MINUTES OF THE

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

DIVISION III MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Telephone Conference October 24, 2005

Participants:

Caitlin Collier, Menlo College

Kristen Hall, Bard College

Susan Hoffman, State University College at Brockport

Del Malloy, Salve Regina University, chair

Bill Mandel, Western New England College

Chris Martin, College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin

Dick Strockbine, University of Dallas

Leah Nilsson, NCAA, recording secretary

Susan Peal, NCAA

Ann 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 NCAA Division III Membership Committee teleconference was called to order at 9:02 a.m. Central time by the chair, Mr. Malloy. All were present as noted above.

1. Welcome and Announcements. Ms. Nilsson thanked Ms. Hall, Mr. Malloy and Ms. Peal for their work on the exploratory and provisional orientation meetings conducted earlier this month. Ms. Peal updated the committee on its new members, Christyn Chambers from Swathmore College, effective immediately, and Page Cotton from DePauw University, whose term begins in January 2006.

2. Review Minutes from September 27 Telephone Conference. The committee reviewed the minutes from its September telephone conference.

It was VOTED

"That the September 27 telephone conference minutes be approved."

3. Review Four-Year Provisional Process Waiver Issues.

a. Preliminary Program Assessment. The committee reviewed the list of items to be considered in the waiver process and discussed the possibility of requiring that the preliminary program assessment be submitted with any waiver request. The committee saw value in requiring the preliminary program assessment as it will help the committee evaluate the proper functioning of the athletics compliance system.

It was VOTED

"To amend NCAA Constitution 3.6.1.1.1.1 (waiver) to indicate that the preliminary program assessment shall be submitted with the waiver application."

b. Reclassification. The committee reviewed NCAA Bylaw 20.6.2.2.1 and the waiver provision for the reclassification process. That waiver does not include a list of items to be reviewed in consideration of the waiver request. Because the provisional and reclassifying programs are essentially the same, the reclassifying requirement should be amended to reflect the same list of review items as the provisional waiver.

It was VOTED

"To amend Bylaw 20.6.2.2.1 (waiver) to include the list of items to be reviewed in the waiver request. This list of items shall be the same as those in the provisional membership waiver."

c. University of Texas at Tyler. The committee reviewed a request from the University of Texas at Tyler to amend the provisional waiver process so that the waiver may be requested at the end of the third year of the program. The committee discussed the four-year provisional waiver process, specifically as it relates to when an institution has the opportunity to request such a waiver. The committee determined the waiver is only available at the completion of year two of the provisional timeline. It is the committee's intent to accelerate those institutions that exhibit complete readiness for active Division III membership from the start of the program. As such, institutions would need to meet all membership requirements as noted in Constitution 3.6.1.1.1.1, including sports sponsorship for provisional years one and two. Should an institution meet all the requirements, the institution would complete its final (third) year as verification of its ability to apply all Division III regulations.

It was VOTED

"That the University of Texas at Tyler's request to amend the provisional waiver process be denied."

4. Voting Requirement – Constitution 3.6.3.1. The committee noted that Constitution 3.6.3.1 (voting requirement) indicates that procedures for election to membership are common provisions. Each division has been establishing separate legislative requirements in this area, thus the constitution should be federated.

It was VOTED

"To amend Constitution 3.6.3 to eliminate the common voting line for election procedures – voting requirement."

5. Conference Application – Northern Athletic Conference. The committee reviewed the conference application from the Northern Athletic Conference, noting that the conference included more than six active Division III institutions, exhibited president or chancellor oversight and showed the development of a conference student-athlete advisory committee in its constitution.

It was VOTED

"To approve the Northern Athletic Conference as a member conference."

6. Legislated President and Chancellor Positions on Division III General Committees. The committee reviewed the recent NCAA Division III Management Council action to increase the size of the membership committee by one person and to designate that the committee position be held by a chancellor or president. The committee noted the importance of the president or chancellor's perspective in developing programs for new Division III institutions and also welcomed the addition of one committee member to manage the wide breadth of issues handled by the committee.

7. Other Business. Ms. Peal updated the committee on the status of Finlandia University's waiver request. Finlandia is still engaged in the financial aid annual electronic report review process, thus the status of its waiver request may not be determined before the December NCAA Division III Financial Aid Committee meeting.

8. Future Meeting Schedule.

a. 10 a.m. Eastern time, November 17.

b. 10 a.m. Eastern time, December 15.

c. In-person meeting; January 26-27, 2006, Phoenix, Arizona.

9. Adjournment. The teleconference adjourned at 10:03 a.m. Central time.

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