MINUTES OF THE

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

DIVISION III PRESIDENTS COUNCIL

NCAA National Office October 27, 2005

Indianapolis, Indiana

Participants:

David Beckley, Rust College

David Carter, Eastern Connecticut State University

John Fry, Franklin & Marshall College

Dale Knobel, Denison University

James Moseley, Franklin College

Ivory Nelson, Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)

Miriam Pride, Blackburn College

Phillip Stone, Bridgewater College (Virginia), chair

Richard Torgenson, Luther College

Richard Wells, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh

Matt Banker, NCAA

Bridget Belgiovine, NCAA, recording secretary

Jack Copeland, NCAA

Daniel T. Dutcher, NCAA

Debbie Kresge, NCAA

Leah Nilsson, NCAA

Susan Peal, NCAA

Michael Miranda, Division III Management Council chair, was in attendance. Myles Brand, president of the NCAA; Bernard Franklin, senior vice president for governance and membership; and Delise O’Meally, director for governance and membership, attended a portion of the meeting.

Richard Berman, Manhattanville College; Richard Flynn, Springfield College; Jane Margaret O’Brien, St. Mary’s College of Maryland; Sandra Slabik, Neumann College, Division III Management Council vice-chair; Deborah Stanley, State University of New York at Oswego and Peggy Williams, Ithaca College, were unable to attend.

[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 Council'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 8:00 a.m. by the chair, President Stone. All members were present as noted above.

1. Announcements. Stone welcomed members and staff to the meeting.

2. Previous Minutes. The Council reviewed the minutes of the August 4, 2005, Presidents Council meeting; July 18-19, 2005, Management Council meeting; and the August 30 and September 29, 2005, Administrative Committee action.

It was VOTED

“That the minutes of the August 4, 2005, Presidents Council meeting, and the August 30 and September 29, 2005, Administrative Committee action be approved as distributed.”

3. August 4, 2005, NCAA Executive Committee Meeting. The Council reviewed the minutes of the August 4, 2005, Executive Committee meeting.

4. Report of the October 17-18 Division III Management Council Meeting.

a. Association-Wide Committees.

· Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CSMAS). The Council:

o Student-Athlete Preparticipation Examinations. Approved sponsorship of legislation for the 2007 Convention to amend Bylaw 14.1 General Eligibility Requirements to require student-athletes (prospect, walk on, and tryout) in all sports to undergo a medical examination that is administered or supervised by a physical prior to initial participation in any practice or competition-related activities

(preseason, regular season, non-traditional season and summer period), consistent with legislation in the sport of football in Bylaw 17.11.2.2.

b. Division III Joint Presidents Council/Management Council subcommittees. The Council:

(1) Strategic-Planning Subcommittee. The Council:

(a) Division III Strategic Plan – 2006-08 Update. Approved the plan noting a shift toward increased funding for strategic initiatives; the strategic-initiatives grant program, and quality of championships with conference/institutional impact.

(b) Division III Strategic Initiative – 2006-08 Conference Grant
Program. Approved the Division III Strategic Initiatives Grant Program effective 2006-2008 noting:

· Importance of presidential oversight and accountability with new process and budget allocation, consistent with legislated leadership role of presidents within conference governance.

· Clarify and enhance grant tiers and related programs to emphasize commitment to division-wide strategic goals while encouraging institutional/conference autonomy.

o Professional development, education, communication.

o Social responsibility and integration.

o Quality of the participation experience.

· Commitment and importance of broad-based constituent participation in planning; decision-making and accountability to achieve goals in the Division III strategic plan.

· Commitment to provide additional funds from Division III budget in future years if conference accountability and programming is successful.

(2) Future of Division III – Phase II. The Council:

(a) Communication Initiatives – VFG #6, Conference Visits and President Council Communication Plan. Endorsed Management Council action. Council discussed its communication plan noting:

· Memorandum to chancellors/presidents will be sent from Council chair, noting Council position on key 2006 legislative proposals; requesting campus dialogue and suggesting directed delegate vote. Copy of memo will be forwarded to athletics directors, faculty athletics representatives and senior woman administrators.

· Staff will forward talking points to Council members.

· Council members will communicate directly with their designated conference chancellor/president contact to discuss Presidents Council position on legislative package and assess conference position.

(b) Best Practices Update and Convention Sunday Forum. Reviewed Oversight Group recommendations and action noting:

· Selection of series of best practices submitted by membership was accomplished.

· Plan for Convention presentation, distribution on a memory stick or CD-Rom and NCAA Web site posting was finalized.

· Reviewed and affirmed position on all legislative proposals related to Future of Division III – Phase II package and membership-sponsored proposals.

· Finalized Convention Sunday Forum agenda.

· The work of the oversight group was completed successfully and the group disbanded after the conclusion of the meeting.

c. Division III Committees. The Council:

(1) Budget Committee. Endorsed the actions of the Management Council.

(2) Championships Committee. Endorsed the actions of the Management Council.

(3) Financial Aid Committee. Endorsed the actions of the Management Council.

(4) Membership Committee. Endorsed the actions of the Management Council.

5. NCAA 2006 Convention. The Council:

a. 2006 Convention Registration Procedures. Reviewed registration procedures.

b. 2006 Division II Convention Schedule. Reviewed the Convention schedule noting specific Presidents Council meetings and expectations:

· Saturday, January 7.

o Presidents Council/Management Council/Student-Athlete Advisory Committee meeting 8-10:30 a.m.

o Presidents Council meeting 10:30 – noon and 1:30 – 3 p.m.

o Association-wide keynote speaker 12:15 – 1:30 p.m.

o Opening Business Session 4 – 5:30 p.m.

· Sunday, January 8.

o President Brand’s breakfast 8 – 9 a.m.

o Division III Forum – Future of Division III 9 – 11:30 a.m.

o Division III Chancellors/Presidents Issues Forum 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

· Monday, January 9.

o Division III Business Session 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

c. Convention Proposal Groupings. Approved the 2006 NCAA Convention proposal groups as amended to remove Proposal No. 2-11.

d. Membership-Sponsored Proposals.

CON-12 – Division III Membership – Maximum Capacity.

· Agreed to adopt noncontroversial legislation to establish a one-year membership moratorium, effective immediately and lasting until January 2007 Convention. All institutions in exploratory, provisional or reclassification process as of September 1, 2005, are permitted to continue.

· Support contingent on Executive Committee establishment of multi-division working group to address Association-wide membership issues and referral of any action on a membership cap to the 2007 Convention.

CON-22 – Personnel – Limitations on Scouting of Opponents – Exhibition Contests – No position.

CON-2 – Recruiting – Tryouts – Exception – Intend to amend the proposal to
include golf and tennis only at its January pre-Convention meeting.

CON-5 – Eligibility – Graduate Student/Postbaccalaureate Participation Exception: Voted to withdraw proposal and to grant Administrative Review Subcommittee authority to review and grant waivers on a case-by-case
basis.

CON-3 – Eligibility – Seasons of Competition – Oppose.

CON-4 – Eligibility – Seasons of Participation – Participation at Any Collegiate Institution – Support.

CON-17 – Playing and Practice Seasons – Exception to Playing Season Limitations and Contest Exemption – Postseason Championship Event – Oppose.

CON-18 – Playing and Practice Seasons – Nontraditional Segment Length and Maximum Contest Limitation – Oppose.

CON-28 – Playing and Practice Seasons – First Contest and Practice Date - Football – No position.

CON-29 – Playing and Practice Seasons – Maximum Contest Limitations - Lacrosse – No position.

CON-10 – Division III Membership – Philosophy Statement – Elimination of In-Region Competition Emphasis – Oppose.

CON-7 – Division III Membership – Active Membership – Sports Sponsorship Requirement – Oppose.

CON-14 – Executive Regulations – Automatic Qualification – Conference Realignment Period – Oppose.

CON-15 – Executive Regulations – Selection of Teams and Individuals for Championships Participation – Automatic Qualification – Seven Institution Requirement – Two-Year Grace Period – Oppose.

CON-16 – Executive Regulations – Selection of Teams and Individuals for Championships Participation – Primary Criteria – Ranking and Selection – Strength-of-Season Index – Oppose.

Resolution – University Athletic Association – Oppose. (Out of order, subsequently withdrawn)

e. Proposed Speaker Assignments. Endorsed Presidents Council speaker assignments.

6. General Issues. The Council:

a. 2005 Committee/Subcommittee Assignments. Solicited interest for service on the following:

· Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity (2 vacancies).

· Presidents Council Nominations Subcommittee.

b. Guiding Principle – Student-Athlete Well Being. Endorsed the Management Council action.

c. Presidents Council Envisioning Session. Reviewed the following topics of discussion.

(1) Reform – Division III and Association-wide.

· Ability to address and maintain influence.

(2) Engaging Division III Presidents.

· Rationale for importance of chancellor/president oversight and involvement.

o Articulation of importance of chancellor/president oversight of intercollegiate athletics.

o Educational experience of a significant portion of student body (average 16%); admissions/recruiting impact; playing and practice season and integration issues, etc.