REPORT OF THE

REPORT OF THE JOINT MEETING OF THE

NCAA COMMITTEE ON WOMEN’S ATHLETICS

AND NCAA MINORITY OPPORTUNITIES AND INTERESTS COMMITTEE

ACTION ITEMS.

1. Legislative Action Items.

· None

2. Nonlegislative Items.

· None

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.

Association-wide.

1. NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics Update. The Committee on Women’s Athletics chair, Janet Kittle, provided an update on the Life/Work Balance Task Force Executive Summary and highlighted some of the recommendations noted in the report. During the 2007 Convention, the NCAA Executive Committee received the task force report and stated its approval of the work accomplished. The chair of the Executive Committee, Walter Harrison, will continue to work with Carol Cartwright, task force chair to oversee that the recommendations are referred to the appropriate divisional governance bodies, to continue to build campus connections, to model and communicate best practices and to sponsor legislation as seen fit. The Big East Conference requested the NCAA staff share more information on this topic at its next joint meeting. A status report regarding the topic of male practice players was provided to the joint group.

2. Minority Opportunities and Interest Committee Update. The Committee on Minority Opportunities and Interest chair, Robert Vowels, provided a brief overview of topics of interest being discussed by the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee to include the Division I governance structure and long range budget planning. The Black Coaches Association has requested the Committee on Minority Opportunities and Interests look at extending its current policy/position to address nonpredetermined sites. A letter was drafted to send to the Urban League and the Southern Leadership Conference regarding the Committee on Minority Opportunities and Interests’ current policy/position on the matter. Mr. Vowels described discussions regarding the confederate flag and related that the moratorium that currently is in place for NCAA championships being held in pre-determined sites should not be extended to hosting of sites not predetermined.

3. Division I Governance Group Restructuring Discussion. The Committee on Women’s Athletics and Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee had an opportunity to meet with the members of the Division I governance staff during their individual committee meetings to receive an update. The Committee on Women’s Athletics and Minority and Opportunities Interests Committee had an opportunity to address their concerns regarding how gender and diversity were being applied in the new committee design related to the proposed available leadership and legislative opportunities. It was stated that the governance working group of NCAA Division I Management Council is continuing to accept feedback and have conversations with other association-wide committees, which will be forwarded to the Management Council. The joint group considered suggestions that the chairs of both the Committee on Women’s Athletics and the Committee on Minority and Opportunity Interests should serve as ex-officio members of the Leadership Council, if it becomes a part of the final recommendation, and that the new structure’s appointments might include triggers when the groups fall below certain minimums related to diversity. It was noted that at this time, members of the NCAA diversity and inclusion staff have not been requested to or been included in previous discussions. An Ad Hoc group of the Minority and Opportunities Interests Committee and the Committee on Women’s Athletics members has been formed to continue to look at the issue once a final recommendation has been made.

4. Review of the 2004-05 Race and Gender Demographics of Member Institutions Athletics Personnel Report. The Committee on Women’s Athletics and the Minority and Opportunities Interests Committee reviewed the 2004-05 statistical data collected from the most recent Race and Gender Demographics of NCAA member institutions’ athletics personnel. With 1995 as the baseline year for which all comparisons on the data were made, the report provided statistics about administrative staff and coaches by race and gender. The report reveals that increases have been minimal for minorities and women in these positions.

5. NCAA Award Nomination Process. The Committee on Women’s Athletics and Minority and Opportunities Interests Committee received an update from staff member Sharon Tufano on the responsibilities of the Honors Committee. The Honors Committee is responsible for selecting the award winners of the Theodore Roosevelt, Inspiration and Valor Awards, 25th Anniversary and Top VIII honors. The Awards Committee has continued to express concern with the diversity of the pool of candidates for many of these awards and continues to encourage other committees and individuals in the membership to nominate individuals to be considered as candidates. Presently, all previously awarded Top VIII award winners that have been out of intercollegiate athletics for at least a period of 25 years are being considered for the 25th Anniversary Awards.

6. Third-Cycle Certification Topics. The Committee on Women’s Athletics received an update from staff member and primary liaison to the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification, Amy Huchthausen. The NCAA Division I Board of Directors adopted three proposals recently related to the operating principles, which will continue to be responsive to increased accountability as it relates to matters of gender and diversity. The Committee on Athletics Certification desires to continue to increase the measurable standards of programs and activities for student-athletes, as well as to include individuals outside of the athletics department as part of the institution’s accountability team to ensure that all stated goals of certification are being met. The Committee on Athletics Certification has received and reviewed the NCAA Diversity Leadership Strategic Planning Committee’s report and will use some of those recommendations to strengthen the certification process.

7. Diversity Leadership Strategic Planning Committee Recommendations. The Minority and Opportunities Interests Committee received an overview regarding the charge of the Diversity Leadership Strategic Planning Committee and the current status of the report. The report was disseminated at the 2007 NCAA Convention and presentations were made to the divisional Management Councils and Presidential bodies as well as the Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity. All proposed recommendations will be reviewed by the appropriate legislative groups and vetted throughout the governance structure. The Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity has asked for further clarification regarding some of the proposed recommendations and will look at the report in greater detail during its April meeting. At that time, the final report will then be presented to the Executive Committee for a final review and approval. Any proposed legislation that may come from the stated recommendations will be proposed by the appropriate committee. Many of the programmatic recommendations will be handled by the National Office or the membership itself, depending on available funding sources. The Committee on Women’s Athletics and Minority and Opportunities Interests Committee will look individually and collectively at the report to identify areas where they can move forward with recommendations both legislatively and programmatically. Potential joint efforts between the two committees include the development of a hiring best practices tool for the entire Association.

8. Review of Association-Wide Committee Biennial Budget Process and Discussion of Joint Budget Process. A subcommittee of members from both the Committee on Women’s Athletics and Minority and Opportunities Interests Committee was formed to develop a timeline and determine committee and joint initiatives that may be addressed during the next biennial budge cycle.

Committee Chair(s): Janet Kittell, Indiana University, Bloomington, Big Ten Conference and

Robert C. Vowels, Southwestern Athletic Conference