division iii presidents quarterly update - february 2020

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

I am Tori Murden-McClure and I hope this quarterly update finds you and your campus well as the spring semester commences. It is with great honor that I begin my service as the Division III Presidents Council chair and vice chair of the Board of Governors. It has been a privilege to serve with outgoing chair, President Sue Henderson of New Jersey City University, and I thank her for her exceptional leadership this past year. I also thank all departing Council members for their hard work. This quarterly update highlights the recent 2020 NCAA Convention in Anaheim, CA, including legislative voting and other items of interest.

NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS (NIL)

At the direction of the NCAA Board of Governors, Division III has begun discussing how to modify and modernize relevant NIL bylaws and policies consistent with the Association’s values and principles.  During the Convention, the national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the Management and Presidents Councils discussed next steps and reviewed models for change in roundtable discussion during the Division III Issues Forum. Leading up to the April Council meetings, key governance committees will review the models. Opportunities for further membership input will occur this spring/summer prior to the August Council meeting. The division will propose and act on proposed legislation no later than the January 2021 NCAA Convention.  Additional information can be found on the Division III section of the NIL webpage on ncaa.org.

ARRINGTON SETTLEMENT UPDATE

In late November, the Arrington Concussion Settlement was finalized. The settlement agreement provides NCAA member institutions with an opportunity to benefit from a release from certain legal claims that might otherwise be brought by members of the settlement class.  A Frequently Asked Questions document has been provided to facilitate member institutions’ review of the settlement terms.  Additional questions may be submitted to the Sport Science Institute at ssi@ncaa.org.


 

2020 DIVISION III CONVENTION LEGISLATION

Division III delegates adopted 11  proposals, including a resolution. The final voting results grid can be found here In particular:
  • Proposal No.1 requires member schools and conferences to designate an athletics diversity and inclusion designee to be the primary contact for all diversity and inclusion-related information.
  • Proposals No. 2 and 3 reduce the membership process from four years to three years for provisional and reclassifying institutions.
  • Proposal No. 4 allows institutions to provide snacks and nutritional supplements incidental to participation in athletics.
  • Proposal No. 6 allows student-athletes serving as leaders on their teams to participate in limited leadership programming outside the playing season with any member of the coaching staff, so long as athletics activity is not involved.

RESPONSE TO NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS COUNSELING (NACAC)

NCAA Staff, at the direction of the Division III Financial Aid Committee, sent a letter to all Division III institutions highlighting the recent changes to the NACAC code of ethics and the continuing obligation to comply with Bylaw 15 (Financial Aid).   Additional questions or comments may be directed to Eric Hartung

CONCLUSION

It is my intent that the quarterly update provides the necessary and critical information necessary to assist you in the oversight of Division III athletics on your campus. You can find a more detailed recap of the January 2020 Presidents Council meeting here, and the Summary of Actions, which highlights all recent Council actions.  As always, I welcome any questions or feedback. Good luck with the spring semester!

DIVISION III GOVERNANCE STAFF

Dan Dutcher
Vice President for Division III

Louise McCleary
Managing Director of Division III

Ali Spungen
Associate Director of Division III

Adam Skaggs
Assistant Director of Division III Governance Communications

Debbie Kresge
Executive Assistant for Division III

Debbie Brown
Administrative Assistant for Division III
This email was sent to NCAA  -- Division III presidents and chancellors; athletics direct reports and conference commissioners based on contact information in the NCAA Directory.
National Collegiate Athletic Association, 700 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204 US

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