2019 FAR Fellows Institute

The Division III 2019 FAR Fellows Institute will be conducted Oct. 18-20 at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis.   FARs with at least two years experience are invited to apply for a three-day professional development program, inclusive of travel.  The program provides a thorough examination of best practices and issues surrounding the role and responsibility of the FAR, helps FAR Fellows develop the leadership skills necessary to carry out their responsibilities on campus and in their conference, and strengthens the network of FARs needed to serve on conference, divisional and Association-wide committees.
 
Applications will be open in the Program Hub from April 15 to May 31.  Contact Leah Kareti with any questions.  Please note that this program is offered in alternating years with the Division III New FAR Orientation, which will be offered again in fall, 2020 in conjunction with the FARA Annual Meeting.

Monthly Prevention Tip

It’s spring break time!  Certainly, not everyone goes on a road trip (in fact, the most common destination for spring break is going home), but for those who do, this week can be the single heaviest drinking week of the academic year. What spring break tips can you pass on to students?  What are protective behavioral strategies students can use to reduce harms?  Re-watch the webinar with national expert Matt Martens (whose Protective Behavioral Strategies survey is the “gold standard”) from March 19, 2017 and consider harm reduction strategies that could make a difference during this high-risk time of year.  Also check out the Jan. 31, 2018, webinar from national expert Clayton Neighbors on spring break interventions and the role that norm perceptions play.  With the end of the academic year coming up, what steps need to be taken as summer approaches?  Consider tips for summer planning discussed in the March 27, 2015 webinar.
 
As you plan for next year and are considering multiple options, re-watch the webinar from Oct. 25, 2017 with Jessica Gonzalez, Jason Kilmer, and Leah Kareti discussing the NCAA Substance Abuse Prevention Toolkit and 360 Proof.

NASPA Annual Conference

Book a one-on-one appointment or come to the 360 Proof user session at the NASPA Convention on March 11-12 in Los Angeles. Email experthelp@360proof.org for details.

Webinar Schedule

360 Proof offers a monthly webinar series to bring current prevention research to a Division III and NASPA Small College and University audience.  Remaining sessions for 2019 include: 

• March 19, 3 p.m. Eastern:  “Pregaming and Drinking Games: Implications for Work with Student-Athletes,” Byron Zamboanga, professor of psychology, Smith College. 
• April 10, 1 p.m. Eastern: "Looking Back and Looking Forward: Lessons Learned in Evaluating Prevention,”  David Anderson, director of the Center for the Advancement of Public Health, George Mason. 

All 360 Proof account holders will receive an invitation to these webinar sessions.  Please contact Leah Kareti with any questions about 360 Proof.

The University of Transylvania is the recipient of the February Division III Diversity Spotlight Initiative. To celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the university held a program that allowed current student-athletes to engage with female campus leaders.  More than 150 student-athletes participated in the program.  Click here for more information.

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 toward their next diversity initiative.  To submit an initiative for consideration for February, 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 March 21. 

Diversity Tip of the Month

Have you considered attending the NCAA Inclusion Forum ?  Registration is open for the 2019 Forum that will be April 26-28 in Atlanta.  The forum, in its eighth year, offers useful knowledge, engaging dialogue, and practical takeaways to empower participants’ efforts on equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives on their campuses. Sessions will focus on core identities such as race/ethnicity, women/gender equity, LGBTQ, disability sport, and international students.  In addition, to end the first day of programming, the 2019 NCAA Inclusion Forum features a special welcome reception from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 26 at the  Center for Civil and Human Rights, where attendees can explore the fundamental rights of all human beings and leave empowered to join the conversation in their own communities.

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 933 total votes, Vassar Hosts Special Olympic Volleyball Tournament won the February Special Olympics Spotlight Poll by gathering 42 percent of the total votes! The Brewers will receive $500 to use for its next Special Olympics event. To submit a story for consideration, please email d3specialolympics@ncaa.org.

March Nominees

Here are the stories for the March Special Olympics poll: 

• Corsair SAAC Hosts Special Olympics Basketball Community Games
• MIAA Swimming & Diving Championship to Host Second Annual Special Olympics Unified Sports Experience
• Becker's SAAC Hosts Special Olympics Massachusetts

 Click here to vote starting Monday, March 4. The winner will be announced March 26, 2019.

NCAA Leadership Development Programming

Applications for several NCAA leadership development programs, to be held this summer, must be submitted by noon Eastern time March 11. Visit the program websites to learn more about these professional development opportunities: 

• Effective Facilitation Workshop
• Pathway Program
• Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute
• Career in Sports Forum

DiSC Assessments Available

Use of the DiSC is strongly encouraged on member campuses. Participants gain personalized feedback on their specific leadership style, and student-athletes, coaches and administrators gain valuable understanding of everyone’s unique behavioral style. Applying this knowledge can promote effective team dynamics, leadership, and communication.
 
In 2018-19, each Division III school interested in utilizing the DiSC resource will be provided assessments for up to 50 student-athletes, as well as 30 coaches or administrators, at no cost. Funding is limited, and requests will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here, to learn more about the DiSC resource.

Men's Basketball Playing Rules

Please note that the Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee and the Men’s Basketball Rules Committee continue to consider the following four major potential rules changes:

• Extend the three-point line by approximately 1 foot, 5 inches (from 20 feet, 9 inches to 22 feet, 1¾ inches).
• Widen the lane from 12 feet to 16 feet.
• Reset the shot clock after an offensive rebound to 20 seconds (rather than 30 seconds).
• Use four 10-minute quarters instead of two 20-minute halves. 

The Men’s Basketball Rules Committee is scheduled to meet May 7-10 to decide on these four potential rules changes (as well as other potential changes). The Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) will then review and take final action on any potential rules changes when it meets by teleconference June 13.  Please contact Dan Calandro if you have any questions.