NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIPS COMMITTEE

Summary of Recommendations

PRESIDENTS COUNCIL ACTION ITEM

ISSUE:		Automatic Qualification for Individual/Team Sports.
Committee Recommendation:
	The committee supports the concept of applying AQ principles to selected individual/team sports (i.e., cross country, golf and tennis), while maintaining the individual portion of each championship. The committee acknowledges that implementation is not financially feasible until at least the 2006-07 academic year. The committee recommends that the affected individual sports committees be responsible for proposing championship format changes to accommodate the new format.
Management Council Recommendation:
	Support development of AQ legislation for cross country, golf and tennis, noting that additional sport committee format recommendations and related financial analysis must take place before such legislation can move forward. This would suggest legislation for the 2005 Convention, with an effective date to be determined, but no earlier than 2006-07 based on financial feasibility.
Presidents Council Action:

ACTION ITEMS – MANAGEMENT COUNCIL ONLY

1. ISSUE:		Automatic Qualification – Conference Eligibility.
Committee Recommendation:
	Adopt noncontroversial legislation to amend NCAA Bylaw 31.3.4 regarding conference eligibility for championships automatic qualification (AQ) as follows: · No waiver or waiting period is necessary for an existing multi-sport conference when it meets AQ requirements in a sport through the addition of that sport by its existing multi-sport members. · New multi-sport conferences are required to fulfill the two-year waiting period to receive the conference AQ. There will be no waivers of this requirement. · Any change in the membership of a non-AQ existing conference (e.g., addition of new members or affiliate members) will trigger the two-year waiting period to receive a Pool A conference AQ for a multi-sport conference. · A minimum of four “core members” (i.e., members of the same multi-sport conference) are required for a conference to receive an AQ. Affiliate members of the core applicant conference may constitute the remaining sponsoring institutions needed for AQ eligibility (i.e., the total of seven). Conferences attempting to qualify for an AQ with new affiliate members will be required to complete the two-year waiting period. There will be no waivers of this requirement. · Single-sport conferences receiving an AQ must maintain their membership in order to retain their AQ. · For all conferences, all core and affiliate members must be active members of Division III to fulfill conference AQ requirements. Provisional members shall not count toward the minimum of four core conference members or the overall minimum of seven conference members.
Management Council Action:
	Agreed to adopt noncontroversial legislation, as recommended.
2. ISSUE:		Institutional Purchase of Additional Championships Awards.
Committee Recommendation:
	Allow institutions the opportunity to purchase additional championships awards.
Management Council Action:
	Approved the recommendation.
3. ISSUE:		Men’s and Women’s Soccer Rules Committee – “Zero-Tolerance” Policy.
Committee Recommendation:
	Approve a “zero tolerance” rule for offensive, profane, insulting or abusive language in the sports of men’s and women’s soccer.
Management Council Action:
	Approved the recommendation, noting that prior to implementation, the Association-wide Playing Rules Oversight Committee must consider ramifications.
4. ISSUE:		Women’s Lacrosse Eyewear. .
Committee Recommendation:
	Mandate eyewear for the 2004 NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship.
Management Council Action:
	See President Council Supplement No. 8.
5. ISSUE:		Women’s Volleyball Date Formula.
Committee Recommendation:
	Change the championship date formula used by Division III Women’s Volleyball Committee to eliminate the week off between rounds (e.g., November 20, 2004 quarterfinals and December 3 and 4, 2004 final would be played Thanksgiving weekend).
Management Council Action:
	Approved the recommendation.
6. ISSUE:		Sports Committee Appointments.
Committee Recommendation:
	Approve the following sports committee appointments: (a) Baseball Committee. Midwest region: Daniel Harris, director of athletics, Milwaukee School of Engineering. (b) Women’s Bowling Committee. Central region: Shawn Eichorst, director of athletics, University of Wisconsin, White Water. (c) Football Committee. South region: Debra Warren, director of athletics, Chowan College. (d) Women’s Golf Committee. Region 2: Vince Lazar, head golf coach, DePauw University; and Region 3: Julie Johnson, head women’s golf coach/senior woman administrator/assistant director of athletics, Ripon College. (e) Women’s Gymnastics Committee. John Feeney, head women’s gymnastics coach, State University College at Brockport. (f) Women’s Rowing Committee. Pacific region: Penny Brush, associate director of athletics/compliance coordinator, Chapman University. (g) Men’s and Women’s Skiing Committee. East region: Jeffrey Pier, head skiing coach, St. Lawrence University. (h) Men’s Soccer Committee. West region: Horst Richardson, head men’s soccer coach, Colorado College. (i) Women’s Soccer Committee. Great Lakes region: Tracy Blasius, head soccer coach, John Carroll University (immediate vacancy replacing Jen Scanlon, Kenyon University, who resigned from the NCAA Division III committee); South region: [Note: Kelly Walters, head women’s soccer coach, North Carolina Wesleyan College, was nominated but resigned from the institution before appointment.] (j) Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Committee. Lewis Fellinger, head diving coach, John Carroll University (immediate vacancy replacing Tom Dodd, Whitworth College, who resigned from the committee). (k) Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Committee. Midwest region: Mark Guthrie, head men’s track and field coach/director of athletic facilities, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse; Great Lakes region: Joshua Payne, head men’s and women’s track and cross country coach, Hanover College. (l) Women’s Volleyball Committee. Midwest region: Chad Schreiber, head volleyball coach, Lakeland College. (m) Wrestling Committee. Midwest region: Ronald Beaschler, head wrestling coach, Ohio Northern University.
Management Council Action:
	Approved the slate of nominees.
7. ISSUE:		Independent Institutions – In-Region Competition (Bylaw 31.3.4.3).
Committee Recommendation:
	At the request of the Division III Management Council, the committee reconsidered the request to allow all independent institutions the ability to count all contests versus other independent institutions as in-region competition. The committee noted that not all independent institutions are similarly “geographically challenged.” It noted that, individually, independent institutions have the ability to request a waiver of the requirement that 50 percent of a schedule must be against in-region competition (selection criteria effective for the 2004-05 season). It was also noted that sports committees have the ability to consider secondary criteria for selection purposes if the primary criteria do not offer enough information.

Management Council Action:
	Approved the recommendation. The Council noted that independent institution have access to the waiver process and should formally notify the Association of Division III Independents regarding the waiver process.

ITEMS OF INFORMATION

1. ISSUE:		Participation Awards.
Committee Action:
	The committee discussed the concept of providing participation awards to all championships participants. It was noted that Division I currently provides medallions, and it is expected that Division II will also move in this direction. The committee tabled the issue until the September 2003 meeting, when all budget items are reviewed.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
2. ISSUE:		Officials Per Diem.
Committee Action:
	The committee reviewed projected costs related to increasing the daily per diem provided to officials. It was noted that Divisions I and II are expected to increase the per diem from $30 to $45 for the next budget cycle. The committee will revisit this topic when all budget items are reviewed at its September 2003 meeting.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
3. ISSUE:		NCAA Bylaw 31.1.4.1.
Committee Action:
	At the request of the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Committee, the championships committee discussed the philosophy of adjusting championship schedules based on individual institutional policies regarding the inability to compete on given days due to religious beliefs. The championships committee noted the inherent trade-offs (e.g., missed class time) affiliated with accommodating institutions, and reluctantly concluded that there are currently no options for competing Friday/Saturday versus Saturday/Sunday at selected predetermined sites. The championship committee is troubled by the effect of this exemption on championship administration, but recognizes the legislative implications of changing the current policy.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
4. ISSUE:		Review of Proposition 42 Expenses.
Committee Action:
	The committee reviewed budgetary figures related to 2002 Proposal No. 42 (approximately $1.5 million). It was noted that the updated cost estimate is based on 2002-03 sponsorship numbers.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
5. ISSUE:		Playing Rules Oversight Committee.
Committee Action:
	The committee recommended that the Playing Rules Oversight Committee request all playing rules committees to consider implementing “zero-tolerance” policies for offensive, profane, insulting or abusive language.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
6. ISSUE:		Fees for Hosting Championships.
Committee Action:
	The committee discussed the concept of providing a flat fee for championships competition rather than using the current proposed budget system. No action was taken.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.

7. ISSUE:		Baseball and Softball Date Formulas.
Committee Action:
	The committee requested that the NCAA Division III Women’s Softball Committee and the NCAA Division III Baseball Committee work together to propose consistent date formulas and move toward conducting the NCAA Division III Men’s Baseball Championship and the NCAA Division III Women’s Softball Championship on the same weekend.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
8. ISSUE:		Regional Rankings.
Committee Action:
	The committee requested all team sports committees submit a recommendation for ranking procedures related to the new selection criteria (e.g., the total number of teams to be ranked per region via percentage or a specific number per region). All requests were approved (individual request are listed in the individual sports committee recommendations).
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
9. ISSUE:		Software for Selection Criteria.
Committee Action:
	The committee supported the initiative to ensure the development of software for use by all team sports for ranking and selection purposes by September 2003.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
10. ISSUE:		Operations Plan.
Committee Action:
	The committee supported the initiative to ensure the development of software for use by all team sports for ranking and selection purposes by September 2003.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
11. ISSUE:		Consistent Score Reporting Form.
Committee Action:
	The committee reviewed the proposed score-reporting form and recommended that institutions be required to distinguish in-region competition as either competition within their defined region or use of the 200-mile radius policy.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
12. ISSUE:		Sports Committee Recommendations.
Committee Action:
	The committee: (1) Baseball. Approved the recommendation to rank 15 percent of the teams in each region, effective with the 2004 championship. (2) Women’s Basketball. Approved the recommendation to rank six teams in each region, effective with the 2004 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship. (3) Field Hockey. (a) Automation Qualification. Approved automatic qualification to the 2003 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship for the following conferences: Centennial Conference; Commonwealth Coast Conference; Commonwealth Conference; Little East Conference; New England Small College Athletic Conference; New England Women’s and Men’s Athletics Conference; North Coast Athletic Conference; Old Dominion Athletic Conference; Pennsylvania Athletic Conference; and Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association. (b) Pool Allocation. Approved the following pool allocation for the 2003 championship: Pool A – 10; Pool B – 6; and Pool C – 2. (c) Regional Rankings. Approved the recommendation to rank 22 percent of the teams in each region, effective with the 2003 championship. (4) Football. (a) Committee Chair. Approved Jim Moretti, director of athletics at Alfred University, to serve as chair of the NCAA Division III Football Committee, effective September 2003. (b) Regional Realignment. Referred the request for realignment of the Middle Atlantic States Conference to the East region from the South region back to the football committee. The championships committee will review this issue in September 2003, provided the following additional information is submitted: (a) committee rationale for why the change is requested; and (b) 2003 and 2004 schedules for each conference institution, noting any expected changes. (c) Automatic Qualification. Approved automatic qualification to the 2003 NCAA Division III Football Championship for the following conferences: American Southwest Conference; Centennial Conference; College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin; Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference; Freedom Conference; Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference; Illini-Badger Intercollegiate Football Conference; Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference; Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference; Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference; Midwest Conference; Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference; New England Football Conference; North Coast Athletic Conference; Ohio Athletic Conference; Old Dominion Athletic Conference; Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference; Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference; and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. (d) Pool Allocation. Approved the following pool allocation for the 2003 championship: Pool A – 19; Pool B – 6; and Pool C – 3. (e) Officiating Clinic. Denied a request to mandate attendance of conference and assigning organizations representation at the NCAA Divisions II and III football officiating clinic. The committee supported the concept of the clinic, but had reservations regarding cost implications to conferences. The championships committee suggested pursuing funding sources and/or offering regional sites to reduce travel costs. (f) Future Hosts. Approved that the city of Salem, Virginia and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference serve as co-hosts for the championship game of the 2004 and 2005 championships. (5) Men’s Golf. · Minimum Yardage. Approved that the minimum yardage for golf courses used for regular-season and postseason tournaments be approved as follows: Par 70 – minimum yardage of 6,000; Par 71 – minimum yardage of 6,100; and Par 72 – minimum yardage of 6,200. (6) Men’s Ice Hockey. (a) Secondary Selection Criteria. Approved the request to evaluate the last 25 percent of the season (including all conference tournament games), provided the strength-of-schedule portion is excluded from the evaluation. (b) Regional Rankings. Approved the recommendation to rank 33 percent of the teams in each region, effective with the 2004 NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship. (c) Predetermined Site. Approved the request to accept information at its September meeting regarding a predetermined site. (7) Women’s Ice Hockey. (a) Regional Rankings. Approved the recommendation to rank 33 percent of the teams in each region, effective with the 2004 NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Championship. (b) Predetermined Site. Accepted the information that the committee will not be forwarding a recommendation for a predetermined site. (8) Women’s Lacrosse. · Regional Rankings. Approved the recommendation to rank six teams in each region, effective with 2004 championship. (9) Men’s Lacrosse. · Regional Rankings. Approved the recommendation to rank 15 percent of teams in each region, effective with the 2004 NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship. (10) Women’s Softball.