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MONTHLY UPDATE // ISSUE NO. 160 // APRIL 2019
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 (NADIIIAA) electronic mailing list. 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.

HIGHLIGHTS

Hot Topics
FAR Updates
360 Proof Updates
CoSIDA Updates
Diversity Spotlight
Special Olympics
AMA Updates
Educational Information
PROP Updates
Committee Updates
Key Dates
 

HOT TOPICS

Division III Week

Join us this week, April 1-7, for the eighth annual celebration of Division III Week by calling attention to the unique student-athlete experience on your campus or in your conference.  Division III members are asked to highlight the activities and achievements of current student-athletes by 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
 
Join the social conversation by following us on Twitter (@NCAADIII) and using #d3week and #whyD3. For every new Twitter follower NCAA Division III will donate $1 to the Special Olympics.  Share the excitement with family and friends and don't forget to submit your footage to d3identity@ncaa.org for a chance to win the Division III video contest. For rules and details, click here.  Contact  Adam Skaggs with questions.

ACTION REQUEST: 2019 Graduation Rate Collection

The Academic Portal to report required Federal Graduation Rates data (student-body enrollment and student-body graduation rates) is now open. Data will be entered under the "Graduation Rates" tab.  The submission deadline is June 1 .  Institutions can access the site through the NCAA’s Single-Source Sign-On system.  In addition to the required student-body reporting, 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 Convention Proposal No. 2019-4, 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 reporting process. Contact Maria DeJulio or Eric Hartung with any questions.

 
REGISTER TODAY: Gameday the DIII Way – Ambassador Training

You are invited to join leaders from Division III and the Disney Institute for a special Gameday the DIII Way ambassador training in Orlando, Florida.  The ambassador training helps senior administrators understand how to implement Gameday the DIII Way on their campus.  The day and a half training will be conducted by professional facilitators from the Disney Institute.  It is valuable training regardless of whether or not you have, experienced the standard 90-minute Gameday the DIII Way training.  This program takes a deeper dive into how the Disney service culture can be integrated into Division III events.   This training will take place the afternoon of June 12 and all day June 13.  The NCAA will cover necessary travel, hotel and per diem expenses for participants.
 
Click here to RSVP.  Please provide your name, position and institution in the RSVP email.  The training is limited to the first 45 participants, so register early.  Athletics directors, senior woman administrators and facility/event managers are eligible and preferred. 

Sexual Violence Prevention Policy

In August 2017, the NCAA Board of Governors adopted an Association-wide policy, recommended by the NCAA Commission to Combat Campus Sexual Violence, to reinforce previous Association efforts in addressing campus sexual violence. This form is available on the NCAA Program Hub and should be signed by the required signatories and uploaded by the director of athletics not later than May 15. Click here for a FAQ on the policy.  The names of colleges and universities that complete and do not complete the attestation form will be included in a report delivered to the Board of Governors at its August meeting and both lists will subsequently be published on ncaa.org. Colleges or universities that do not complete the attestation form will be prohibited from hosting any NCAA championship competitions during the next applicable academic year.  Direct any questions about the policy or attestation form process to questions@ncaa.org.    

Regional Rules Seminars

The 2019 dates and locations are May 13-15 in Indianapolis and June 3-5 in Denver.  An updated Regional Rules Seminars webpage, www.ncaa.org/regionalrules, will provide attendees with information and materials prior to seminars to review and download.  Click here to see if your institution is required to attend this summer.  Before the seminars, attendees are encouraged to review the LSDBi and RSRO training videos to prepare for on-site learning objectives. Questions about the seminars should be directed to the academic and membership affairs staff at regionalrules@ncaa.org.

 
NCAA Division III Webinars

The next Division III webinar will be 1:30 to 2 p.m. Eastern time, Tuesday, April 2.  The topic will be the NCAA mental health best practices and resources (Part II).
 
Future webinars will be conducted from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Eastern time on the following dates: 
  • May 7 – Management and Presidents Councils updates.
  • June 4 – Injury Surveillance Program. 
Each webinar will be limited to the first 250 participants. All past webinar PowerPoints are on the Division III website. 

Identity Initiative Purchasing Website

Have you checked out the new items recently added to the Division III purchasing website? Do you still have purchasing website credit remaining? Log in through My Apps and select the Division III Purchasing icon or click here.  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 the password you created. For assistance, contact Amy Byrnes  at Source One Digital.
 

FAR UPDATES

2019 FAR Fellows Institute

The Division III 2019 FAR Fellows Institute will be conducted Oct. 18-20 at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis.   Faculty Athletic Representatives with at least two years of experience are eligible to attend this 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 for attendance at the Division III FAR Fellows Institute are accessible through the  NCAA Program Hub. FARs must be nominated by their commissioner, athletics director, president/chancellor, or athletics direct report.  After being nominated, the FAR will complete an on-line application.  Contact Leah Kareti  with any questions.  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.
 

360 PROOF UPDATES

Monthly Prevention Tip

  • Is the end of the year really 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, rewatch the webinar from Oct. 25, 2017, with Jessica Gonzalez, Jason Kilmer, and Leah Kareti discussing the NCAA Substance Abuse Prevention Toolkit and 360 Proof. 

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.  The final 2018-19 session: 
  • April 10, 1 p.m. Eastern time: "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 receive an invitation to the webinar sessions.  Contact Leah Kareti with any questions about 360 Proof.
 

CoSIDA UPDATES

2019 CoSIDA Convention Registration

On-line registration is now open for the 2019 CoSIDA Convention, taking place June 9-12 in Orlando, Florida, in conjunction with NACDA and Affiliates Convention Week.  A day featuring Division III specific programming will occur Tuesday, June 11.  Similar to past years, additional dollars were added to the Division III Conference Grant specifically for campus athletics communication directors and sports information directors to receive funding for this professional development opportunity.  Ask your conference commissioner for details.  Early bird registration ends April 2.
 

DIVERSITY SPOTLIGHT  INITIATIVE

The Middle Atlantic Conference is the recipient of the March Division III Diversity Spotlight Initiative for hosting the Mid-Atlantic Regional Commissioner’s Association Ethnic Minority Careers in Athletics Symposium.  The symposium is for students who are aspiring to or just beginning a career in athletics.  The program enriches the participants’ skills, expands their network and promotes the recruitment and retention of ethnic minorities within athletics.  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 March, 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 April 21

Diversity Tip of the Month

The NCAA compiles and provides statistical information regarding certain demographic characteristics of various groups within our member institutions and conferences. These data are now provided to the membership in a searchable online database known as the NCAA Race and Gender Demographics Database. The database includes information on student-athletes, coaches, administrators and conference personnel. The information provides a general view of recent and historical trends on racial and ethnic groups by gender, sport, division and position.

 

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. 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, email d3specialolympics@ncaa.org

March Winner  

After 1,863 total votes, Becker’s SAAC Hosts Special Olympics Massachusetts won the March Special Olympics Spotlight Poll by gathering 41 percent (762) of the votes. The Hawks will receive $500 to use for its next Special Olympics event. To submit a story for consideration, please email d3specialolympics@ncaa.org. 

April Nominees

Here are the stories for the April Special Olympics poll:
 
 
Click here to vote starting Monday, April 1. The winner will be announced April 26, 2019.
 

ACADEMIC AND MEMBERSHIP AFFAIRS (AMA)

Rule of the Month 

As you plan for the summer camp season, remember Bylaw 13.11.3.2.  Institutions can host or conduct camps and clinics involving prospective student-athletes (PSAs), provided the following conditions are met:
  1. The events must be open to the general public;
  2. The events do not offer free or reduced admission to PSAs;
  3. Any awards or mementos given to attendees are included in the admissions fees; and
  4. No athletics department staff member is employed (salaried or volunteer) in any capacity if the events are established, sponsored or conducted by a recruiting and scouting service.​
The Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee recently confirmed that a camp or clinic is considered open to the general public even if participation is limited by number, age, gender and grade level.  However, participation limited by other criteria including academic criteria (e.g., grade-point average, standardized test score) is not considered open to the general public.  An institution may employ its student-athletes at events involving prospective student-athletes provided the student-athlete performs administrative duties in addition to coaching or officiating. This would allow student-athletes to demonstrate drills in addition to their other duties. Additionally, prospective student-athletes may be employed at an institution’s camp, clinic or event provided compensation is for work actually performed at the going rate for that locality. Lastly, it is permissible for your institutional camps, clinics, and other athletics events to provide evaluation results to a PSA, but ONLY to the specific PSA to whom the evaluation pertains.    

Recent Interpretations

Official Interpretation: Prospective Student-Athlete's Prospect-Aged Sibling Receiving Benefits While Accompanying the Prospective Student-Athlete on an Official Visit .  The NCAA Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee confirmed that it is permissible for an institution to provide all the benefits a sibling is permitted to receive (e.g., meals, lodging, transportation and/or entertainment) during an official visit to a sibling of a prospective student-athlete who is also prospect-aged and/or being recruited by the institution without the visit constituting an official visit for the prospective student-athlete's sibling, provided no direct recruitment of the sibling occurs during the visit. [References: Bylaws 13.5.2.8 (transportation of prospective student-athletes' relatives, friends, guardian(s), spouse or individual of a comparable relationship), 13.6.5 (entertainment/tickets on an official visit, 13.6.5.1 (general restrictions), 13.6.5.2 (complimentary admissions), 13.6.5.6 (meals on an official visit), 13.6.5.6.2 (meal location) and 13.6.6 (lodging for additional persons)]
 
Official Interpretation: Permissible Limitations for Participation in Camps, Clinics and Other Athletics Events. The Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee confirmed that a camp, clinic or other athletics event is considered open to the general public even if participation is limited by number, age, gender and grade level.  Participation limited by academic criteria (e.g., grade point average, standardized test score) is not considered open to the general public. [Reference: Bylaw 13.11.3.2 (sports camps and clinics and other athletics events)] 
 
Official Interpretation: Definition of Physical Athletically Related Activities . The Division III Legislative and Interpretations Committee confirmed that physical athletically related activities include (but are not limited to) weight training, strength and conditioning and on-field activities. Leadership programs that include physical activity such as rope courses, and SEAL training, etc. also are considered physical athletically related activities. Other leadership programming, film review and team meetings are not considered physical athletically related activities and, therefore, may occur any day of the preseason before classes are in session. Medical treatments, including rehabilitative exercises, are permitted.  Furthermore, medical and athletic training staff should exercise professional discretion when determining whether a leadership or team activity would be associated with a typical football practice event and contrary to the intent of facilitating physical and mental rest during that day. [References: NCAA Bylaw 17.10.2 (preseason practice)] 
 
Official Interpretation: Participation on a Major Junior Ice Hockey Team . The NCAA Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee determined that an individual who participates in a tryout or minimal practice with a Major Junior ice hockey team prior to collegiate enrollment does not constitute participation on a Major Junior ice hockey team. Participation on a Major Junior ice hockey team prior to collegiate enrollment results in the individual using a season of participation for each calendar year in which the participation occurs. Additionally, the individual would have to fulfill an academic year in residence prior to competing in intercollegiate hockey. The following constitutes participation on a Major Junior ice hockey team: 
  1. Competing with a Major Junior team, including scrimmages and exhibitions. Intra-squad scrimmages are not competitions.
  2. Practicing during the regular or post-season in excess of 48-hours.
  3. Appearing on a team roster at any time during the regular or post season.
 
The following would not constitute participation on a Major Junior ice hockey team: 
  1. Participating in preseason (i.e., period before first regularly scheduled contest) provided no competition against another team occurs.
  2. Engaging in a tryout activity not exceeding 48-hours at any time.
  3. Participating in spring/development minicamps.
 
[References: NCAA Bylaws 12.2.3.2.4 (Major Junior Ice Hockey) and 14.2.4.4.3 (Major Junior Ice Hockey)]
 
Staff Interpretation: Counting Practice Opportunities in Football if First Subvarsity Game is Scheduled to Occur Before First Varsity Game. The academic and membership affairs staff confirmed that the first permissible date for preseason practice for football should be determined based on the member institution's first permissible intercollegiate game, regardless of which team's (e.g., varsity, junior varsity or freshman) game occurs first. Therefore, if the first subvarsity game is scheduled to occur before the first varsity game, the institution may count practice opportunities from the first scheduled subvarsity game to determine the first permissible preseason practice date for all teams (e.g., varsity, junior varsity and freshman).[References: NCAA Division III Bylaws 17.1.1 (playing season), 17.10.2.1 (first practice date) and 17.10.2.1.1 (practice opportunities -- football); and a staff interpretation (08/04/1999, Item No. a), 17.10.3 First Contest. A member institution shall not play its first contest (game) against outside competition in football before the Thursday preceding the weekend that is 11 weeks before the first round of the Division III Football Championship, except as provided in 17.10.3.1. (Revised: 1/11/89, 1/10/91 effective 8/1/92, 1/9/96 effective 8/1/96, 1/14/97, 1/17/15 effective 8/1/15)] 

2019 Institutional Self-Study Guide

NCAA 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.  The next Institutional Self-Study Guide (ISSG) is due June 1, 2019.  Click here for a list of institutions that need to complete the ISSG this year.  The full ISSG and requirements for supporting documentation must be completed online; 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).  The manual is designed to assist member institutions in accessing the ISSG.   Institutions that need technical assistance are asked to send questions via email to Corey Berg.  

SAR Update

Prior to submitting a reinstatement request through Requests/Self-Reports Online (RSRO), an institution should resolve all factual and interpretive issues related to the request. In other words, the institution should have: (1) determined a violation occurred; (2) determined the violation affected a student-athlete’s eligibility; and (3) declared the student-athlete ineligible prior to requesting reinstatement. One way to determine whether a violation affects a student-athlete’s eligibility is to look for a [D] symbol at the end of a particular bylaw, indicating that violations of that bylaw are de minimis. De minimis violations are institutional violations that must be reported to the NCAA enforcement staff; however, they do not affect the involved student-athlete’s eligibility, so there’s no need to submit a related student-athlete reinstatement request. As an example, violations of Bylaw 14.1.3.1 (Student-Athlete Statement – Content and Purpose) are de minimis . Violations of this bylaw do not affect a student-athlete’s eligibility if the violation occurred due to an institutional administrative error or oversight, and the student-athlete subsequently signs the student-athlete statement. If you need assistance with determining whether a violation occurred or whether a violation affects a student-athlete’s eligibility, please contact your conference office or submit an interpretation request to the NCAA staff through RSRO.
 

EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION

NCAA Honor Awards

The NCAA Honors awards recognize current and former student-athletes who have brought distinction to themselves, their schools and intercollegiate athletics. The awards will be presented at the Honors Celebration during the 2020 NCAA Convention in Anaheim, California. Submit your nominations for the following awards by 5 p.m. Eastern time Friday, May 3, through the "Applications" tab on NCAA Program Hub
 Questions about the awards? Contact Gloria Roseman

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 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.
 

PROP UPDATES

Men’s and Women’s Basketball Playing Rules – Court Markings  

The NCCA Men's and Women's Basketball Rules Committees are meeting May 7-10, when they will decide on potential rules changes involving court markings that they plan to recommend to PROP.  The timeline is the following: 
  • Consideration will be given to moving back the distance of the 3-point line and/or widening the lane (there is more discussion on the men's side on these topics).
  • A final decision by PROP will not be made until June 13.
  • If either or both are approved, it is likely that the change(s) would not be effective for Divisions II and III until the 2020-21 season. As for an effective date for Division I, there is some discussion that the effective date should be the 2019-20 season, but additional discussion is planned. 
If you have any questions, please contact Dan Calandro or Rachel Seewald.

Men’s and Women’s Soccer

To view the men’s and women’s soccer rules survey report, click here.
 

COMMITTEE UPDATES

One committee conducted an in-person meeting in March. 
 
Strategic Planning and Finance Committee, March 5.
 

KEY DATES FOR APRIL THROUGH JUNE

 
2019
Dates Meeting/Championships Location 
Apr 13-14 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Meeting Indianapolis, IN
Apr 15-16 Management Council Meeting  Indianapolis, IN
Apr 24-25 Committee on Women's Athletics Atlanta, GA
Apr 24-25 Minority Opportunities and Interest Committee Atlanta, GA
Apr 26-27 Men's Volleyball Championship Union, NJ
Apr 30-May 1 Presidents Council Meeting Indianapolis, IN
May 13-15 Regional Rules Seminar Indianapolis, IN
May 14-17 Men's Golf Championship Nicholasville, KY
May 14-17 Women's Golf Championship Houston, TX
May 20-25 Men's and Women's Tennis Championship Kalamazoo, MI
May 23-25 Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championship Geneva, OH
May 23-28 Softball Championship Tyler, TX
May 25-26 Women's Lacrosse Championship Richmond, VA
May 26 Men's Lacrosse Championship Philadelphia, PA
May 30-Jun 2 Rowing Championship Indianapolis, IN
May 31-Jun 5 Baseball Championship Cedar Rapids, IA
Jun 3-5 Regional Rules Seminar Denver, CO
Jun 11-12 Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement Indianapolis, IN
Jun 17-18 Championships Committee Indianapolis, IN
Jun 19-20 Membership Committee Indianapolis, IN
Jun 24-25 Division III Commissioners Meeting Indianapolis, IN

 

 
This email was sent to NCAA Division III presidents and chancellors that serve on Division III committees, directors of athletics, athletics direct report, faculty athletics representatives, senior woman administrators, sports information directors, compliance officers, commissioners, assistant/associate commissioners, provisional/reclass/exploratory members, based on contact information in the NCAA Directory.  
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