for student-athletes and enriches the quality of campus life generally.  As such, there is great benefit, consistent with the academic mission of American colleges and universities, in ensuring that diverse athletic opportunities are available to students, especially in those sports that connect to the Olympic ideals, inspire young people and attribute to a lifelong commitment to fitness.  We are committed to doing all we reasonably can to help ensure that those diverse athletic opportunities continue to exist as part of intercollegiate athletics in America.”

 

It was VOTED

 

“To endorse the recommendation”

 


 

7.         Centennial celebration. 

 

The Committee received an update on the NCAA centennial celebration and reviewed a document that provides an overview of the various programs and events that will celebrate this milestone.  The Convention planning staff noted that there has been an increase in the number of Convention registrants as compared to this time period last year. 

 

 

8.         Litigation update.  The Committee received a report from the NCAA general counsel regarding litigation and settlement actions.

 

 

9.         NCAA Division I Board of Directors and Divisions II and III Presidents Councils reports.  

 

a.         Division I Board of Directors.  The Committee received an update on the actions of the Division I Board of Directors, which included the following:

 

(1)        Term extension.  Granted a term extension on the Division I Board of Directors for Harrison to allow him to serve a two-year term as chair of the Executive Committee.

 

(2)        Senior woman administrator (SWA) designation. Adopted legislation to amend the definition of an SWA at both the institutional and conference levels to ensure it is clear the SWA title is a designation and not a role.

 

(3)        Division I Committee on Academic Performance.  Received a report from the Committee on Academic Performance and offered support for the suggested programs of rewards but requested that the program be further developed.  The Board of Directors also discussed the appropriate range for historical penalties.

 

(4)        Removal of phenylephrine from the list of NCAA-banned substances.  Approved removal of phenyleperine from the list of banned substances, effective immediately, as requested by the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports.

 

b.         Division II Presidents Council.  The Committee received an update on the actions of the Division II Presidents Council, which included the following:

 

(1)        Removal of phenyleprine from the list of NCAA-banned substances.  Voted to sponsor noncontroversial legislation to remove phenylephrine

from the list of NCAA-banned substances, effective immediately, as re
quested by the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. 

 

(2)        Division II Identity and Brand Management.  Conducted a meeting with the NCAA brand management and community relations staff and Jeff Jacobs, Trilix Marketing Group.  Focus groups will be conducted in November, with a report delivered to the residents and chancellors in attendance at the 2006 NCAA Convention.  A survey is being sent to all Division II institutions in February 2006.  Implementation of the program will begin at the start of the academic year in 2006.

 

(3)        Division II Presidents Council chair.  Charles Ambrose, Pfeiffer University, was elected chair of the Division II Presidents Council.  His term will begin immediately following the close of the Division II Business Session at the 2006 NCAA Convention.  .

 

(4)        Division II Management Council chair.  Jill Willson, director of athletics, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, was elected chair of the Division II Management Council.  Willson’s term will begin immediately following the close of the Division II Business Session at the 2006 NCAA Convention.

 

c.         Division III Presidents Council.  The Committee received an update on the actions of the Division III Presidents Council, which included the following:

 

(1)        Removal of phenylephrine from the list of NCAA-banned substances.  Voted to immediately remove phenylephrine from the list of NCAA-banned substances, effective immediately, as requested by the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. 

 

(2)        Membership issues.

 

(a)        Supported establishment of an Executive Committee multidivisional working group to address Association-wide membership issues.

 

(b)        Supported a membership-sponsored proposal to cap the Division III membership contingent on Executive Committee establishment of a multidivision working group and a delay in the consideration of the cap proposal until January 2007. . 


(c)        Adopted noncontroversial legislation to establish a Division III membership moratorium through January 2007, with the exception of institutions already in the exploratory or provisional process and any schools reclassifying as of June 1, 2006. 

 

(3)        Division III reform measure.  Opposed a series of membership sponsored legislative proposals that appear to directly contradict reform gains made in 2004

 

(4)        Division III strategic initiatives grant program.  Approved a Division III strategic initiatives grant program, effective 2006-07, to allocate approximately $1.5 million directly to conferences and the Association of Independents to support the division’s strategic plan through local-level control and programming. 

 

 

10.       NCAA Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues report. 

 

The Committee received a report from the Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues.  The subcommittee reviewed the NCAA’s four-year consideration of Native American mascots, names and imagery, which resulted in the Executive Committee’s August 2005 decision, and it maintains the use of hostile or abusive racial/ethnic/national origin mascots, names or imagery should not be permitted during NCAA championships. 

 

Additionally, the subcommittee reviewed the 2004 Racial and Gender Report Card and the Coaching and Gender Equity Project, noting that in Division I-A conference office positions, as well as the positions of head coach, athletics director, president, and faculty athletics representative were lacking in gender and ethnic minority representation. 

 

 

11.       Governmental relations report.  The Committee reviewed the governmental issues update.

 

 

12.       Future meetings.  The Committee reviewed its future meetings schedule.

 

 

13.       Adjournment.  The meeting adjourned at 5:15 p.m.

 

 

 

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