The NCAA Division III staff has created this bi-weekly communication for the Division III membership to provide up-to-date communications on recent Division III governance meeting discussions and outcomes. Please share this communication with your campus and conference colleagues.
Recent Governance Meetings - Key Discussions and Outcomes.
Nominating Committee, Dec. 5 Committee appointments. The committee reviewed the nominations for immediate vacancies and have recommended to the appropriate committee/council approval of identified individuals to serve in the governance structure.
Convention Planning Subcommittee, Dec. 8 Convention sessions. The subcommittee reviewed and provided feedback on the agenda for various Division III convention sessions, including the President and Chancellors Forum, Issues Forum, and Business Session.
FAR Advisory Group, Dec. 8 FARA positions on Division III convention legislation. The Advisory Group reviewed and discussed the Division III Faculty Athletics Representatives Association (FARA) positions regarding the 2026 Division III legislative proposals.
FAR Institute. The Advisory Group noted the positive experience reported by this year's Division III FAR Institute participants.
Presidents Council Futures Subcommittee, Dec. 8 Joint meeting with Division II. The subcommittee is recommending the Presidents Council support a joint meeting of the Division III Presidents Council and Presidents Advisory Group with Division II in October 2026 to examine higher education and its impact on college athletics. The council will review the recommendation during its January meeting.
FY27/28 budget planning. The subcommittee affirmed the division’s identified strategic priorities (e.g., championships livestreaming, future revenue opportunities, championships app and institutional support (health and safety, mental health, athletics communication)) in relation to the FY27 and FY28 budget planning.
Division III analysis. The subcommittee provided feedback on the convention session format and questions that will start the Division III analysis (e.g., Presidents and Chancellors Forum on Wed., Jan. 14 and the Issues Forum on Thurs., Jan. 15). The subcommittee acknowledged that although certain issues, such campus budget constraints, staff recruiting and retention issues, and an ever-evolving higher education landscape are important issues, it believes that they are beyond the scope of this review and affirmed that the analysis should focus on tension points created by misalignment of current bylaws and the division’s Philosophy Statement.
The subcommittee emphasized that the analysis must provide opportunities to listen to the membership, solicit the student-athlete perspective, and any new policies/bylaws should consider the current legal environment.
Student-Athlete Reinstatement, Dec. 9 Guidelines and policy review. Due to the federation of Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, the committee is recommending Management Council approve amendments to its policies and procedures to ensure they align with the Division III philosophy and help eliminate confusion surrounding cross-divisional issues.
Sports betting. The committee continued its discussion surrounding sports betting, specifically focusing on concepts to consider for reduced penalties. Concepts included deferment, reduced penalties, application of additional discretion, and a review of the reinstatement guidelines. The committee agreed that it is appropriate to support student-athletes who struggle with gambling addiction and emphasized the importance of offering harm reduction strategies and education. The committee will continue its conversation during its 2026 spring meeting.
Diversity programs. The subcommittee discussed the upcoming Division III 2026 programs (e.g., Student Immersion Program, LGBTQ Awards, and Institute for Administrative Advancement) and received updates on the Division III Opportunity Grants (i.e., Pathway to Excellence Grant and Strategic Alliance Matching Grant).
Research. The subcommittee received an update on the use and current trends of the race and gender database.
Upcoming Meetings and Anticipated Discussions.
No upcoming meetings. We wish you a restful holiday season and look forward to seeing you in the new year.
Reminders
NCAA Convention. Check out the Division III convention homepage for resources, including the Official Notice and the 2026 Convention Proposal Question & Answer document.
NCAA National Office Holiday Closure. The NCAA national office will be closed for the holidays beginning Wed., Dec. 24. Normal business hours will resume Fri., Jan. 2, 2026. Division II and Division III institutions and conferences in need of emergency assistance on issues that must be resolved before the office reopens should call the NCAA governance and member services (GMS) emergency phone line (317-917-6003) and follow the prompts to leave a message.
With every communication, we also anticipate additional questions. Please send all questions to DIIIGovernance@ncaa.org.
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This email was sent to NCAA Division III Presidents Council, Management Council, commissioners, directors of athletics and the NADIIIAA executive board based on contact information in the NCAA Directory.
