MINUTES OF THE
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATION
DIVISION III INTERPRETATIONS
AND LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Participants:
Suzanne R. Coffey, Bates
College, chair
Timothy Gleason, Ohio
Athletic Conference
Julie Katz, Vassar College
Garnett H. Purnell,
Wittenberg University
Sandra L. Slabik, Neumann
College
Charlie Wilson, Olivet
College
Mweni Ekpo, NCAA recording
secretary
Chris T. Martin, NCAA
Travis Feezell, Whitman
College, was unable to participate.
[Note: While certain items in the 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. These minutes reflect only actions (formal
votes or "sense of meeting"), in accordance with the established
policy governing minutes of all NCAA entities.
The only discussion included is that ordered by the chair or a member of
the group.]
The telephone conference was called to order at 1 p.m. Central time by the chair, Ms. Coffey. All members were present as noted above.
1. Announcements. It was announced that Chris Martin would be leaving the NCAA National Office staff in June 2002 to assume a position as commissioner of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, a Division III conference. It was noted that Mweni Ekpo would assume the position of primary NCAA staff liaison to the NCAA Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee, in light of Mr. Martin's departure. [Subsequent to the teleconference, Bo Kerin, membership services representative, was appointed as secondary liaison to the committee.]
2. Approval
of Previous Minutes. The committee
reviewed the minutes of its March 11, 2002, teleconference.
It was VOTED
"That the March 11, 2002, minutes be approved as distributed.?
3. NCAA
Division III Management Council Report Update. The committee reviewed action taken during the April 2002 meeting
of the Division III Management Council.
It was noted that the Council approved editorial revisions to clarify
that the maximum contest limitations in the sport of track and field apply to
both indoor and outdoor combined rather than separately. It was also noted that the Council denied
the committee?s interpretation regarding foreign tour practice limitations. Instead, the Council issued its own
interpretation, indicating that the 10 days of practice permitted in
preparation for a foreign tour must be held immediately prior to departure for
the foreign tour. The committee?s
recommended editorial revisions to NCAA Bylaws 30 and 31 were approved by the
Council.
4. Recommendations from the Amateurism Task Force. Via a referral from the Division III Management Council, the Amateurism Task Force recommended that the committee issue five official interpretations based on the intent of the amateurism legislation that was adopted at the 2002 NCAA Convention (Proposal Nos. 40-44).
It was VOTED
?That the Division III Management Council approve the following interpretations:
Fulfillment of an Academic Year in Residence. In order to fulfill the academic year in residence requirement specified in 2002 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 40, the requirements of Bylaw 14.5.1.2 (Determination of Year in Residence) must be satisfied, and the student-athlete must not engage in intercollegiate competition. The year in residence may be fulfilled at any collegiate institution.
Repeat Year in High School. If an individual must repeat a year of high school for legitimate reasons, for purposes of 2002 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 40, the individual?s expected date of high school graduation will be extended. Accordingly, an individual who is repeating a year in high school will not be subject to the requirements of Proposal No. 40 while still enrolled full-time in high school.
Definition of Actual and Necessary Expenses. For the purposes of 2002 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 40, actual and necessary expenses shall be defined as any of the following:
a. Meals directly tied to competition;
b. Lodging directly tied to competition;
c. Apparel, equipment, and/or supplies;
d. Coaching and/or instruction;
e. Health/medical insurance;
f. Transportation (i.e., expenses to and from practice and competition, cost of transportation from home to training/practice site to home at the end of season);
g. Medical treatment and/or physical therapy;
h. Facility usage; and
i. Entry fees.
Termination of Contract. For purposes of 2002 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 43, if an individual signs a contractual agreement to play professional athletics in a particular sport prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, all relationships with the professional team and all terms of the contractual agreement must be severed by the time of the individual?s initial full-time collegiate enrollment. An individual may not remain under contract with a professional team in a particular sport while enrolled at a Division III institution and still remain eligible for intercollegiate competition in that sport.
Academic Year-in-Residence Requirement is Sport-Specific. The provisions of 2002 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 40 are sport-specific. Consequently, an individual who is required to serve an academic year in residence in a particular sport due to participation in any activities specified in Bylaw 14.2.4.3.2 would be eligible to compete in other intercollegiate sports without serving the residency requirement.?
5. Interpretive Issue - 2002 NCAA Proposal No. 54. At the request of the NCAA staff, the committee reviewed 2002 Convention Proposal No. 54 to determine whether the permissible strength and conditioning sessions in football would permit football student-athletes to run pass patterns without the use of a football during such sessions. After reviewing a staff interpretation dated January 27, 1993, and an archived official interpretation dated May 21, 1992, the committee determined that it would be permissible for football student-athletes to run pass patterns without the use of a football during the strength and conditioning sessions permitted in 2002 Convention Proposal No. 54.
It was VOTED
?That the Division III Management Council approve the following interpretation:
Running Pass Patterns During Football Strength and Conditioning Training Sessions. As part of the five consecutive weeks during the nontraditional segment in which conditioning and strength training sessions may be conducted in football in accordance with 2002 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 54, it is permissible for a student-athlete in the sport of football to run pass patterns, provided no equipment is used. This prohibition against the use of equipment includes the use of footballs.?
6. Editorial Revisions - Bylaw 14. The committee preliminarily reviewed possible changes to Bylaws 14.2.4.1, 14.2.4.3, 14.5.5 and 14.5.5.2.1. The committee made some changes to the submitted drafts and will review additional drafts during its May 20-teleconference.
7. Division III Bylaw 17.25.4 (End of Regular Season - Indoor/Outdoor Track and Field). The committee reviewed a question from the membership regarding the end of the playing season for indoor and outdoor track. Specifically, the institution asked whether or not the indoor track season ends with the NCAA Indoor Track Championship or continues for the full 26 weeks.
It was VOTED
?That Bylaw 17.25.4 be editorially revised to clarify that the indoor and outdoor track seasons must conclude with their respective NCAA Championships.?
8. Division III Bylaw 15.4.9 (Faculty/Staff Benefits). The committee reviewed Bylaw 15.4.9 to
determine whether or not it should be editorially revised to clarify that the benefit permitted under the bylaw may apply beyond ?faculty or staff members? children? to include the faculty and staff members themselves. The committee determined that no further action was warranted.
9. Division III Glossary of Terms and Bylaw 17 Chart. The committee reviewed proofs of the glossary and chart that will appear in the 2002-03 NCAA Division III Manual.
10. Use of Headers in Bylaw 17. During its November 7, 2001, teleconference, the committee approved staff?s recommendation to eliminate the running headers from the top of each page in the 2002-03 NCAA Division III Manual. As a follow up to this earlier decision, the committee was asked to determine if headers should be placed in only Bylaw 17 of the 2002-03 manual. For reasons of aesthetic consistency, the committee determined that headers should not be placed in only Bylaw 17.
11. Future In-Person Meetings and Teleconferences.
a. June 20-21, Seattle, Washington.
b. January 30-31, 2003, Key West, Florida.
c. June 23-24, 2003, Indianapolis, Indiana.
12. Adjournment. The teleconference adjourned at 2:05 p.m. Eastern time.
# # # # #