NCAA Division III
MONTHLY UPDATE // ISSUE NO. 143 // SEPTEMBER 2017

This update is a tool to enhance communication between the NCAA national office and the Division III membership, with distribution to athletics directors, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives, presidents, national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, conference commissioners and the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators electronic mailing list.  We encourage athletics directors to share this communication with their department members.  Please contact Louise McCleary to include an item or share comments, and remember to check out the Division III governance homepage for the latest news.


HOT TOPICS

Sexual Violence Prevention Policy

Coaches, college athletes and athletics administrators are required to complete education each year in sexual violence prevention, according to a new policy adopted by the NCAA Board of Governors. The board also directed the Commission To Combat Campus Sexual Violence to partner with other higher education organizations to propose broader solutions and pursue better data to inform future decisions.  For more details regarding what the policy means for member schools, click here

Strategic Plan

Each year the Division III Strategic Planning and Finance Committee (SPFC) updates and approves the division's strategic plan and budget.  The strategic plan serves many purposes.  It begins with the Division III philosophy statement to establish the framework from which the division's programs, resource allocations, and regulatory decisions are made. It summarizes the division's strategic priorities by outlining what must be accomplished in the current year of the budget biennium for the division to be successful.  The plan also highlights all the programs and services offered for the division.  The strategic plan is a living and breathing document that the committee updates and forwards to the Management and President Councils for approval before the start of each new budget cycle.  Please click here to access the 2017-19 strategic plan.

HIGHLIGHTS

Hot Topics

ADR Updates

FAR Updates

360 Proof Updates

SSI Updates

Diversity Spotlight

Special Olympics

AMA Updates

Educational Information

PROP Updates

The NCAA Record

Committee Updates

Key Dates

2018 NCAA Convention

Registration for the 2018 NCAA Convention opens Tuesday, Sept. 12.  NCAA members should register by Wednesday, Oct. 11, to get the lowest registration rate ($225).  This year's Convention will be held Jan. 17-20 in Indianapolis.  Key schedule changes implemented last year remain, with the Honors Celebration on Wednesday, Jan. 17; the Special Olympics Unified Sports Activity from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 18, and the Association Luncheon to Friday, Jan. 19.

LGBTQ Survey

The Division III LGBTQ Working Group will soon distribute a survey to better understand the current landscape and climate surrounding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning issues on Division III campuses and conferences.  The working group will use the survey findings as it explores educational resources, visibility and recognition opportunities and communication best practices.  Look for the survey in early October.  For more information, please contact Jean Orr

Financial Reporting System:  2017-18 Reporting Year

On Sept. 15, institutions will have the opportunity to submit athletics finance information voluntarily to the NCAA via the Financial Reporting System (FRS).  For institutions that have never submitted or have stopped submitting the data, please consider participating this year. While a little more than half of Division III institutions voluntarily submitted athletics finance data via the FRS last year, that marked a decrease in participation from over 80 percent just four years ago.

This data is important:

  • It forms the basis for the finance component of your institution's Division III Institutional Performance Program (IPP), the free self-assessment and benchmarking tool released last year.  Click here to see the benefits of the IPP.

  • It forms the basis for the Division III revenues and expenses report, an annual report of Division III athletic departments' financial information.  The latest report can be found here.
To streamline the data submission process, staff has compiled a list of the 48 reporting categories and definitions.   Before logging into the FRS, review the list and determine the categories that pertain to your institution.  When you find one that is not applicable, make a note of it, and you can simply move onto the next category when entering your data.  Contact Maria DeJulio or Katrina Buell with questions.  Additional information can be found here.
 
 

Division III Student Immersion Program

For the third consecutive year, Division III will support 40 ethnic-minority students to attend the 2018 NCAA Convention planned for Jan. 17-20 in Indianapolis.  The application process is available on Program Hub, titled 2018 Division III Student Immersion Program and closes at 5 p.m. Eastern time Sept. 30.  Ethnic-minority students, preferably juniors and seniors, with a strong interest in a career in Division III athletics (coaching and/or administration) are encouraged to apply.  Final selections will be announced in early October.  At the Convention, the students will be exposed to Division III, its members and the governance process.  In addition to the scheduled Division III programming, there will be welcome and debrief meetings.  The goal is to build a pipeline of ethnic-minority candidates with an interest in Division III coaching and/or administration, in an effort to ultimately diversify the division. 

Division III Student Attendees at 2018 NCAA Convention

Do you have a student from your institution who is planning to attend the 2018 NCAA Convention?  Please note that the student registration fee is $25 and students (except those students serving on the national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee or selected through the Division III Student Immersion Program) must register for the Convention and lodging in the same manner as all other delegates.  Click here for a chart that provides a sampling of the programming the staff and Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee believe is beneficial to Division III student attendees. 

2017-18 Identity Initiative Purchasing Website

Directors of athletics and conference commissioners (as well as athletics administrators who have been designated as institutional representatives) soon will receive from Source One Digital an email invitation to use a new $500 credit for the Division III identity initiative purchasing website during 2017-18. The email will be sent in early September. The link for the purchasing website is ncaadiii.sourceoneordering.com, and it will be available Monday, Sept. 11 .  Access the site by entering the email address of your institution's director of athletics (or for conferences, the commissioner's email address) as the username, and then enter the password you created the first time you logged into the site (those logging in for the first time can create any password).  Assistance with logging in to the site, updating records to reflect a new director of athletics' email address, delegating log-in access to another staff member, resetting passwords and placing orders is available from Amy Byrnes at Source One Digital.  

ATHLETICS DIRECT REPORT (ADR) UPDATES

Applications are being accepted for the third annual Athletics Direct Report (ADR) Institute through Aug. 31 via Program Hub. This event will take place Jan. 17-18, at the 2018 NCAA Convention in Indianapolis. The purpose of the program is to engage Division III ADRs in best practices to oversee and manage athletics departments and to improve the relationships between ADRs and their presidents, athletics directors and conference commissioners. The two-day program includes both networking opportunities and interactive discussions with ADR peers and other expert presenters.  Event details are available here. Participants will receive a registration fee waiver to the NCAA Convention to continue their professional development. The institute also provides travel, meals and lodging for all participants. Please contact Leah Kareti with any questions. 

FACULTY ATHLETICS REPRESENTATIVE (FAR) UPDATES

Registration for the 2017 Faculty Athletics Representatives Association (FARA) Annual Meeting, Nov. 2-4, in Atlanta is now open.  Please visit the FARA website to register and view the preliminary agenda .  Highlights of the meeting will be a keynote address by Janet Judge on the 45th anniversary of Title IX, a conversation with NCAA President Mark Emmert and the chair and vice-chair of the NCAA Board of Governors, and more than seven hours of division-specific programming. Additional details and a preview of the meeting will be published in the FARA Voice Newsletter. Questions regarding the meeting can be directed to Michael Miranda.

360 PROOF UPDATES

Learning Collaborative 2017-18 Schedule

All 360 Proof users are invited to monthly learning collaborative webinars to network with peer institutions and learn from national experts in the field of high-risk alcohol use prevention. An invitation to register is circulated one week in advance of each webinar.  Please hold the time (all Eastern) to share and learn with your peers!  Questions about 360 Proof?  Email: experthelp@360proof.org.

  • 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19;

  • 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25;

  • 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29;

  • 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31;

  • 3 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 13; and

  • 1 p.m. Wednesday, Apr. 11.


Monthly Prevention Tips

  • New students have arrived!  This time is a great opportunity to make sure policies are being distributed.  Take an audit of what policies are in place (and/or how they're working) through the Campus Self-Study in Center Point.
  • If you haven't already, meet as a 360 Proof team and consider what prevention activities you want to incorporate for the fall and throughout the year.
  • Want to watch videos at work and count them as work? Re-watch the webinars on Center Point addressing start-of-the-year content from Aug. 21, to Sept. 11, 2015.
  • If you're at a school where fall sports involve tailgating, be mindful of messages sent to your students when it involves alumni, particularly if the sense is that there's no enforcement of policies.  Be mindful of messages sent to your students if they're the ones tailgating and there doesn't seem to be much enforcement.  The bottom line?  There are opportunities for enforcement/education.  Re-watch the March 8, 2016, webinar on strategies to address tailgating.  
  • What programming is underway for your student-athletes?  What high-risk events during the fall could be even more risky for these students?  Re-watch the webinar from Oct. 26, 2016, that addresses high-risk events and student-athletes.


SPORT SCIENCE INSTITUTE (SSI) UPDATES

Concussion Fact Sheets

The Sport Science Institute (SSI) has recently released revised fact sheets for student-athletes and coaches that promote concussion safety and provide concrete action steps for implementing a healthy and safe culture. The fact sheets consider emerging data from the NCAA-U.S. Department of Defense CARE Consortium study, and are the result of input from medical, scientific and health education experts and NCAA Divisions I, II and III Student-Athlete Advisory Committees and coaches. To download the fact sheets, click here.

Designated Athletics Heath Care Administrators

The Athletics Health Care Administrator Handbook, a new resource created to help support athletics health care administrators in their new designation as established by Association-wide NCAA Independent Medical Care legislation, was released this August. The handbook includes information about the recommended roles for athletics health care administrators, as well as an overview of NCAA health and safety legislation, interassociation consensus recommendations and educational resources. To download the Athletics Health Care Administrator Handbook, click here . To find additional information about the athletics health care administrator, visit the Athletics Health Care Administrator Resource Center located at ncaa.org/ahca

Substance Abuse Prevention Tool Kit

The SSI has released a Substance Abuse Prevention Tool Kit that provides recommended approaches and evidence-based resources for athletics administrators to address alcohol, marijuana and prescription drug abuse.  Within the tool kit, member schools will find checklists and strategies that support campus collaborations and that promote engagement with those campus colleagues who have primary responsibilities for student wellness and substance abuse prevention. To download the Substance Abuse Prevention Tool Kit, click here.

Register First-Year Student-Athletes for New Well-Being Resource

myPlaybook: The Freshman Experience, an online educational curriculum designed specifically for freshman student-athletes to promote well-being through healthy behavioral strategies, will be available to member schools this fall. This free web-based resource will provide a curriculum of interactive educational modules that support the student-athlete wellness efforts of member schools. To register for myPlaybook: The Freshman Experience and start planning your school’s educational curriculum, click here.

Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports Report

The report from the June 2017 Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports meeting is now available. To read the full report, click here.

DIVERSITY SPOTLIGHT INITIATIVE

The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) is the recipient of the August Division III Diversity Spotlight Initiative. The conference hosted an educational seminar for administrators and coaches at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota). The two-session seminar, focusing on game day management and inclusion and diversity discussion, was attended by more than 50 MIAC administrators and coaches from all 13 institutions across Minnesota.  The Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) guided attendees on several interactive and engaging exercises to discuss diversity, inclusion and implicit bias through the lens of athletics. Click here for 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.  All selected recipients receive $500 towards their next diversity initiative.  To submit an initiative for consideration for September, please email Jori Jasper, 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 video or photo if applicable. The nomination deadline is Sept. 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.

August Winner

After 1,390 total votes, Hamilton Basketball Pitches in Around the Community won the August Special Olympics Spotlight poll by gathering 51 percent (720) of the total votes.  Hamilton College will receive $500 to use for its next Special Olympics event. To submit a story for consideration, email d3specialolympics@ncaa.org.  

September Nominees

• Hilbert Athletics Helps at Special Olympics
• Millsaps SAAC Hosts Special Olympics
• Wartburg Hosts Annual Unified Sports Day

Click here to vote starting Friday, Sept. 1. The winner will be selected Sept. 25, 2017.

ACADEMIC AND MEMBERSHIP AFFAIRS (AMA)

Rule of the Month

States of Emergency - Interpretations and Waiver Support.  Considering the recent impact of Hurricane Harvey, the NCAA academic and membership affairs staff wishes to remind institutions and conferences to use interpretative flexibility or, when necessary, the legislative relief waiver process.  Specifically, when situations arise involving the immediate health and safety of a prospective student-athlete, a student-athlete and/or his or her family members and an institution is unsure as to the application of NCAA rules and regulations, it is always appropriate to provide the assistance necessary as warranted by the circumstances. If the timing of the circumstances permits an institution to seek guidance from its conference office or the AMA staff before acting, the institution may do so.  However, many of these decisions must be made in real time and institutions are advised to act as they deem appropriate. In some cases, it may be helpful to contact the conference office or AMA staff at the next available opportunity to share the fact scenario and action taken, but this is not always necessary.

For reference, the Division III emergency interpretations and legislative relief voice mail is 317-917-6003. The voice mail is checked repeatedly throughout the day from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday.  Again, the AMA staff encourages institutions to make decisions they deem appropriate to ensure the health and safety of prospective student-athletes, student-athletes and their family members.

Division III Staff Interpretation

Greens Fees Provided to Golf Student-Athletes (III). Date Issued: Aug. 29, 2017. Date Published: Aug. 29, 2017.  The NCAA academic and membership affairs staff confirmed that it is not permissible for a student-athlete to receive free green fees outside the institution's playing and practice season unless the same benefit is available to all students generally.  [References: NCAA Division III Bylaws 12.1.1 (preferential treatment, benefits or services); 16.02.3 (extra benefits)]

2018 Convention - Division III Proposed Legislation

The 2018 NCAA Convention Division III Initial Publication of Proposed Legislation (IPOPL) is now available to the membership. The initial publication includes proposals that are sponsored by the Division III membership.  

The 2018 NCAA Convention Division III Second Publication of Proposed Legislation (SPOPL) which will contain proposals sponsored by the Division III governance structure in addition to the membership-sponsored proposals, will be made available online to the membership Sept. 23. 

The 2018 NCAA Convention Division III Official Notice, which will include final versions of proposed legislation, will be available to Convention attendees, in both printed and online formats, Nov. 15.  Please contact the academic and membership affairs staff at the NCAA national office (317-917-6222) if you have any questions.

Amendment to Amendment Procedures

For consideration at the 2018 NCAA Convention, amendments-to-amendments must be received in the NCAA national office (via submission on LSDBi) not later than 5 p.m. Eastern time Nov. 1. In addition, the following procedures should be observed: 

  1. Amendments to proposals contained in the 2018 NCAA Convention Division III Second Publication of Proposed Legislation (SPOPL) may be submitted by active members in accordance with the division-specific provisions of NCAA Constitution 5.3.4. 
  2. Institutional Submissions: Any 20 or more Division III institutions may submit amendments-to-amendments, provided all sponsoring institutions are active members. An amendment-to-amendment must be submitted in the name of the institution by the chancellor or president or the chancellor or president's designated representative. [Note: The chancellor or president must provide written notification (before the Nov. 1 deadline) to the NCAA national office of any individual designated to assert sponsorship of a legislative proposal on behalf of the institution.] 
  3. Conference Submissions: The chancellor or president of two or more member conferences with voting privileges may submit amendments-to-amendments on behalf of their active conference members. Conference-submitted amendments-to-amendments must be signed by the chair of the conference's presidential administrative group or at least two chancellors or presidents of the conference's member institutions if the conference has no presidential administrative group. 
  4. An amendment-to-amendment may not increase the modification of the original proposal. 

Student-Athlete Reinstatement Update

The student-athlete reinstatement staff reminds institutions that all student-athletes are required to sign a case-specific Buckley statement for each reinstatement or waiver request submitted on their behalf. The case-specific Buckley statement is generated in the "Signatures" tab for each reinstatement or waiver request in the Requests and Self-Reports Online (RSRO) system and includes the student-athlete's name, case type and case number. It is distinct and separate from the standard Buckley statement student-athletes sign before athletics participation at the beginning of each academic year. Previous Buckley statements signed by the student-athlete for a different case number or case type will not be accepted. Failure to submit the correct Buckley statement can result in case processing delays.

EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION

2018-19 NCAA Postgraduate Internship Program

The NCAA Postgraduate Internship Program application process opened on Aug. 14 and closes Sept. 22.  To apply or access more information about the program and eligibility, click here .  The internship annually provides on-the-job learning experiences at the national office in Indianapolis to college graduates who are passionate in their pursuit of a career in college sports administration.  This year-long program gives insight to the inner workings of college sports from the national perspective. Interns during the past 25 years have taken their experience and institutional knowledge onto campuses and into the conference offices as full-time administrators. NCAA postgraduate interns are salaried with benefits and they receive comprehensive training, mentor assignments and networking opportunities throughout the internship. Additionally, postgraduate interns plan and execute professional development site visits to conference offices, member campuses and affiliate organizations to further their knowledge of the industry and network with today's leaders. The start date for the 2018-19 NCAA intern class will be June 11. Please email internship@ncaa.org with any questions.

ACTION ITEM:  2017 Student-Athlete Leadership Forum

The annual NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, with more than 300 student-athletes, coaches, administrators and faculty in attendance, will take place Nov. 16-19 in Washington, D.C.  Click here for more information about eligibility, nomination process, deadlines and additional FAQs.  Student-athletes selected to attend the Leadership Forum will return to campus with invaluable leadership skills, the experience of exploring the relationship between personal values, core beliefs and behavioral styles, and a thorough understanding of the NCAA, the different divisional perspectives and the valuable role of Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC).

ACTION ITEM:  Leadership Academy Workshop

The two-part workshop for administrators in the student-athlete development field will be hosted Nov. 12-14 in Washington, D.C., with a second session scheduled for Feb. 1-3 in Indianapolis. The workshop gives participants the tools to design and implement curriculum for student-athletes, as well as enhance and assess the programming already occurring on campus. Deadline to apply is Sept. 22. Click here for more information.

PLAYING RULES OVERSIGHT PANEL (PROP) UPDATES

Future Playing Rules Changes with Financial Impact

To view future NCAA playing rules changes with a financial impact, click here.

Men's Lacrosse Rules Survey

The 2017 men's lacrosse rules survey is now available. For more information, click here.

THE NCAA RECORD

For the latest hires, promotions, retirements and to find out who is going where in college athletics check out the NCAA Record which includes regularly updated transactions.  To inform the NCAA of any new hires, retirements, promotions and death notices, please email transactions@ncaa.org.

COMMITTEE UPDATES

Two committees conducted in-person meetings in August. 


Presidents Advisory Group (PAG), August 8
Presidents Council, August 9

KEY DATES FOR SEPTEMBER THROUGH NOVEMBER

2017
Dates Meeting/Championships Location 
Sept. 10-11   Division III Commissioner Association and NADIIIAA Meeting Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 11 Nominating Committee Meeting Indianapolis, IN 
Sept. 18-19 Championships Committee Meeting Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 21-22 Interpretations and Legislation Committee Meeting Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 28-29 Research Committee Meeting Indianapolis, IN 
Oct. 11-13 Olympic Sports Liaison Committee Meeting Colorado Springs, CO
Oct. 13-15 FAR Fellows Institute Indianapolis, IN
Oct. 16-17 Management Council Meeting Indianapolis, IN
Oct. 22 Woman of the Year Dinner Indianapolis, IN
Oct. 24-25 Presidents Council Meeting Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 12-13 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Meeting Indianapolis, IN
Nov. 13-14 Financial Aid Committee Meeting Indianapolis, IN
Nov. 14-15 Championships Committee Meeting Indianapolis, IN
Nov. 16-18 Women's Volleyball Championship Grand Rapids, MI
Nov. 17-19 Field Hockey Championship Louisville, KY
Nov. 18 Men's and Women's Cross Country Championship Elsah, IL
Nov. 28-29 Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement Meeting Indianapolis, IN


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