Telephone Conference May 14, 2003

Participants:

Travis Feezell, Whitman College

Timothy Gleason, Ohio Athletic Conference

Julie Katz, Vassar College

Garnett H. Purnell, Wittenberg College, chair

Sandra L. Slabik, Neumann College

Charlie Wilson, Olivet College

Bo Kerin, NCAA

Leah Nilsson, NCAA

Victoria Chun, New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association; and Gary Karner, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, were unable to participate.

[Note: These minutes contain only actions taken (formal votes or stated "sense of the meeting") in accordance with NCAA policy regarding minutes of all Association entities. While certain items on the committee's 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.]

The meeting was called to order at 11 a.m. Central time. All members were present as noted above.

1. Interpretive Issue – Preseason Football Model. The NCAA Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee discussed emergency legislation adopted by the NCAA Division III membership related to preseason football practice.

a. Counting Sundays. The committee discussed the preseason football model and the 25-practice opportunity method. The intent behind the 25-practice opportunity method and the particular counting system was to ensure that each institution had 25 practice opportunities prior to the institution's first scheduled contest. Some institutions have official policies that preclude any athletics or other extracurricular activities from occurring on Sunday for religious reasons. The committee determined that if an institution has an official policy that precludes practice on Sunday for a religious reason, that institution may exempt Sundays from counting in the preseason practice counting formula. The committee noted that the intent of the 25-practice opportunity counting method was to establish a counting system that reflected actual practice opportunities, and that if an institution's football team could not practice on Sunday due to an official institutional policy, that team was at a competitive disadvantage.

It was VOTED

"That an interpretation be issued to indicate that an institution may exempt Sundays from counting in the preseason practice formula only if the institution has an official policy that no athletics or extracurricular activities may occur on Sunday for a religious reason."

b. Pool Workouts. The committee discussed whether pool workouts are counted in the hourly practice limitations. The committee agreed that pool workouts are to be considered on-field activities for purpose of applying the legislation, inasmuch as the only exception to the hourly limitations identified in the legislation is weightlifting. Further, the committee agreed that the issue was not interpretive in nature and can be addressed by the membership services staff.

c. Breaks in the Five-Day Acclimatization Period. The committee discussed whether an institution could take a day off (i.e., no athletically related activities take place) during the required five-day acclimatization period and agreed including a day off is permissible, provided the five-day period resumes following the day(s) off. The committee agreed that the issue is not interpretive and similar questions may be addressed by membership services staff.

2. Interpretive Issue – NCAA Bylaw 13.11.7. The committee reviewed NCAA Bylaw 13.11.7 (announcement of acceptance) and a situation in which an institution's admissions office placed an announcement in a newspaper listing prospective students who will attend the institution beginning in the fall term. The list included prospective student-athletes who had not returned a paid offer of acceptance to the institution. The committee agreed that such activities are outside the intended scope of the legislation and should be permitted, provided there is not involvement of the athletics department in the arrangement of such activities.

IT WAS VOTED

"That an interpretation be issued to permit such activity, provided the activity takes place independent of the institution's athletics department and the none of the prospective students are identified as prospective student-athletes."

3. Legislative Review – Bylaw 15.4.3. The committee reviewed Bylaw 15.4.3 (written offers of financial aid) and issues regarding the verbal offer of financial aid by athletics department staff members. The group agreed that the intent of the legislation was to permit only financial aid directors (or comparable) to offer financial aid to prospective student-athletes.

IT WAS VOTED

"That Bylaw 15.4.3 be amended to specify that verbal offers of financial aid may only be provided to prospective student-athlete by the institution’s director of financial aid (or comparable.)"

4. Legislative Review – Bylaw 17.14.5.3. The committee reviewed Bylaw 17.14.5.3 (annual contest exemptions – women’s ice hockey) and the reference to the 2002 Winter Olympics in subsection g. The group agreed to remove the reference to a specific Winter Olympics by deleting the year reference in the legislation to avoid future amendments.

IT WAS VOTED

"That Bylaw 17.14.5.3-(g) (annual contest exemptions – women's ice hockey – U.S. women's national team) be amended to remove references to specific Winter Olympic Games."

5. Legislative Review – Bylaw 17.11.6. The committee reviewed Bylaw 17.11.6 (out-of-season athletically related activities) and the reference to an institution's nontraditional segment during the playing and practice season.

IT WAS VOTED

"That the reference to 'nontraditional segment' be replaced with the phrase 'outside the regular playing season.'"

6. Future in-person meetings and teleconferences.

a. June 23-24, 2003; NCAA, Indianapolis, Indiana.

b. February 5-6, 2004; New Orleans, Louisiana.