REPORT OF THE
1.
ACTION ITEMS.
a.
2002 NCAA Convention
Proposal No. 2-45 – Definition of Student-Athlete.
(1)
Recommendation. Oppose 2002 NCAA Convention
Proposal No. 2-45 sponsored by the Northwest Conference.
(2)
Rationale. The committee opposes the
proposal, inasmuch as the confusion it creates outweighs the benefit. The sponsors are trying to create an easier
way to track when an individual is a student-athlete or a student. The committee agreed that the outcome is
more confusing and more complex than its intended purpose. The committee agreed that the membership may
have a more difficult time tracking when an individual is or is not a
student-athlete (as opposed to the current consistent standard of “once a
student-athlete, always a student-athlete”).
The committee did not agree that the membership would benefit from this
proposal.
(3)
Budget Impact. None.
b.
Revisions
to NCAA Bylaws 17.02.2, 17.02.5 and 17.02.9 – Contest, Date of Competition –
Outside Competition.
(1)
Recommendation. Sponsor noncontroversial legislation for the
2002 Convention clarifying that an institution is charged with a date of competition
or contest if the institution’s team competes against an outside team or
another institution’s team.
(2)
Rationale. This recommendation is based
on 2002 Convention Proposal No. 2-53 sponsored by the Northwest Conference with
a slight modification, as recommended by the Management Council. The committee recommends that the new
language supplement the current language regarding competing against another
institution’s team. It should be noted
that the Northwest Conference intends to withdraw its proposal if this recommendation
is approved.
(3)
Budget Impact. None.
c.
Interpretation – Sanctioned
Summer Baseball Leagues.
(1)
Recommendation. Approve the following interpretation:
Involvement
of Institution’s Coach and Two-Year College Prospect in NCAA-Sanctioned Summer
Baseball Leagues (III). An
institution’s baseball coach may serve as a coach of a team in an NCAA-sanctioned
summer baseball league that has a two-year college prospect as a team member,
inasmuch as the league is considered competition that is organized and
administered by the applicable governing body or athletics authority (e.g.,
NCAA) in accordance with NCAA Bylaw 13.12.3.4.
[References: Official Interpretation
6/10/99, Item No. 1, and Bylaws 13.12.3.4 and 30.14]
(2)
Rationale. The committee issued this
interpretation in response to possible legal issues raised by NCAA legal
counsel. It is opposite the committee’s
initial interpretation issued in June 1999.
The new interpretation is consistent with Division II but opposite
Division I.
(3)
Budget Impact. None.
d.
Interpretation
– Bylaw 16.4 – Medical Expenses.
(1)
Recommendation. Approve the following interpretation related
to dietary supplements:
Dietary Supplements (III). It is not permissible for an institution to finance dietary
supplements (e.g., weight-gain muscle/strength-building, weight-loss
supplements) as medical expense benefits incidental to a student-athlete’s
participation in intercollegiate athletics.
[References: Official
Interpretation 12/11/98, Item No. 1, and Bylaw 16.4]
(2)
Rationale. The committee agreed that
this interpretation would clearly prohibit a Division III institution from
providing medical expense benefits for dietary supplements. Such expenses were previously identified as
impermissible expenses. With the
deregulation of Bylaw 16.4 at the 2000 NCAA Convention, such expenses were not
clearly identified as impermissible.
The committee will likely recommend that this interpretation be incorporated
into future versions of the Division III Manual.
(3)
Budget Impact. None.
e.
Interpretation
– Definition of a Scrimmage.
(1)
Recommendation. Approve the following interpretation related
to 2002 Convention Proposal No. 2-52:
Scrimmage – Definition (III). A “scrimmage” is defined as a contest between teams from two
institutions in which no admission is charged, the contest/date of competition
is not publicized, no official score is kept and both teams agree not to count
the contest/date of competition in their
respective won-loss
records. [Reference: 2002 Convention Proposal No. 2-52 and Bylaw
17]
(2)
Rationale. The committee agreed that a
definition of a scrimmage is necessary with the sponsorship of Proposal No.
2-52. This definition will provide
institutions with clear direction of what constitutes a scrimmage. The definition, with the recommended modification,
prevents an institution from benefiting from an additional contest/date of
competition.
(3)
Budget Impact. None.
f.
Interpetation
– Bylaw 17.1.4 – Sports Subject to Segment Limitations.
(1)
Recommendation. Approve the following interpretation related
to Bylaw 17.1.4 and sports that conclude with a National Collegiate
Championship:
Division III Sports that
Conclude with a National Collegiate Championship (III). Division III institutions must apply all Division III playing-
and practice-seasons legislation to Division III sports, regardless of the championship
opportunities (e.g., National Collegiate Championships, national governing
body) available in those sports.
[Reference: Bylaw 17.1.4]
(2)
Rationale. The committee reviewed Bylaw
17.1.4 in relation to the question of whether a Division III institution that
sponsors a sport that concludes with a National Collegiate Championship or a
national governing body championship could apply Division I playing- and
practice-seasons legislation. This
interpretation is consistent with the intent of 2001 Convention Proposal No.
62, adopted by the Division III membership, that limited all Division III
sports to 21 weeks in length.
2.
INFORMATIONAL ITEM.
Deregulation – Review of Bylaws 30 and 31. The committee will continue its deregulation efforts of Bylaws 30 and 31 in the coming months.
Chair: Suzanne Coffey, Bates College
Staff liaisons: Chris T.
Martin; Mweni Ekpo