Telephone Conference August 26, 2004

Participants:

Tim Downes, Franklin & Marshall College, chair

Kristin Hall, Bard College

Del Malloy, Salve Regina University

Bill Mandel, Western New England College

Chris Martin, College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

Mark Molesworth, University of Wisconsin, Platteville

Dick Strockbine, University of Dallas

Myra Fishback, NCAA

Leah Nilsson, NCAA, recording secretary

Susan Peal, NCAA

Anne Steele, Muskingum College, was 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 meeting, all final actions within a given topic are combined in these minutes for convenience of reference.]

The meeting was called to order at 9:05 a.m. Central time by Mr. Downes. All were present as noted above.

1. Review of Previous Minutes. The NCAA Division III Membership Committee reviewed the minutes from its June 28-29 in-person meeting. Mr. Martin noted an incorrect list of institutions appearing in agenda item 7-(c), Review of Provisional Member Applications.

It was VOTED

"That the June 28-29 in-person minutes be approved as amended."

2. Update on NCAA Division III Management Council Actions. The committee received an update on the actions taken at the July NCAA Division III Management Council meeting, noting that the committee has been asked to explore future legislative and policy options for provisional institutions that have met membership requirements without embracing the philosophy of the division. This issue will be addressed at the January 2005 in-person committee meeting. Also, the committee will prepare a summary of sports sponsorship by provisional institutions to be included in its October report to the Management Council.

3. Review Correspondence from Bay Path College. The committee reviewed a letter submitted by the athletics director at Bay Path College indicating that the institution did not meet the five-sport/three-season requirement for the 2003-04 academic year. The committee noted that with this violation, Bay Path will begin the one-year probationary period for failure to meet the five-sport/three-season requirement. Institutions are permitted to be placed on probation once in a 10-year period. If the institution fails to meet the five-sport/three-season requirement at any time in the next 10 years, the institution will be placed in restricted membership status.

4. Review Feedback from the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The committee reviewed the information submitted by the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) following the USCAA's June request for a contest exemption. Based on the current work of the Future of Division III, Phase II oversight group, the committee tabled the USCAA's request to exempt its championships from maximum contest limitations until the completion of Future of Division III, Phase II research initiatives. The committee did not want to recommend this exemption at a time when larger membership issues are under examination.

5. Review Results of the Membership Education Survey. The committee reviewed the preliminary results of the survey on potential new NCAA Regional Seminar formats. The research staff will further break down the survey results, and the committee will address the issue of new rules education formats at its January 2005 in-person meeting.

6. Review Request from Green Mountain College. The committee reviewed correspondence from reclassifying member Green Mountain College; letters written by the athletics director and the president indicated dissatisfaction with the NCAA Division II requirement that, during the reclassification process, the institution must continue to abide by the more stringent of the Division II and Division III regulations while not being eligible for Division II championships or other programs. The NCAA Division II Membership Committee and the NCAA Division II Legislation Committee are working to issue an official interpretation that would give relief to Division II institutions in this circumstance.

7. Minimum Contest and Participants. The committee reviewed information submitted by each Division III sports committee about the appropriate number of contest and participations that shall be consider for legitimate sport sponsorship. This information was presented with current maximum contest limitations. For the September teleconference, the committee will be presented with the current average number of completed contests for each sport as it continues its review of contest and participant minimums.

8. Secondary Infractions Reporting Process and Required Submission. The committee was asked to consider an appropriate penalty for those institutions who fail to submit either an annual report of Level II secondary violations or annual confirmation that the institution did not commit any Level II secondary violations. The annual submission will occur via the sports-sponsorship forms.

It was VOTED

"That the requirement to report either an annual report of Level II secondary violations or annual confirmation that the institution did not commit any Level II secondary violations be a condition and obligation of membership. Further, if an institution fails to submit this annual report or confirmation, the institution shall be placed on probation for one academic year after noncompliance is discovered. An institution shall be afforded the one-year probationary period for failure to comply with the criteria only once in a 10-year period. If an institution fails to meet reporting requirements at the end of the probationary year or is ineligible for the once-in-10-year probationary period, it shall be placed in restricted membership and its entire program (both men's and women's sports) shall not be eligible for NCAA championship competition in the first academic year after the probationary year (or the first academic year after failure to meet the requirements if the institution is ineligible for the once-in-10-year probationary period). If the institution does not report at the end of that year, it shall be reclassified as a corresponding member."

9. Review Conference Member Applications. The committee review conference member applications from the Great South Conference and from the Atlantic Central Football Conference.

It was VOTED

"That the Great South Conference be granted member conference status."

It was VOTED

"That the Atlantic Central Football Conference be denied member conference status for failure to meet the minimum requirement of six active Division III members and failure to exhibit chief executive officer authority over the operation of the conference."

10. Future Teleconferences and Meetings.

a. 9 a.m. Central time, September 30, teleconference;

b. 9 a.m. Central time, October 28, teleconference;

c. 10 a.m. Eastern time, December 2, teleconference; and

d. January 24-25, 2005, in-person meeting.

11. Adjournment. The telephone conference adjourned at 10:15 a.m. Central time.

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