MINUTES OF THE

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

DIVISION III INTERPRETATIONS AND LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

Teleconference December 3, 2003

Participants:

Travis Feezell, Whitman College

Timothy Gleason, Ohio Athletic Conference

Gary Karner, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

Garnett Purnell, Wittenburg University, chair

Sandra L. Slabik, Neumann College

Leah Nilsson, NCAA, recording secretary

Leeland Zeller, NCAA

Victoria Chun, New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association; Brad Coffey, Amherst College; and Charlie Wilson, Olivet College 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 teleconference meeting, all final actions within a given topic are combined in these minutes for convenience of reference.]

The NCAA Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee telephone conference was called to order at 3:05 p.m. Eastern time.

1. Welcome and Announcements. It was noted that this was the last teleconference for Chair Garnett Purnell and committee member Travis Feezell. Both gentlemen were thanked for their service to the committee. The committee also welcomed its new NCAA staff liaison, Leeland Zeller, to his first call.

2. Review of Previous Minutes.

It was VOTED

"That the November 3 teleconference minutes be approved."

3. Review November 20, 1998, Staff Interpretation. The committee reviewed a staff interpretation [Reference: 11/20/1998, Item No. 1] and agreed that many institutions are not aware of the implications of student-athletes receiving coaching instruction while competing as an individual and would like the concept in the interpretation to be binding on all institutions.

It was VOTED

"That the committee recommended that the NCAA Division IIII Management Council approve an official interpretation, as follows:

Student-Athlete Receiving Coaching or Instruction from an Institution's Coach While Competing as an Individual. (III) A student-athlete who receives coaching or instruction from his or her institution's coach while competing in an individual competition is considered to be representing the institution and, therefore, would use a season of competition. The committee noted that this principle is applicable to student-athletes who are otherwise attempting to avoid using a season of competition by participating unattached in an open competition (e.g., the student-athlete does not compete in the institution's uniform and does not receive expenses from the institution). [References: NCAA Bylaws 14.02.6 (intercollegiate competition); 14.7.2.5 (competition as individual/not representing institution); 17.02.8 (intercollegiate competition); 02/21/97 staff interpretation, item a, 09/22/89 staff interpretation, item g; and official interpretation, 05/08/95, Item No. 1]"

4. Review May 27, 1988, Staff Interpretation. The committee reviewed a staff interpretation [Reference: 5/27/1988, item e] and discussed whether student-athletes who have signed the institution's written offer of admission should be treated similarly to students who have signed a National Letter of Intent, and be allowed to participate in weight lifting activities at the institution in the presence of the institution’s strength and conditioning coach. The committee indicated that it is contrary to the Division III philosophy to allow prospective student-athletes to have access to institutional athletics facilities not open to the general public. The committee tabled further discussion of the interpretation until the February 2004 in-person meeting, at which time it will address the two separate concepts presented in the interpretation; engaging in weightlifting activities in the presence of a strength and conditioning coach, and use of facilities that are not open to the general public.

5. Review Definition of a Scrimmage. The committee reviewed the definition of scrimmage from the Division III glossary of terms, and the use of the term scrimmage in Bylaw 17.

The committee agreed that while an institution should not publicize or promote informal preseason practice scrimmages, it is not reasonable to expect that an institution will turn away visitors who wish to attend a preseason scrimmage. Therefore, the committee determined that the requirement to conduct informal practice scrimmages in private should be eliminated.

It was VOTED

"That a recommendation be made to the Management Council to sponsor noncontroversial legislation to remove the requirement that informal practice scrimmages be conducted in privacy."

6. Other Business. The committee requested a review of the screening process and important interpretive processes for its February in-person meeting.

7. Future Meetings and Teleconferences.

· February 5-6, 2004; W Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana.

8. Adjournment. The group adjourned at 4:05 p.m.

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