NCAA OLYMPIC SPORTS LIAISON COMMITTEE (OSLC)

Summary of Recommendations

ITEMS OF INFORMATION

1. ISSUE:		Discussion of NCAA Sport Sponsorship.
Committee Action:
	The committee continued its discus-sion about the decline of Olympic sports sponsorship within the NCAA. The committee discussed the NCAA Executive Committee?s position that Title IX was not to blame for the decrease in men?s Olympic sports; received an update on the U.S. Secretary of Education?s Commission on Opportunity in Athletics process; and received a report from the NCAA research staff regarding participation rates. The committee recognizes that changing the enforcement of Title IX will not solve the problem of dropping sports and that other avenues need to be investi-gated. The committee met with representatives of several National Governing Bodies (NGBs) who expressed their concerns about the impact that the continued dropping of sports will have on their ability to be successful internationally, and they believe the enforcement of Title IX is a main contributor. The NGBs and the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) would like to establish a partnership with the NCAA to: (1) Celebrate the positives of Title IX; (2) Address the unin-tended consequences of Title IX; (3) Educate institutions and the general public; and (4) Continue work on the federal efforts. The committee decided that it would continue to review this issue and work in conjunction with the Committee on Women?s Athletics and the NGBs to develop initiatives that would address the elimination of Olympic sports programs. The committee also discussed the possi-bility of re-implementing the USOC conference-grant program or some other type of incentive for sponsoring declining Olympic sports.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
2. ISSUE:		Meeting with National Governing Bodies.
Committee Action:
	The committee met with representatives from USA Wrestling; Track & Field; Gymnastics; Field Hockey; Shooting; Basketball; Bowling; Archery; Team Handball; Rowing; and Water Polo. The committee listened to issues presented and provided the NGBs with relevant information regarding the NCAA and requested more specific more specific written information from USA Gymnastics; Track & Field; and Basketball.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information, noting that women?s wrestling will become an Olympic sport in 2004.

3. ISSUE:		Emerging Sports/Gender Equity Update.
Committee Action:
	The OSLC received a report related to the latest developments for emerging sports.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
4. ISSUE:		Foreign Student-Athlete Participation Rates.
Committee Action:
	The committee received a report from the NCAA research staff related to the participation rates for student-athletes in NCAA sports. The committee discussed its role in monitoring the influx of international student-athletes and the impact it has on the Olympic movement and the displacement of scholarships for U.S. student-athletes. The committee will continue to monitor the issue in light of the recent changes made in Divisions II and III and their adoption of the season-of-competi-tion legislation and the recent shift in reinstatement conditions in Division I.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.
5. ISSUE:		Mission/Purpose of the Committee.
Committee Action:
	The committee engaged in a discussion about developing a mission and strategic plan to help guide its involvement with the NGBs and the USOC. The committee will continue its discussion and attempt to develop a philosophy at its April 2003 meeting.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.