SUPPLEMENT NO. 10

DIII Presidents Council 8/01

RELATED TO
MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENT NO. 11

DIVISION III AMATEURISM TASK FORCE

Summary of Recommendations

PRESIDENTS COUNCIL ACTION ITEMS

1.	ISSUE:	Operation Gold Grants – NCAA Bylaw 12.1.1.1.4.1.1.
Task Force Recommendation:
	Sponsor legislation to permit prospective and enrolled student-athletes to accept funds that are administered by the United States Olympic Committee pursuant to its Operation Gold program to be disbursed annually at one designated event. (See Supplement No. 19-b, Proposal No. 5.)
Management Council Recommendation:
	Sponsor the legislation.
2.	ISSUE:	Receipt of Prize Money Based on Place Finish – Bylaw 12.1.1.
Task Force Recommendation:
	Sponsor legislation to permit prospective student-athletes to accept prize money or other forms of compensation based on place finish from the sponsor of an open athletics event, the United States Olympic Committee or the appropriate national governing body in the sport without losing eligibility in that sport. (See Supplement No. 19-b, Proposal No. 6.)
Management Council Recommendation:
	Sponsor the legislation.
3.	ISSUE:	Seasons-of-Competition Rule – Bylaw 14.2.4.
Task Force Recommendation:
	a. Sponsor legislation to charge a prospective student-athlete with the loss of a season of competition for every year of participation in organized competition from the date of the prospective student-athlete’s next opportunity for collegiate enrollment after high-school graduation; also, that a prospective student-athlete would be required to fulfill an academic year-in-residence upon initial, full-time collegiate enrollment if the student-athlete engaged in such athletics participation after high-school graduation. Additionally, the bylaw should indicate that this legislation is triggered by the graduation of the prospective student-athlete’s expected class. Finally, the seasons-of-competition rule would be triggered if a student-athlete discontinues full-time high-school enrollment at any time and engages in organized competition. b. Approve the following exceptions to the application of the proposed seasons-of-competition rule: (1) Preparatory School. Participation in organized competition while enrolled in a postgraduate college preparatory school shall be exempted. This exception may only be utilized during the initial year of enrollment in the preparatory school. (2) Athletics Activity Exception. A maximum one-time one-year exception for participation in the following activities: (1) official Pan American, World Championships, World Cup, World University and Olympic training, tryouts and competition; (2) officially recognized training and competition directly qualifying participants for final Olympic tryouts; or (3) official tryouts and competition involving national teams sponsored by the appropriate national governing bodies of the U.S. Olympic Committee (or for student-athletes representing another nation, the equivalent organization of that nation, or for student-athletes competing in a non-Olympic sport, the equivalent organization of that sport). These activities are currently outlined in NCAA Bylaw 14.2.1.5 (Athletics Activity Waiver - Division I). Written documentation of such participation, as required in Bylaw 14.2.1.5, also would be required for this exception. c. Sponsor legislation to define organized competition for the application of the seasons-of-competition rule. Under this definition, a prospect would trigger the rule if any one of the following occur: (1) Any team competition or training in which pay in any form is provided to any participant above actual and necessary expenses. (2) Any competition or training in which the individual accepts pay in any form based on his or her place finish or any competition or training in which the individual accepts pay in any form above actual and necessary expenses. (3) Any competition pursuant to the signing of a contract or entering the draft. (4) Any competition that is funded by a representative of an institution’s athletics interests, which is not open to all participants.
Management Council Recommendation:
	Sponsor the legislation.

4.	ISSUE:	Involvement with Professionals – Contractual Agreements – Bylaw 12.1.1.
Task Force Recommendation:
	Sponsor legislation to permit prospective student-athletes to sign a contract or commitment of any kind to play professional athletics. (See Supplement No. 19-b, Proposal No. 4.)
Management Council Recommendation:
	Sponsor the legislation.
5.	ISSUE:	Involvement with Professionals – Draft List – Bylaw 12.1.1.
Task Force Recommendation:
	Sponsor legislation to permit a prospective student-athlete to enter a professional league’s draft and be drafted without compromising the prospective student-athlete’s NCAA eligibility. (See Supplement No. 19-b, Proposal No. 6.)
Management Council Recommendation:
	Sponsor the legislation.
6.	ISSUE:	Competition with Professionals – Bylaw 12.02.3.
Task Force Recommendation:
	Sponsor legislation to permit prospective student-athletes to participate on a professional team. (See Supplement No. 19-b, Proposal No. 3.)
Management Council Recommendation:
	Sponsor the legislation.
7.	ISSUE:	Major League Baseball Urban Youth Initiative.
Task Force Recommendation:
	Sponsor legislation to allow the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Initiative (UYI) to be permissible under NCAA legislation for prospects under the age of 15, as long as the criteria established by the UYI for admission into the academy are based on a variety of factors, with athletics ability as only one of the criteria used. Further, an academic element should be required.
Management Council Recommendation:
	Sponsor the legislation, and review more specific information regarding UYI at its October meeting.

8.	ISSUE:	Effective Date of the Legislation.
Task Force Recommendation:
	Adopt the Division III amateurism legislation with an effective date of August 1, 2002, for those prospective student-athletes first entering a collegiate institution full time on or after August 1, 2002.
Management Council Action:
	Sponsor the legislation, noting that the legislation is not intended to be retroactive for student-athletes enrolled prior to August 1, 2002.

ITEMS OF INFORMATION

1.	ISSUE:	Pay for Play.
Task Force Action:
	Based on discussions with the Division III membership and concerns raised by the Management Council and Presidents Councils regarding the Division III philosophy, the task force has decided not to propose legislation that would enable a Division III prospective student-athlete to accept pay for play. Specifically, it was never the intent of the task force to encourage individuals to engage in activities with professional organizations. Additionally, the task force believes that the adoption of the other proposals regarding involvement with professionals (i.e., signing a contract, entering the draft and competing with professionals) will help the “failed professionals” and thus permit most prospects to retain eligibility for actions that do not yield a competitive advantage. The adoption of the other proposals will assist Division III prospects who make poor and immature decisions while still drawing a distinction between those individuals who “fully” professionalize themselves by accepting a salary. Finally, the task force notes that the removal of the pay-to-play proposal would make a prospect who accepts a salary ineligible and subject to the reinstatement process.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
2.	ISSUE:	Educational Efforts.
Task Force Action:
	The task force has conducted conference calls with commissioners and had a presentation at NACDA and is willing to attend any Division III conference meetings. Finally, the task force will produce an educational video to be distributed to each Division III institution this fall.

Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
3.	ISSUE:	Ice Hockey/Skiing Exceptions.
Task Force Action:
	After discussing the possibility of including an exception for ice hockey and skiing, the task force concluded that the new definition of organized competition will only trigger the seasons-of-competition rule if a prospect accepts above actual and necessary expenses. In that regard, all Division III prospects will continue to be treated the same, and no specific exception will be provided for ice hockey and skiing. The task force believes that inasmuch as the ice hockey and skiing competitions are currently permissible under NCAA legislation, neither is providing dollars above actual and necessary expenses.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association

July 26, 2001 DTD/BB:skt