REPORT OF THE
NCAA DIVISION III
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
1.
ACTION ITEMS.
a.
“Exploratory
Period” Registration Fee.
(1)
Recommendation. Require all institutions registering to
start the one-year “exploratory period” to submit a $500 nonrefundable
registration fee that will be subtracted from the overall educational fee of
$12,000.
(2)
Rationale. The committee determined this fee was
necessary to cover the services that will be provided to institutions during
the one-year “exploratory period.”
The fee would cover mailings, administrative costs and expenses related
to the required informational meeting conducted during this period (see Item
1-b). This fee will be subtracted
from the $12,000 educational fee, so that no additional cost would be incurred
by institutions wishing to complete the provisional membership process.
(3)
Budget Impact. None.
b.
“Exploratory
Period” Required Meeting.
(1)
Recommendation. Require all institutions in the
one-year “exploratory period” to attend one of the two informational meetings
conducted by the NCAA staff and committee.
(2)
Rationale.
In addition to receiving information from the NCAA national office,
institutions would be required to attend one informational meeting. These meetings would cover the
provisional membership process and Division III membership requirements. It is envisioned that the Division III
philosophy statement also will be reviewed. The committee will conduct two sessions – one during
the NCAA Convention and one in the fall at the national office. Institutions could choose to attend either
session.
(3)
Budget Impact. None.
c.
Random
Selection Process – Deferring of Start Date.
(1)
Recommendation. Approve
the principle that any institution that wishes to defer its start date must do
so prior to the random selection process.
(2) Rationale. Requiring institutions to take action prior to the selection would clarify and simplify the process of determining start dates. The committee envisioned a situation in which an institution or a group of institutions deferred their start dates following the selection process. The committee was not able to create a viable solution to this situation. Using this principle, for example, an institution that desires to start not sooner than a certain year must notify the committee of this date prior to the completion of the random selection process. The institution then would be placed in the selection pool starting with that desired year. An institution that wishes to defer its start date after the random selection process will be placed in the first available slot after all other institutions have been slotted.
(3) Budget Impact. None.
.
d.
Institutional
Self-Study Guide (ISSG) Due Dates for New Active Members – Noncontroversial
Legislation.
(1)
Recommendation. Sponsor noncontroversial legislation to
specify that institutions completing the provisional membership process and becoming
active members must complete an Institutional Self-Study Guide (ISSG) by the
end of the first year of active membership, regardless of when the previous
self-study was completed.
(2)
Rationale.
This recommendation is consistent with the current once-in-five-year
requirement and clarifies ISSG due dates for new active members. Under the current process, it is
possible for a school to go nine years without completing one ISSG, as
first-year provisional members must complete the ISSG, with the next ISSG due
five years from the date the school is granted active membership.
(3)
Budget Impact. None.
e.
NCAA
Bylaw 20.02.5.3 (Emerging Sports for Women – Rowing) – Editorial Revision.
(1)
Recommendation. Editorially revise NCAA Bylaw 20.02.5.3
by deleting the current legislation, inasmuch as the sport of women’s rowing is
no longer an emerging sport for women.
(2) Rationale. This legislation is no longer applicable since women’s rowing is an NCAA championship sport.
(3) Budget Impact. None.
2. INFORMATIONAL
ITEMS.
a.
Membership
Section on the NCAA Web Site. The committee is exploring the
possibility of creating a “provisional membership section” on the NCAA Web site
that would include all relevant information, as well as the annual report forms
for use by provisional members.
Such information would be extremely beneficial to prospective
provisional members and current active and provisional members.
b.
Provisional
Member Annual Report Example. The committee approved a sample
provisional member report that will be mailed to all provisional members this
spring to assist them in completing the provisional member annual reports.
c. Sports Sponsorship Issue Alternate Forms of Bowling. The committee reviewed the issue of using alternate forms of bowling (such as candlepin) to meet sports sponsorship requirements. The committee noted that emerging sports for women, such as bowling, may not be used to meet sports sponsorship requirements. The committee will continue its discussion of sports that may or may not be used for sports sponsorship purposes.
d. Issue of “Institutional Responsibility.” The committee asked the staff to add this issue to the regional compliance seminar presentations on Bylaw 14 (Eligibility). The committee also requested that the staff continue to explore the possibility of using the NCAA Compliance Assistant Software for Division III institutions. Additional information on this topic will be presented to the committee during its June in-person meeting.