Regional Rules Seminars

Registration for the 2016 NCAA Regional Rules Seminars opens March 7.  Seminars will be conducted May 23-25 in Orlando and June 13-15 in Dallas.  Go to the Regional Rules Seminar webpage to find the registration link, daily schedule, grid and session descriptions.  Division III specific sessions will be held Tuesday afternoon and all day  Wednesday.

NCAA Constitution 3.2.4.15 (Convention and Regional Rules Seminar attendance) requires all Division III institutions to attend a Regional Rules Seminar at least once in every three years.  Under this requirement, the three-year window for attendance included the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Regional Rules Seminars.  Any institution that did not send a representative in 2014 or 2015 should plan to be in attendance at one of the 2016 seminars.  Click here to see which institutions are required to attend in 2016.  These institutions will also be sent a specific notification via email.

Questions about the Regional Rules Seminars should be directed to the academic and membership affairs staff at regionalrules@ncaa.org. 

Division III Week - April 4-10

The fifth annual celebration of Division III Week, scheduled for April 4-10, is a great opportunity to call attention to the unique student-athlete experience enjoyed at member schools.  Division III members are asked to highlight the activities and achievements of current student-athletes through scheduling an academic, athletics, co-curricular or extracurricular/community service activity.  The Division III Week Communications Kit serves as a planning guide, and further information about Division III Week is available online.  Please let us know, in advance, all planned Division III Week activities, either by submitting information via the online form, or sending it to d3identity@ncaa.org .  Providing this information in advance will assist the NCAA national office's promotion of the full array of planned activities.  If you have questions, please contact Kate Broshears.

Chancellors and Presidents Engagement Program

The NCAA Chancellors and Presidents Engagement Program provides opportunities for presidents and chancellors from all NCAA divisions to strengthen relationships with the national office through a variety of engagement sessions which include, but are not limited to, customized campus or national office visits and calls with peer mentors and key contacts in the Association. For additional information, or to schedule an engagement opportunity, please contact Sarah Sadowski, assistant director of leadership development.

NCAA Research - Alumni Panel

The research staff conducts national research on a wide variety of topics with audiences that include former student-athletes.  It is important to have the Division III voice represented in these surveys.  The research staff requests your help in distributing this survey to former student-athletes by sharing the registration information.

CoSIDA UPDATES

Division III and D3SIDA Recognition Award

The Division III and D3SIDA Recognition Award is a partnership between the Division III governance staff and the Division III College Sports Information Directors of America (D3SIDA) to honor the best work - including news releases, feature articles, videos, blogs and other materials - produced by Division III campus and conference athletics communication offices.  Each top honoree, named three times annually, will receive a $1,500 credit to attend Division III Day at the CoSIDA convention.  A panel of D3SIDA members will select the recipients, with winners publicized through NCAA.org and social media platforms. Participants can self-nominate or be nominated by peers, and the first deadline is May 1.  Entries must be for work completed after Nov. 1, 2015, and should be submitted via email to d3identity@ncaa.org.  The full award criteria are included in the attached PDF.  If you have questions, please contact Kate Broshears.

Division III Day at the CoSIDA Convention

We invite athletics communication directors to join us in Dallas during the CoSIDA Convention for the third annual Division III Day Monday, June 13. Programming will feature sessions on social media, helpful NCAA rules for athletics communicators, managing a part-time workforce, a hands-on Photoshop session, and a keynote speaker. For more information and to register, visit www.CoSIDA.com/2016convention.  Please note that the early bird registration fee of $225 ends on March 11. If you have questions, please contact Kate Broshears.

FACULTY ATHLETICS REPRESENTATIVE (FAR) UPDATES

2016 Division III FAR Institute

Nominations for the 2016 Division III FAR Fellows Institute will open April 1 and close May 30.  This nomination period will include the opportunity for self (FAR), athletics director and presidential nominations, in addition to the traditional selection of a conference nominee by the conference commissioner.  The 2016 Institute will be held Oct. 14-16 in Indianapolis. 

A nominations memo with further details will be distributed to all Division III FARs, athletics directors, presidents and commissioners in mid-March.  Please contact Leah Kareti with any questions about the FAR Institute.

SPORT SCIENCE INSTITUTE (SSI) UPDATES

Safety in College Football Summit

On Feb. 10 and 11, student-athletes, coaches, athletics administrators, conference representatives, and sports medicine professionals from Divisions I, II, and III joined subject matter experts, concussion researchers, and representatives from leading sports medicine organizations at the second Safety in College Football Summit in Orlando, Florida. The intent of the summit, convened by the NCAA Sport Science Institute and the College Athletic Trainers' Society, was to review new data presented by researchers related to concussion, football contact exposure, and head impact sensor technology. Based on the general consensus items reached at the summit, the Sport Science Institute will work with medical and coaching organizations in the coming months to update the 2014 guidelines for football practice contact and concussion diagnosis and management. These updated inter-association guidelines, along with guidelines for preventing catastrophic injury, will be published and made available to NCAA member schools after the guidelines have been refined and endorsed by the medical and coaching groups. The target date for public release of these documents is late spring 2016. Division III participants included two members of Management Council, one national SAAC member and the chair of the Division III football committee.

Higher Education Summit on Sexual Assault Prevention

On Feb. 29, the SSI, partnering with the Office of Inclusion, held a summit with representatives from more than 20 higher education associations, NCAA Association-wide committees, and subject matter experts. The groups worked together to identify educational strategies and resources to support campus-based sexual assault prevention and strategies to promote campus collaboration.  Joining in the discussions were representatives from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control's Division of Violence Prevention, and the White House "It's On Us" campaign. The ultimate outcome from the meeting will be to build on the NCAA's awareness-raising publication, "Addressing Sexual Assault and Interpersonal Violence - Athletics' Role in Support of Healthy and Safe Campuses," as well as to develop an inter-association consensus document that will support sexual assault prevention strategies for all NCAA member schools.

Mental Health Best Practices

SSI is pleased to announce its latest publication, Mental Health Best Practices , an Inter-Association Consensus Document: Best Practices for Understanding and Supporting Student-Athlete Mental Wellness, to NCAA member institutions and conference offices. Developed and endorsed by twenty-four of the most prominent medical, mental health, higher education, and sports medicine organizations in the country, the Mental Health Best Practices offers resource-independent best practices for member schools to implement in partnership with campus stakeholders in support of student-athlete mental health and well-being.

DIVERSITY SPOTLIGHT INITIATIVE

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is the recipient of the February Division III Diversity Spotlight Initiative.  In an effort to provide professional development for women in athletics, the Coast Guard Academy held its 5th Annual Women's LeadHERship Symposium.  The symposium featured Sandy Barbour, the director of athletics at Penn State University as the keynote speaker in addition to coach and administrator panels.  Participants ended the symposium with roundtable discussions. Click here to read the full story.

The Diversity Spotlight Initiative recognizes and promotes outstanding diversity related projects, programming and initiatives that are occurring on Division III campuses and in conference offices.  Each month, the program recognizes an institution or conference in regard to a diversity related event, program or initiative.   All recipients receive $500 towards their next diversity initiative.  To submit for consideration for the December/January Diversity Spotlight Initiative, please email Jessica Duff or Jaime Dicks, with a brief statement (no more than 500 words) as to why your institution or conference office deserves to be the spotlight recipient. Attach a photo if applicable. The nomination deadline is March 21.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

Spotlight Poll

The NCAA Division III Special Olympics Spotlight Poll is a story-telling initiative located on ncaa.org/D3SpecialOlympics .  It features new stories each month that highlight a Division III and Special Olympics joint activity or event.  The story with the highest number of votes on the 25th day of each month is the winner. That institution or conference receives $500 to use for its next Special Olympics event. Both written and digital submissions are accepted.  Featured stories are selected based on inclusion of the student-athlete perspective and Division III messaging. To submit a story for consideration, please email d3specialolympics@ncaa.org.

February Winner

After 2,734 total votes, Wheaton (MA) basketball continues Heller's Angels partnership won the February Special Olympics Spotlight poll with 44 percent (1,223) of the votes! Wheaton (MA) will receive $500 to use for their next Special Olympics event!

March Nominees

•  Massachusetts Maritime hosts Special Olympics basketball community game
• Smith College held an eight-team Special Olympics basketball tournament
• Augsburg College women's ice hockey celebrated Special Olympics night

Click here to vote starting Tuesday, March 1. The winner will be selected March 25, 2016.

ACADEMIC AND MEMBERSHIP AFFAIRS (AMA)

Rule of the Month

With increased media attention around fantasy leagues, as well as the upcoming NCAA March Madness, please remember that sports wagering is not allowed under NCAA rules (Bylaw 10.3). The Association and its member schools and conferences oppose all forms of legal and illegal sports wagering due to its threat to the well-being of college student-athletes and the integrity of college sports.    Student-athletes, coaches, conference staff members, athletics administrators, and nonathletics staff members who have responsibilities within or over athletics departments may not participate in sports wagering or provide information to anyone gambling on sports. NCAA members have defined sports wagering as putting something at risk - such as an entry fee - with the opportunity to win something in return.

Student-athletes risk their eligibility if they participate in a sports bet of any kind by putting something at risk (i.e., money, entry fee or tangible item) for the opportunity to win something.  This would include participation in fantasy leagues; online sports betting; March Madness brackets; Super Bowl pools; and sports parlay cards.  The enforcement staff would like to stress the importance of educating individuals on this prohibition.  In this regard, the enforcement staff has created a Sports Wagering Resource page and Don't Bet On It poster geared towards student-athletes for institutions to display in athletics facilities and on campus.

ISSG Reminder

Constitution 6.3.1 requires all Division III institutions to conduct a comprehensive self-study and evaluation of their athletics programs at least once every five years.  Click here to see which schools are required to complete this year's ISSG and supporting documentation by June 1, 2016. 

The full Institutional Self-Study Guide (ISSG) and requirements for supporting documentation are now available for completion.  Click here for the user manual.  This information must be entered into the electronic ISSG by all institutions; fax, hard copy or email submissions of the ISSG will not be accepted.

The ISSG can be accessed via the My Apps link on NCAA.org (if access has been granted by the institution's single-source sign-on administrator).  Institutions that need technical assistance are asked to send questions via email to Susan Roseman.

Division III Celebratory Signing Form

To help promote the existence and use of the celebratory signing form, Division III added information to NCAA.org explaining the history of the form and how it can be obtained and used by schools. Information on the celebratory signing form can be accessed from the Division III Compliance page within the Division III Resources section. 

SAR Update

The length of time it takes to process a student-athlete reinstatement (SAR) request varies greatly based on the complexity of the case. Often a reinstatement request that involves serious and/or complex violations of NCAA regulations will require follow-up. Once all information is submitted via RSRO and the facts of the case are complete, it takes approximately a week for the reinstatement staff to render an initial decision that is communicated to the institution through RSRO. The reinstatement staff is very aware of competition dates and strives to render decisions prior to the student-athlete's next date of competition, whenever possible.

February E-Publication

An 'epub" format of the latest NCAA Division III Manual was released February 16 on www.ncaapublications.com . The updated Manual contains recent legislative changes since the last publication in January and can be used on devices such as the iPhone and Kindle. Institutions can download the updated Manual here . Be sure to look for the download and instructions identified as the "epub."

Division III Management Council Subcommittee for Legislative Relief (SAR) Approves Blanket Waiver Extension for Bylaw 17.02.1.1 (athletically related activities). February 25, 2016

SAR recently approved an extension to the previously approved blanket waiver to allow out of season athletically related activities for Division III men's and women's swimming student-athletes. For student-athletes who have not achieved an Olympic Trials qualifying time by March 20, 2016, (the day following the conclusion of the 2016 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Championships), the waiver permits Division III swimming coaches to continue providing coaching instruction from March 20, 2016, through the entry deadline for the 2016 Olympic Trials (i.e., June 20, 2016), provided the student-athlete meets the time standards listed below. 

To qualify for this portion of the waiver, a student-athlete must achieve a time within one percent for events 200 meters/yards or longer and two percent for events 100 meters/yards or shorter of either the long course meters or short course yards time standards for the 2015 Senior National Championships.  This portion also allows an institution to provide a qualifying student-athlete with expenses to participate in a meet until June 20, 2016.  In order for student-athletes to continue to be coached by his or her collegiate coach beyond June 20, student-athletes must achieve an Olympic Trials qualifying time no later than June 20.  In issuing this waiver, the subcommittee noted the elite and unique nature of the U.S. Olympic Trials.  See Case No. 828047 in Requests/Self-Reports Online (RSRO) via the search tab. Additional information regarding blanket waivers can be found on the Subcommittee for Legislative Relief homepage.

Staff Interpretation

Club Beach Volleyball Outside Competition (III) . Date Published: February 2, 2016. The academic and membership affairs staff confirmed that volleyball student-athletes can compete on behalf of the institution's club beach volleyball team during the volleyball season without violating the outside competition legislation only if the club beach volleyball team follows beach volleyball playing and practice seasons legislation. [References: NCAA Division III Bylaws 14.02.8 (outside competition); 14.7.1 (outside competition); 14.7.1.2 (volleyball and beach volleyball); 17.4 (beach volleyball, women's); 17.25 (volleyball) and 12/12/94 official interpretation, Item No. 14]

Official Interpretations

Signature Requirements for Institutional, Charitable, Educational or Nonprofit Promotions (III) . Date Published: December 17, 2015. The Interpretations and Legislation Committee (ILC) confirmed that an institution's chancellor or president (or his or her designee) is only required to provide a student-athlete with permission to participate in institutional, charitable, educational or nonprofit promotions once per academic year. In addition, a student-athlete may sign a release at the beginning of the academic year authorizing the use of his or her name, image or appearance in permissible promotional activities for the remainder of the academic year. For on-going promotional activities (e.g., Special Olympics), an authorized representative of the charitable, educational or nonprofit agency may sign a release statement ensuring that a student-athlete's name, image and appearance will be used in a manner consistent with permissible promotional activities for the entire academic year instead of signing a release statement for each activity. [Reference: NCAA Division III Bylaw 12.5.1.1 (institutional, charitable, educational or nonprofit promotions)]

Application of Promotional Activities Legislation for Activities Not Sponsored or Organized by the Athletics Department or Conference Office (III) . Date Published: December 17, 2015. The committee determined that the requirements of the institutional, charitable, educational or nonprofit promotions legislation are applicable only to promotional activities sponsored or organized by the institution's athletics department or conference office. Promotional activities in which a student-athlete participates independent of his or her status as a student-athlete (e.g., institutional community service requirement) are not subject to the legislation. [Reference: NCAA Division III Bylaw 12.5.1.1 (institutional, charitable, educational or nonprofit promotions)]

Social Media Photos of Prospective Student-Athletes Participating in Institutional Camp or Clinic (III) . Date Published: December 17, 2015. The committee determined that an institution may post photographs of prospective student-athletes participating in an institutional camp or clinic on its social media outlets, provided the institution posts photographs of prospective students generally participating in nonathletic on-campus events on its social media outlets. [References: NCAA Division III Bylaws 13.10.4 (prospective student-athlete's visit) and 13.10.4.2 (exception)]

Recruiting or Scouting Service Operating Event on Institution's Campus (III) . Date Published: December 17, 2015. The committee confirmed that a recruiting or scouting service is permitted to host an event on an institution's campus, provided the event is operated consistent with the tryouts legislation. The recruiting or scouting service must be charged the normal facility rental fee and the institution may not publicize or endorse the event. Additionally, athletic department staff members are precluded from being employed, in any capacity, by a recruiting or scouting service. [References: NCAA Division III Bylaws 13.02.12 (recruiting or scouting service), 13.11.3.1 (athletics events or activities involving prospective student-athletes), staff interpretation (10/1/2003, Item No. 1), and staff action (3/24/2014, Item No. c)]

Determination of a Varsity and Subvarsity Contest (III) . Date Published: December 17, 2015. The committee determined that, for purposes of Bylaw 17 maximum institutional contest and date of competition limitations, an institution shall define a contest as either varsity or subvarsity (e.g., junior varsity). Further, an institution is not permitted to change the classification of a given contest or date of competition after that contest or date of competition has commenced. [References: NCAA Division III Bylaws 17.02.3 (contest, countable, institutional), 17.02.6 (date of competition, countable, institutional), 17._.5.1 (maximum limitations - institutional); an Official Interpretation (3/30/89, Item No. 5), which has been archived, a Staff Interpretation (11/2/90, Item No. c), which has been archived]

Preparation for Participation in the Indoor Track and Field Championships Counted in the Playing Season (III) . Date Published: February 25, 2016. The academic and membership affairs staff determined that preparation and participation in the indoor track and field championships must be included in the indoor and outdoor track and field playing season, inasmuch as the indoor track and field championships (as opposed to the outdoor track and field championships) do not occur at the conclusion of a distinct playing season. [References: NCAA Division III Bylaw 17.23.1 (length of playing season) and a staff interpretation (10/14/98, Item No. 1), which has been archived]

Classification of a Contest (III) .Date Published: February 25, 2016. The committee determined that any contest between two or more Division III institutions must be classified (e.g., scrimmage, exhibition, regular-season contest) the same by all participating Division III institutions (as opposed to a contest against a non-Division III opponent which may be classified differently). Further, an institution is not permitted to change the classification of a given contest after that contest has commenced. [References: NCAA Division III Bylaws 17.02.2 (contest), 17.02.3 (contest, countable, institutional) and 17._.5.3 (exemptions).]

EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION

United Nations International Sport and Social Impact Summit

The NCAA leadership development staff will sponsor three Division III student-athletes at the United Nations International Sport and Social Impact Summit, an outreach program targeted at the global millennial generation. At the two-week event in June, participants will learn to use the universal language of sports to engage and lead their peers in addressing social and economic issues in their communities.  NCAA member institutions may nominate up to two student-athletes (one male, one female) to complete the online application to attend the summit.  Nominations close March 18. Go here for more information.

NCAA Career in Sports Forum

Do you know a current student-athlete who is interested in a career in college sports? Nominate them to apply for the 2016 Career in Sports Forum. The four-day program will take place June 2-5 at the national office in Indianapolis. Each institution may nominate up to five (5) student-athletes. For more information, application details and video highlighting the program, click here. The deadline to both nominate student-athletes and for them to submit their application is 5 p.m. EST Monday, March 25.  

NCAA Inclusion Forum

The Inclusion Forum, April 16-18 in Indianapolis, will bring together intercollegiate athletics leaders passionate about improving the educational and professional environment for student-athletes, coaches and staff. Sessions will engage on a broad range of topics related to policy, research and best practices for racial and ethnic minorities, women, international student-athletes, LGBTQ and disability-access to sport.  Registration is now open and the preliminary agenda can be found here.  For questions, please contact Richard Zhu.

CHAMPIONSHIPS and PROP UPDATES

Championships Bid Process

The championships staff recently announced the commencement of the next championship site selection campaign. The NCAA is looking for hosts and sites for 83 of the 90 championships each year over four academic years, spanning 2018-19 through 2021-22.

The timeline of the bid process is as follows:

• Feb. 1 Bid specifications published (NCAA.org/bids).
• June 6 Bid portal opens.
• June 27 Bid intentions due.
• Aug. 12 Bid responses due.
• Sept./Oct. Committee deliberations.
• Nov. Committee recommendations.
• Dec. Hosts/sites announced.

Championships staff will be supplying updated communications throughout the process.  If you have questions, please contact Liz Suscha.

Playing Rules Committees Survey Results

As part of the process of adding, altering and/or deleting playing rules, the NCAA playing rules committees conduct surveys with the membership to determine the interest in/opposition to existing rules and potential new rules.  The survey results recently conducted in the sports of soccer, water polo, and women's volleyball are available on NCAA.org.

Men's Lacrosse and Women's Lacrosse Central Hubs on ArbiterSports

The NCAA opened central hubs for men's and women's lacrosse officials on the ArbiterSports website recently.

COMMITTEE UPDATES

Several committees conducted in-person meetings in February. 

Championships Committee, February 9-10
Membership Committee, February 10-11
Safety in College Football Summit, February 10-11
Interpretations and Legislation Committee, February 11-12
Financial Aid Committee, February 15-16
Sexual Assault Prevention Summit, February 29

KEY DATES FOR MARCH THROUGH MAY