REPORT OF THE

NCAA DIVISION III INTERPRETATIONS AND LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

 

 

 

1.     ACTION ITEMS.  

       

a.        Editorial Revision – NCAA Bylaw 14.2.4.3.2.1  (Competition Exceptions – Seasons-of-Com­petition Rule).     

 

(1) Recommendations.  Editorially revise Bylaw 14.2.4.3.2.1 to clarify that an individ­ual is permitted only one “exempt” year of preparatory school competition under the “seasons-of-competition” legislation in Bylaw 14.2.4.3.  [Attachment]

 

(2) Rationale.  The committee reviewed a question from the membership regarding the application and interpretation of the preparatory school competition exception in Bylaw 14.2.4.3.2.1-(a).  In light of the question, the committee decided to edi­torially revise Bylaw 14.2.4.3.2.1 to clarify the original intent of the legislation.

 

(3) Budget impact.  None.

 

b.        Interpretation – Use of Ergometers and the Safety Exception in Women’s Rowing (Bylaw 17.17.9).

 

(1)       Recommendation.  Approve the following interpretation related to the use of er­gometers and the safety exception in women’s rowing (Bylaw 17.17.9):

 

        Use of Ergometers and the Safety Exception in Women’s Rowing (III).  An ergometer (i.e., a rowing machine) is not considered equipment related to the sport of rowing.  Therefore, in the sport of women’s rowing, a coach may not be present during a student-athlete’s voluntary individual workouts in the institution’s regular practice facility when the student-athlete uses an ergometer, unless such workouts are considered athletically related activities and occur during the institution’s declared playing and practice season for rowing.

 

 (2) Rationale.  This interpretation was issued in response to a question from the mem­bership regarding the application of the safety exception in women’s rowing.

 

(3)       Budget Impact.  None.

 

 

 

 

c.        Interpretation – Bylaw 14.2.5 (Hardship Waiver).

 

(1) Recommendation.  Approve the following interpretation related to Bylaw 14.2.5 (Hardship Waiver).

 

        Hardship Waiver – Competition considered “no contest” (III).  For purposes of de­termining whether or not a student-athlete is eligible to receive a hardship waiver, competition that is considered a ‘no contest’ under the playing rules for the applicable sport does not count towards the institution’s number of completed contests or towards the student-athlete’s number of contests or dates of competi­tion.

 

(2) Rationale.  The committee issued this interpretation to clarify the application of the hardship waiver in Bylaw 14.2.5.

 

(3)       Budget Impact.  None.

 

d.        Interpretation – 2003 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 45 (Recruiting –Definition of a Contact).

 

(1) Recommendation.  Approve the following interpretation related to 2003 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 45 (Recruiting – Definition of a Contact):

 

        2003 NCAA Proposal No. 45 (Recruiting – Contact) and definition of “institu­tional staff member” (III).  For purposes of 2003 NCAA Proposal No. 45 (Re­cruiting – Contact), the phrase “institutional staff member” refers to staff members of the institution’s athletics department.

 

(2) Rationale.  This interpretation is issued to clarify the original intent of 2003 Pro­posal No. 45.  The interpretation is consistent with Division III’s overall philoso­phy regarding the recruitment of prospective student-athletes.

 

(3)       Budget Impact.  None.

 

 

2.    INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.

 

a.        Bylaw 12 Deregulation.  The committee held initial discussions regarding the deregula­tion of Bylaw 12 and asked that staff gather more information regarding the deregulation of Bylaw 12 in Divisions I and II.

 

 

 

b.        Multi-day Track Tournaments and Contest Limitations.  The committee requests that the Division III Management Council Playing and Practice Seasons Subcommittee consider whether or not to propose legislation for the 2004 NCAA Convention that would allow multi-day track tournaments to count as single dates of competition.  Similar legislation currently exists for the sports of skiing and wrestling.

 

 

 

Chair:  Suzanne Coffey, Bates College

Staff liaisons:  Mweni Ekpo, Bo Kerin, Membership Service

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The National Collegiate Athletic Association

December 11, 2002                 MUE:lmh