2016 CONVENTION LEGISLATION

During the Business Session, the Division III delegates approved eight of 10 proposals. Voting results can be found here.

Proposal No. 1, sponsored by Presidents Council, called for an increase in Division III membership dues. The proposal passed by a wide margin and will raise membership dues from $900 to $2,000 for institutions, and from $450 to $1,000 for conferences effective in the 2017-18 academic year.  The generated revenue, approximately $519,000 will restore funds from previous cuts to championships per diem and will enhance access ratios to the women's swimming and diving championships.

Also of note was Proposal No. 2, which would have deregulated electronic transmissions to prospects, including social media. Delegates defeated the proposal by a wide margin.

For the second year in a row, a membership proposal that would allow for a full-contact, nontraditional football segment was defeated. The defeat this year, by 60 percent of the membership, was larger than last year. With the defeat, spring football remains a strength and conditioning activity with no contact. 

CONVENTION ISSUES FORUM 

Division III held its annual Issues Forum on the day before the business session. Approximately 1,200 attendees discussed what steps, if any, need to be taken to reform the current playing and practice seasons legislation. Roundtable topics centered on three key areas: standardization of contest exemptions, nontraditional segment alternatives, and contest limitations in softball and baseball. Based on results from straw poll questions, the majority of respondents did not support significant changes to the current playing and practice seasons beyond some limited standardization of contest exemptions. The NCAA research and governance staffs will evaluate the written feedback from each roundtable, and the Playing and Practice Seasons Subcommittee will propose next steps to the Management and Presidents Councils. 

Delegates also received an update from two current Division III working groups. The Diversity and Inclusion Working Group discussed its original charge to evaluate the current diversity and inclusion landscape within Division III, and provided proposed next steps. The Sportsmanship and Game Environment Working Group discussed the development of a potential certification program to address the issue of fan behavior, including parents.  

All straw poll results from the Issues Forum can be found here.

PRESIDENTS COUNCIL MEETING AT CONVENTION

The Council received an update from the Sports Science Institute (SSI) staff on the October 2015 Division III Health and Safety Summit. Themes that emerged from the summit included: 1) Identify a director of medical services at each institution, 2) Create and distribute NCAA template protocols for model care, and 3) Delay the start of the fall non-traditional segment.

SSI also provided an update on the following: 1.) The recent release of a mental health best practices guide ; 2.) The anticipated release of a cardiac consensus inter-association guideline this summer; and 3.) Two summits in February - one on football safety  and the other on sexual assault prevention.

Presidents Council members also received a preliminary overview of the 2015 GOALS study of the Division III student-athlete experience. We will explore these findings further during our April meeting. The link to the study can be found here.

PRESIDENTIAL LUNCHEON AT CONVENTION

The Presidential Luncheon featured President Kirk Schulz of Kansas State University, chair of the NCAA Board of Governors, who updated us regarding Division I and Association-wide issues. The luncheon also served as an opportunity to discuss the NCAA's new communications initiatives.

ATHLETICS DIRECT REPORT (ADR) INSTITUTE

Division III hosted the inaugural ADR Institute at the Convention.  Approximately 80 percent of athletics directors directly report to a campus administrator other than the president. The program engaged 43 ADRs in best practices and ways to improve the relationships between ADRs and their presidents, athletics directors and conference commissioners.  Applications for the 2017 Institute will be available, via Program Hub, July 1 - September 1. 

CONCLUSION 

We hope this quarterly update provides the necessary and critical information you need to assist in the oversight of Division III athletics on your campus.  You can find a full recap of the January President's Council meeting here in addition to the Summary of Actions that details all Council actions.  We welcome any comments or questions.  Good luck with the spring semester!