REPORT OF THE
NCAA DIVISION III
INTERPRETATIONS AND
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
1. ACTION ITEMS.
a. Interpretation
of Non-NCAA Postseason Championships Qualifying Competition.
(1) Recommendation. Approve the following official
interpretation:
Non-NCAA
Postseason Championships Qualifying Competition
To
permit an institution to exclude up to three weeks of competition from it’s
declared playing season for competition that is considered the qualifying
competition for a non-NCAA championship event that is excluded from the
declared playing and practice season.
The qualifying competition shall be the only event at which teams or
individuals are selected to participate in the non-NCAA championship
event. [References: NCAA Division
III Bylaw 17.1.7 (general regulations for computing playing seasons applicable
to all sports)]
(2) Rationale. Qualifying competition for non-NCAA
postseason championships should be exempted from the declared playing and
practice season and maximum contest limitations similarly to early rounds
(e.g., regionals, etc.) of NCAA championships that are currently exempted. Division III postseason championships
normally average three weeks in duration.
(3) Budget
Impact. None.
b. Modification
of Wording – Bylaw 12.1.1.4.12 (Exception – NCAA's First Team
Mentoring Program).
(1) Recommendation. Amend Bylaw 12.1.1.4.12 to allow
prospective student-athletes to receive actual and necessary expenses to attend
any mentoring program focused on life skills, the value of education and the
proper role of athletics in the educational process.
(2) Rationale. This amateurism exception specific to the
NCAA’s First Team Mentoring Program should apply to any mentoring program
available to prospective student-athletes so long as these programs focus on
life skills. Other groups may host
meaningful programs from which prospective
student-athletes may benefit.
(3) Budget Impact. None.
c. Modification of Wording – Bylaws
14.7.3.1 (Exceptions) and 16.8.1.3 (Other Competition).
(1) Recommendation. Amend
Bylaws 14.7.3.1 (exceptions) and 16.8.1.3 (other competition) to permit a
student-athlete to participate in the World Youth Championships during the
academic year and to receive expenses for that event regardless of the timing
of the event.
(2) Rationale. Exceptions
involving unique, high-level athletic competitions (e.g., Olympics, World Cup,
Pan-Am Games, World Youth Championships) should be consistent for purposes of
outside competition and permissible expenses. Current legislation specified that a
student-athlete may be enrolled in a less than full-time program of studies and
participate in the World Youth Championships; however, the exceptions relating
to outside competition and permissible expenses did not include the World Youth
Championships.
(3) Budget
Impact. Institutions may fund a
student-athlete's attendance at the World Youth Championships at any time.
d. Administrative Regulation –
Administrative Regulation Bylaw 30.10 (Student-Athlete Statement).
(1) Recommendation. Amend
the voting line in Bylaw 30.13 from general to federated.
(2) Rationale. Division I intends to modify Bylaw 30.13
to eliminate the requirement that the athletics director and head coach in each
sport sign the student-athlete statement.
In order for Division I to move forward with this amendment, the other
two divisions must concurrently amend Bylaw 30.13 to federate the voting line.
(3) Budget
Impact. None.
2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.
a.
Administrative Regulation Bylaw 30.10
(student-athlete statement).
The committee requested that staff research current requirements regarding
athletics director signature of the student-athlete statement so that the
committee may consider a more efficient way of administering that document. This issue will be discussed at a future meeting.
b. Institution’s
Booster Club Providing High School Coach with Recognition Award.
The committee reviewed a staff interpretation (reference: 9/06/89, item
a) that prohibits a member institution’s booster club from providing a
material benefit (e.g., recognition award for coach’s retirement or
service to community) to a high school coach that is an alumni of the
institution per Bylaw 13.8.2 (material benefits). The committee reviewed the potential
distinctions between recognizing high school coaches who are alumni and
providing material benefits to high school coaches who are alumni. The committee recommended that the NCAA
staff distinguish recognition from material benefits when it relates to Bylaw
13.8.2 and guide the Division III membership accordingly. Specifically, the committee agreed that
it is permissible for a Division III institution, including its booster club,
to recognize alumni who are current high school coaches for a special
achievement (e.g., retirement, coaching accomplishment, etc.). It remains impermissible to provide the
high school coach with any tangible item (including a meal) in conjunction with
the recognition.
c.
2006 NCAA Convention Question and Answer
Guide. The committee reviewed the most recent
publication (