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 SAAC, conference commissioners and the NADIIIAA listserv. We encourage athletics directors to share this communication with their athletics 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 and information.
The Management and Presidents Councils have approved noncontroversial legislation, effective Aug. 1, amending Constitution 3.3.4 (conditions and obligations of membership) and Bylaw 31.2.1 (institutional eligibility) clarifying that:
An institution’s chancellor or president shall attest, annually by Oct. 15, to understanding the institutional obligations and personal responsibilities imposed by Constitution 2.1 (principle of institutional control and responsibility) and Constitution 2.8 (principle of rules compliance); and
An institution’s director of athletics shall certify, annually by Oct. 15, that specified conditions for entry of individuals and teams in NCAA championship competition have been satisfied, including an attestation of understanding the institutional obligations and personal responsibilities imposed by Constitution 2.1 and Constitution 2.8 and that all athletics department staff members (full-time, part-time, clerical and volunteer) are aware of the institutional obligations and personal responsibilities imposed by Constitution 2.1 and Constitution 2.8.
Specifically, the proposal shifts some compliance certification requirements related to the athletics program from the chancellor or president to the athletics director while maintaining that the chancellor or president affirms understanding the institutional and personal obligations. Additionally, this proposal relieves the undue administrative requirement of having each staff member provide a written attestation of rules compliance. Institutions must still inform staff of their obligations but will have the discretion to determine the best way to ensure this is completed.
Failure to complete the attestation will subject the institution to removal from and/or ineligibility of individuals to serve on an NCAA board, council or committee. The institution also will be ineligible to compete in individual and team NCAA championships.
The attestation course (video and form) will be released by Aug. 1 and the deadline to complete it is Oct. 15. The courses will be completed through the NCAA Learning Management System (LMS). Your institution’s Single-Source Sign-On administrator will give you access to the system and assign the course.
Staff will hold informational webinars throughout the summer. Dates and times will be emailed directly to athletics directors, presidents and chancellors.
Division III University
Check out Division III University, a new online learning platform that provides educational modules to Division III athletics directors, senior woman administrators, head coaches and conference commissioners. Division III University contains educational modules related to the following areas: NCAA Division III overview; student-athlete well-being; and compliance. Each chapter contains an interactive course or series of courses that will educate users on everything from compliance and governance to improving student-athlete health and safety. The NCAA Sport Science Institute developed the sexual violence prevention and mental health modules — two student-athlete health and safety
priority areas for Division III.
Access to Division III University is through NCAA MyApps on ncaa.org. To access Division III University, ask your athletics director to assign it to your MyApps. After it is assigned, go to ncaa.org and click on MyApps (upper right corner). Click on the NCAA Learning Portal app and click on the Division III University icon. Please note that you can launch the Division III University modules with any web browser, except Internet Explorer.
DEADLINE: July 12 Division III Voluntary Student-Athlete Graduation Rates
The NCAA staff recommends that those institutions that didn’t submit their voluntary student-athlete graduation rates information consider submitting the data with the deadline extension of Friday, July 12. Division III members are strongly encouraged to provide the voluntary academic success rate data for the 2012-13 student-athlete cohort. With the adoption of 2019 Convention legislation, Division III institutions will be required to begin reporting student-athlete graduation data in 2020. Participation in the 2019 reporting cycle provides an excellent opportunity for institutions to become familiar with the process. Please contact
Maria DeJulio or Eric Hartung with any questions.
DEADLINE: July 26 Sport Sponsorship and Demographic Form
The Sport Sponsorship and Demographic Form is now available. Completing the form is a membership requirement, and the form must be submitted not later than July 26. Access to the site is through the NCAA Single-Source Sign-On. The instructions and frequently asked questions documents found within the site will guide the user through each area of the form. If you have additional questions, please contact Maria DeJulio, Lynn Dickey or Erin Irick.
NCAA Compliance Forms Now Available
The 2019-20 NCAA Division III compliance forms are now available. The hard-copy forms can be found at ncaa.org under “Division III,” “Compliance.” The NCAA Compliance Forms Database is also available and will allow an institution to administer and monitor the forms electronically. To access the NCAA Compliance Forms Database, go to ncaa.org and click the “My Apps” link.
Next Steps Program
Before the recent Career in Sports Forum in Indianapolis, Division III successfully held the third annual Next Steps Program. The program provided a day and a half of professional development programming for 24 Division III students of color who previously had attended the Student Immersion Program
. The participants heard from current athletics administrators and NCAA staff on topics such as networking, interview techniques, and business etiquette leadership. After the program, the participants attended the Career in Sports Forum. Next year’s program will be held in conjunction with the 2020 Career in Sports Forum, Indianapolis.
Institute for Administrative Advancement
During the recent Regional Rules Seminar held in Indianapolis, Division III, in coordination with the office of inclusion and the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association, successfully held the seventh annual Institute for Administrative Advancement
. The institute provided a day and a half of professional development programming for 25 Division III midlevel administrators of color. The participants heard from current athletics administrators on topics such as leadership, mentoring, resume development and preparing for the next career move. Next year’s institute will be held in conjunction with the 2020 Regional Rules Seminar scheduled May 18-20 in Columbus, Ohio.
Have you used your $500 purchasing website credit? The Division III Identity Initiative purchasing website now features new Gameday the DIII Way and LGBTQ OneTeam items. Log in through My Apps and select the Division III Purchasing icon or click here
. Do not forget that a $500 credit is available for each institution and conference through August for purchases from the site. Access the site by entering the email address of your school’s director of athletics (or for conferences, the commissioner’s email address) as the username, and the password you created. For assistance, contact Amy Byrnes at Source One Digital.
NCAA Division III Webinars
The next Division III webinar will be 1:30 to 2 p.m. Eastern time, Tuesday, Aug. 6. The topic will be an overview of the NCAA’s Transfer Portal.
Future webinars will be conducted from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Eastern time on the following dates:
Sept. 3 – Championships: How To Submit a Championships Bid.
Oct. 1 – Navigating ncaa.org.
Each webinar will be limited to the first 250 participants. All past webinar PowerPoints are on the Division III website.
NCAA Championships Site Selection and Bid Process
The NCAA recently announced the start of its 2022-26 championship site selection campaign. The NCAA is seeking hosts and sites for 86 of the 90 NCAA championships each year over four academic years, spanning 2022-23 through 2025-26. The timeline for the bid process is as follows:
Aug. 26: Bid specifications will be published on ncaa.org/bids.
Bid portal opens.
Feb. 3: Bid responses due.
Mar.-Sept.: Committee deliberations, recommendations and approvals.
Oct. 23: Hosts/sites announced.
New Division III Governance Intern
In mid-June, the Division III governance team welcomed Kiana Verdugo, a 2019-20 NCAA Postgraduate Intern. Verdugo earned her undergraduate degree in secondary education and English from Hamline in St. Paul, Minnesota. Before joining the NCAA, she completed an internship with the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference office.
During her time at Hamline, Verdugo competed in track and field, specializing in the weight and hammer throw. Verdugo took home an individual conference championship in the weight throw in March 2018 and finished second in the hammer in May 2018. She earned academic all-conference accolades twice before being named an Academic All-America honoree by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as a senior.
While at Hamline, Verdugo served as first-year student mentor and president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She also founded a student development and wellness group called Piper’s CARE. Verdugo was a member of the national Division III SAAC, where she served on the championships and strategic communication committees and represented student-athletes of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.
Applications are now being accepted for the fifth annual Athletics Direct Report (ADR) Institute, which will take place Jan. 22-23 at the NCAA Convention in Anaheim, California. Each institution and conference office may nominate an ADR via the NCAA Program Hub
. Nominations opened June 15 and close at 5 p.m. Eastern time Aug. 15. Eligible nominators include commissioners, presidents/chancellors and directors of athletics. ADRs also may self-nominate for the institute. 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
. ADR 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.
Have you been thinking about implementing 360 Proof next year? We offer phone orientations to explore the program. Contact Leah Kareti with any questions about 360 Proof or to schedule an orientation. Don’t miss us on Twitter for 360 Proof highlights, tips and tutorials: @Real360Proof.
The Sport Science Institute team hosted a productive Mind Matters Summit on June 10-11. Mind Matters, part of the NCAA and U.S. Department of Defense Grand Alliance partnership, is an education and research grand challenge aimed at changing important concussion safety behaviors. In addition to grantee presentations by funded researchers, the main focus of the meeting was to build consensus on common themes and data elements for evaluating concussion education programming. A Delphi process was initiated with the participants to identify consensus statements that will become the foundation for a consensus document, peer-reviewed journal article, practical applications for the membership,
and recommendations for future research.
Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports Meeting
SSI hosted the summer CSMAS meeting. One of the major outcomes of the meeting was that the current THC threshold for adverse analytical findings in an NCAA drug test was increased from 15 to 35 nanograms per milliliter. The committee made the decision to prevent those who have inhaled marijuana via secondhand smoke from triggering a positive test and facing the related penalties. The committee wanted to be fair and to eliminate, as best as possible, penalizing students who receive passive smoke.
Guide to Strategic Athletics Communication on Campus
In 2012, the Division III College Sports Information Directors of America executive board conducted a survey of Division III sports information and athletics communication directors. The survey results were the foundation of the NCAA Division III Guide to Strategic Athletics Communication on Campus. NCAA staff created a 2018-19 working group to oversee a new survey and update the resource. Based on feedback and data collection, the Division III governance staff and the Strategic Communications Working Group compiled key data, analytics and best practices that will positively impact athletics communication and sports information directors while simultaneously having a positive impact on
athletics departments. After 12 months of hard work, this new resource is now available. To view the guide, click here.
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is the recipient of the June Division III Diversity Spotlight Initiative. To foster a more inclusive environment to better prepare cadets as future leaders of the diverse Coast Guard men and women, the academy’s office of diversity and inclusion created a seven-day Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity workshop, which included gathering 65 education professionals to be immersed in diversity topics, exercises and self-reflection sessions, preparing attendees to return to the academy to host their own SEED seminars. Click
here for more information.
The Diversity Spotlight Initiative recognizes and promotes outstanding diversity-related projects, programming and initiatives occurring on Division III campuses and in conference offices. All selected recipients receive $500 toward their next diversity initiative. To submit an initiative for consideration for June, email Louise McCleary, 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 July 21.
Diversity Tip of the Month — LGBTQ OneTeam Facilitator Training
For two days in May, 30 individuals participated in the inaugural Division III LGBTQ OneTeam Facilitator Training at the NCAA national office. The training was for any nonstudent, full-time employee in Division III athletics who wanted to be certified to facilitate an LGBTQ OneTeam Program on a Division III campus or in a conference. The Division III LGBTQ OneTeam Program is a free two-hour interactive session on a campus or in a conference, for coaches and administrators, led by one of the certified facilitators. The program has four objectives:
To understand the involvement of the NCAA and Division III in LGBTQ issues.
To recognize the importance of LGBTQ inclusion in Division III athletics.
To learn common LGBTQ terms, definitions and concepts.
To identify strategies and best practices for institutions and conferences to ensure all individuals may participate in an athletics climate of respect and inclusion, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
The process to request a facilitator for your campus or conference will be available on the Division III LGBTQ OneTeam webpage later this summer.
A second group of facilitators will be trained in December at the NCAA national office. Look for an announcement about applications in late summer or early fall. Questions should be directed to Jean Merrill.
The NCAA Division III Special Olympics Spotlight Poll is a storytelling 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. Written and digital submissions both are accepted. Featured stories are selected based on inclusion of the student-athlete perspective and Division III messaging. To submit a story for consideration, email
d3specialolympics@ncaa.org.
Bylaw 17 provides both general playing and practice and sport-specific legislation. This month, we will focus on some of the playing and practice season legislation that are common to all sports.
Definition. The playing and practice season encompasses the period of time between your first practice and the date of your last practice or competition, whichever is later. Athletically related activities may only take place during your declared playing and practice season. (Bylaw 17.1.1)
Weeks of a Playing and Practice Season. A week during the declared season is made up of any seven consecutive days, regardless of first day you choose. A week may run from Wednesday through Tuesday, or a more traditional Monday through Sunday. Practice or competition that takes place during any part of a week is counted as a full week. For example: if your team practices for two weeks and three days, that is considered practicing for three weeks. (Bylaw 17.1.2-(a))
The total amount of weeks for a playing and practice season is as follows:
Fall Sports — 18 weeks. (Bylaw 17.1.1.3.1)
Winter Sports — 19 weeks. (Bylaw 17.1.1.3.2)
Spring Sports — 19 weeks. (Bylaw 17.1.1.3.3 and 17.1.1.3.4)
Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field — 24 weeks (or 19 weeks if the institution only sponsors one or the other). (Bylaw 17.23.1)
Segments and Periods of a Playing and Practice Season
. For most fall and spring sports, the playing season is broken into playing segments. The traditional segment is the portion of the season that concludes with the NCAA championship. The remainder of the playing season is called the nontraditional segment, sometimes also known as the “offseason.” Bylaw 17.1.4.4 details the specific criteria governing nontraditional segments. Golf, rowing and tennis have playing periods instead of segments. For sports with a winter championship and institutions that sponsor indoor and outdoor track, there are no segments or periods and no breaks in their season unless they take full breaks during an official vacation or final-examination
period. [Bylaws 17.1.2-(c) and (d)] Regardless of whether a sport has segments or periods, or if they are a sport with the winter championship, the combined total number of weeks for both segments can’t be more than the maximum number of weeks for the season.
Start Date Calculator. There is an online start date calculator available for your use at the following link. When using the calculator, please keep in mind any additional rules on campus that restrict what you can and cannot do on various days, as that may vary your start date.
Student-Athlete Reinstatement
After a reinstatement request is submitted through NCAA Requests/Self-Reports Online, it is assigned to a reinstatement staff member who reviews the request and supporting documentation. The staff member may contact the institution to request additional information before reaching a decision. While the reinstatement staff often gathers additional information relevant to the reinstatement request, the staff’s primary purpose is not to act as a fact-finding body, but rather to help ensure that the facts are fully developed to present the best possible case for the involved student-athlete.
Division III Rules Test
The 2019-20 NCAA Division III Rules Test will be available to the membership Aug. 1. Simultaneously, the 2018-19 test will no longer available. The 2019-20 test is administered online and may be accessed through the MyApps page on ncaa.org. Administering the test online allows users and the NCAA national office the ability to view incorrect answers and use these results to gauge educational needs. The 2019-20 NCAA Division III Rules Test PowerPoint also will be available Aug. 1 and may be accessed using the same link as the rules test. The PowerPoint may be used as a resource to supplement educational needs. As a reminder, all head coaches and any athletics administrators with
compliance responsibilities must take the rules test annually. Institutions must file a secondary violation for failure to adhere to this annual requirement. Institutions are encouraged to complete the Rules Test at the beginning of the academic year as opposed to the end, as the test covers information related to legislation passed at the 2019 NCAA Convention.
New AMA Intern
The Division III team welcomes Anyssa Barbosa to academic and membership affairs for the 2019-20 academic year. Barbosa is interning with the team as part of the NCAA Postgraduate Internship Program. She earned her bachelor’s in history from Oklahoma Panhandle State, where she was a four-year starter for the Aggie softball team. She served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for three years before becoming president in her final year. She was selected by the Heartland Conference to attend the Student-Athlete Leadership Forum. In her time at Oklahoma Panhandle State, she was a staff member in the sports information department and president of the Hispanic American Leadership
Organization, as well as co-editor of her school paper and yearbook. After graduation, Barbosa entered the Texas Tech School of Law, where she is a dual-degree student pursuing her J.D. and an M.S. in sport management. She serves on the boards of both the Sports and Entertainment Law Society and the Hispanic Law Student Association.
The NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct is seeking nominations for the 2018-19 NCAA Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Awards and the Bob Frederick Sportsmanship Award. These awards recognize student-athletes and coaches who have demonstrated the highest levels of integrity and sportsmanship during competition. To submit a nomination, go to the NCAA Program Hub
. The deadline for nominations for both awards is Friday, July 12. If you have any questions, please contact Ben Brownlee.
Today’s Top 10 Award Nominations
Nominate your outstanding 2018-19 senior student-athletes for the 2020 NCAA Today’s Top 10 Award, which honors students who have brought distinction to themselves, their schools and college sports. Nominations are accepted for senior college athletes who completed their athletics eligibility in the 2018-19 academic year. Award nominations are submitted through the NCAA Program Hub and are due by 5 p.m. Eastern time Friday, Aug. 2. Click here
to view the Today’s Top 10 Award selection criteria. The awards will be presented at the Honors Celebration during the 2020 NCAA Convention in Anaheim, California. Questions? Contact Melody Lawrence.
NCAA Leadership Development Programming
The NCAA provides a wide array of professional development opportunities for the membership. Check out the recent program highlights and upcoming opportunities for involvement and engagement below. To learn more about NCAA Leadership Development and browse its full program offerings, click here. Engage with the NCAA leadership development department using #LearnLead on social media.
Leadership Academy Workshop
: The NCAA Leadership Academy Workshop educates and trains athletics administrators on the ins and outs of developing effective, comprehensive leadership curriculum for student-athletes and department staff. Participants in the workshop learn how to structure activities, facilitate discussions and structure effective sessions. The workshop takes place in two parts, where participants discuss structures and frameworks for a leadership academy on campus, as well as explore effective implementation, evaluation and stakeholder investment strategies. The application period has opened and will close at noon Eastern time July 19.
NCAA Pathway Program: The NCAA leadership development office, in partnership with the Board of Governors Committee To Promote Cultural Diversity and Equity, has invited 22 senior administrators to participate in the NCAA Pathway Program with a singularly focused goal: preparing these individuals to excel as directors of athletics or conference commissioners. This yearlong program incorporates a diverse mix of scenario assignments, higher education and athletics leadership engagement, and a thorough exploration of the NCAA governance process. To read the full release, click
here. The individuals representing Division III in this esteemed program include Sarah Dehring (Alma), Kevin Fenstermacher (Presidents Athletic Conference), Miriam Merrill (Hamilton), Ashley Reid (Wooster) and Michael Schulist (Carroll [Wisconsin]).
Postgraduate Internship Program
: The official start date for the 2019-20 cohort of the NCAA Postgraduate Internship Program was June 17. Selected from thousands of applicants, the 30 members of the incoming intern class represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives that will allow them to thrive during their time at national office. The Postgraduate Internship Program represents a tremendous opportunity for young professionals to develop and grow, connect with individuals across the membership and acquire tangible experiences that will be transferrable to any career path they choose. The application for membership in the 2020-21 Postgraduate Internship Program will open Aug. 5 with a deadline of 5 p.m. Eastern
time Sept. 6.
National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Jul. 21-23
Management Council Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Aug. 6-7
Presidental Leadership Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Aug. 7
Presidents Council Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Aug. 13-15
Men's Lacrosse Rules Committee Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 9-10
Championships Committee Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 10
Nominating Committee Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 11-12
Committee on Women's Athletics Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 11-12
Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 12
New Member Orientation
Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 16
Honors Committee Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 16-17
Research Committee Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 24-25
Interpretations and Legislative Committee Meeting
Indianapolis, IN
This email was sent to NCAA Division III chancellors and presidents currently serving on committees, athletics direct reports, athletics directors, faculty athletics representatives, senior woman administrators, sports information directors, senior compliance officers, commissioners, assistant/associate commissioners, provisional/reclassifying members, Division III SAAC, based on contact information in the NCAA Directory.
National Collegiate Athletic Association 700 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN, 46204 US