DIVISION III INITIATIVES UPDATE

Summary of Recommendations

ITEMS OF INFORMATION

1. ISSUE:		Division III 2002-03 Executive Summary, 2003-04 Initiative Summary and Overview of Grant Recipients.
Management Council Action:
	Reviewed the 2002-03 executive summary, the 2003-04 initiative summary and the overview of grant recipients for both years.
2. ISSUE:		Assessment Plan for Overall Review of Initiative Programs.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information that in preparation for the overall review by the Initiatives Task Force in October 2003, the staff discussed the assessment plan and tools as directed by the task force and approved by the Council. The assessment tools are intended to assist with the compilation of information and evaluation of the programs consistent with the goal to promote the advancement of three key strategic-planning priorities of the Division III strategic plan. Staff is preparing the following information for review by the task force: (1) Initiative/program impact. (a) Chart identifying total number of Division III institutions and conferences that accessed the grant or program. (b) Chart identifying total number of individual participants (administrators, coaches, support staff) by gender, impacted by grant or program. (c) Chart identifying total number of student-athletes impacted by grant or program. (d) Total number of applicants versus grants awarded. (2) Budget breakdown (overall program/initiative cost and year-by-year breakdown). (a) Cost of program development (consultant fees). (b) Facilitator fees. (c) Application/marketing/promotion costs. (d) Selection costs (meetings, mailings, awarding of grant recipients). (e) Orientation/training costs (facilitators/grant recipients). (f) Salary/payments to institutions or grant recipients. (g) Staff travel expenses associated with implementation of initiative (e.g., salaries, benefits, travel, mailings). (h) Other costs associated with initiative. (3) Overview of initiative/program. (a) Membership communication (include samples). l Process timetable of deadlines and key dates. l Mailings (initial, continuing, final). l Application brochures/forms. (b) Overview of program/initiative. l Program outline (leadership conference, STARR). l Names of all facilitators, speakers and presenters involved with initiative ? highlight outstanding ones. (4) Evaluation/assessment of initiative/program. (a) Grant recipient assessment and feedback. (If this is not being done, a process needs to be developed.) l Process for initiative assessment (form) from grant recipients l Written executive summary of assessments from grant recipients by program to include intended versus actual outcomes, benchmarks, campus/conference benefits. Has the initiative effectively and qualitatively impacted the achievement of the goal (student-athlete welfare, diversity, membership education/communication)? (b) Recommendations to the task force (based on intended versus actual outcomes, budget impact, campus/conference benefits). Each recommendation should include a rationale. l Extended initiative. ? Existing funding level. ? Decreased funding level. ? Increased funding level. l Eliminate initiative l Amended/new initiative.
3. ISSUE:		Membership Communication Initiatives.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information that each edition of the Division III Newsletter contains information about the Division III initiatives program including the identification of available 2002-03 grant opportunities and recipients. The January 2003 Convention session, which provided a broad overview including testimonials from grant recipients, received positive feedback from the membership.