REPORT OF THE

NCAA DIVISION III MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE

 

 

 

1.      INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.

 

a.         Summary of cases.  From September 1, 2003, though February 29, 2004, the NCAA Division III Administrative Review Subcommittee and the NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff reviewed 26 cases:  the subcommittee granted seven and the staff granted nine.  Six cases were denied by the subcommittee and four were denied by the staff .  [Attachment A]

 

Bylaw cited in

waiver request

Number of

requests

Overall

Decisions

11.4.2  (High School/ Two Year College Coach)

1

Granted

13.2  (Offers and Inducements/ Employment of Prospects)

1

Granted

13.7.2  (Length of Official Visit)

1

Granted

13.12.1 (Prohibited Activities)

1

Granted

14.1.8  (Requirement for Practice and Competition)

1

Granted

14.1.9  (Graduate Student)

3

2 Denied

1 Granted

14.2.4.1  (Minimum Amount of Competition)

4

Denied

14.2.4.3  (Participation in Organized Competition Prior to Initial Collegiate Enrollment)

1

Granted

14.5.5.1  (General Rule)

4

2 Denied

2 Granted

15.4.6  (Athletics Staff Involvement)

1

Granted

16.8.1.1 (Practice)

1

Denied

16.8.1.2.1 (Departure/ Return Expense Restrictions

1

Granted

16.12.1 (Permissible)

1

Granted

17.5.3  (First Contest)

3

Granted

17.22.6 (Out-of-season Athletically Related Activities)

2

Granted

 

b.         Blanket waiver (NCAA Bylaws 17.02.1.1 and 17.22.6).  The subcommittee has granted a blanket waiver of NCAA Bylaws 17.02.1.1 (athletically related activities) and 17.22.6 (out-of-season athletically related activities) in the sports of men's and women's swimming for the 2003-04 academic year, specific to institutions whose swimming teams do not have any events scheduled on long courses (50 meter pools) during the 2003-04 academic year (Attachment B).

 

The subcommittee granted the blanket waiver to permit coaches to continue coaching student-athletes who wish to participate in the Counsilman Classic in hopes of qualifying for the Olympic trials.  The request is limited to programs that do not have any dates of competition during the 2003-04 academic year scheduled on a long course format (50-meter pools).  The Counsilman Classic takes place two weeks after the completion of the Division III nationals and thus this waiver permits coaches, whose teams do not have any dates of competition scheduled on a long course format, to continue training with student-athletes for the two-week period beyond the Division III nationals and prior to the Counsilman Classic.  Further, the waiver permits coaches to be present during the Counsilman Classic to coach their student-athletes participating in the meet.

 

The need for the blanket waiver arose from the requirements that for the 2004 Olympic trials, swimmers must qualify in a competition that is held in a long course format (50-meter pool).  It appears that Division III institutions are unlikely to swim events in a long-course format, and, thus, student-athletes do not have the opportunity to obtain a time to qualify for the Olympic trials.  In the past, one could qualify using a time obtained in a short-course pool (25 yards or 25 meters); however, after the 2000 trials, USA Swimming changed the rule to preclude qualifying using a short-course qualification time.  The Counsilman Classic is the meet closest to the end of the Division III championship season that would provide student-athletes with the opportunity to qualify for the Olympic trials.

 

The blanket waiver was granted based on student-athlete welfare and the lack of an alternative option for student-athletes to qualify for the 2004 Olympic trials.  Please note that the waiver is applicable only to the 2003-04 academic year and the staff has encouraged institutions to seek a legislative change for the future.

 

Committee Chair:  Karen Johnson, Alfred University

Staff Liaisons:  Laura M. Wurtz, Student-Athlete Reinstatement