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.
New Commissioner Orientation, Jan. 30.
Four of five new Division III commissioners participated in a day-long orientation. Topics included governance, AMA procedures, committee nomination processes, championships resources, communications, and Association-wide resources.
Upcoming Meetings and Anticipated Discussions.
Nominating Committee, Feb. 5. Governance, sport and playing rules committee appointments. The committee will review nominations and make recommendations for several governance, sport and playing rules committees.
Presidents and Management Council rotation. With the adoption of Proposal 2023-7, effective Aug. 1, conferences will have one representative on either the Presidents or Management Council. The committee will review and discuss proposed rotation concepts and forward a recommendation to the Management Council. A final rotation will be established by May 1 and solicitation will begin to fill new council openings effective Aug. 1.
Championships Committee, Feb. 5-6 Budget enhancements. The committee will continue its discussion regarding budget enhancements for FY25 and FY26. Based on membership feedback, budget priorities include per diem increases, expanding the football championships bracket, reviewing proposed championship access models, and reviewing opportunities to separate top regionally ranked teams.
Selection criteria database. The committee will continue its review of feedback related to a selection criteria database. Click here for the FAQ and an educational webinar held this fall for sport committee chairs.
Championships webstreaming enhancements. The committee will engage in a discussion on ways to increase the Division III championships webstreaming on ncaa.com beyond the current semifinals and championship games.
Officiating fees. The committee will consider an increase in officiating fees for all sports and individual sport requests from women’s volleyball and indoor and outdoor track and field.
Sport committee reports. The committee will review the following requests.
Men’s golf. The committee will review a recommendation to increase the number of selected individual participants, dependent on the number of selected teams, to eliminate twosomes in the field and to improve scheduling efficiency.
Women’s ice hockey. The committee will review requested additional feedback on a recommendation to alter the date formula and move the championship to the fourth weekend in March, starting with the 2025 championship.
Softball. The committee will review requested additional feedback on a recommendation to alter the date formula for the Division III Softball Championship and play super regional competition on Thursday and Friday rather than the current formula of Friday and Saturday, starting with the 2025 championship.
Wrestling. The committee will review a recommendation to increase the field size from 180 to 210 student-athletes and increase the national qualifying competition regionals from six to seven.
Interpretations and Legislation Committee, Feb. 7 and 9 While there are numerous items for discussion, the following are of particular focus for the committee: (1) A review of the transfer legislation and the continued relevance of the year in residence requirement; (2) Consideration of NIL concepts regarding student-athlete protections, institutional involvement and recruiting; (3) Consider whether graduate eligibility waiver criteria should be legislated; and (4) Discuss whether Division III participation criteria for use of a season should apply to transfers.
Financial Aid Committee, Feb. 14 Level II Reviews. The committee will conduct 15 Level II Reviews. It also will assess the policies and procedures for administering the student financial aid program at each institution to ensure compliance with Bylaw 15 (Financial Aid).
With every communication, we also anticipate additional questions. Please send all questions to DIIIGovernance@ncaa.org. Thank you for your continued collaboration and leadership.
This email was sent to NCAA Division III commissioners, directors of athletics and the NADIIIAA executive board based on contact information in the NCAA Directory.
