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.
FAR Advisory Group, March 2 2026 FAR Institute. The group reviewed the logistics for the 2026 FAR Institute to be held in conjunction with the FARA Annual Meeting November 8-10 in Indianapolis.
Administrative Committee, March 2 DIII analysis. The committee reviewed the timeline and objectives endorsed by the Presidents Council in late January as well as the executive summary from the Issues Forum held during the 2026 NCAA Convention in January. It also reviewed the working group roster electronically approved by Presidents Council (see Reminders below) as well as a proposal to hire a third-party contractor to assist the working group.
Strategic priorities. The committee discussed the division’s strategic priorities for the coming year, inclusive of budget planning for FY27/28, identifying ways to support institutional staff, amplifying the Division III brand, championships enhancements, eligibility standards, congressional engagement, NIL education, use of the NCAA purchasing cooperative, reviewing Sport Science Institute initiatives, monitoring legal and governmental actions, and identification of campus and conference issues.
Nominating Committee, March 4 Committee vacancies. The committee identified nominees for September 2026 vacancies along with a handful of immediate vacancies. The recommendations will be forwarded to the Management Council for approval during its April meeting.
In order to improve the nominee pools, the committee is recommending three changes to its policies and one legislative change. It also will solicit feedback on one additional legislative change.
Policy changes:
Remove the restriction on individuals serving on only one committee at a time.
Begin soliciting nominee feedback from conference commissioners.
Remove the preference for regional advisory committee experience for sport committees.
Legislative changes:
The committee is recommending a legislative change to NCAA Bylaw 21.9.1.3.1 specifically, to remove this legislation and to allow a committee member who takes over the term of a representative from the same conference to be eligible for reappointment if they serve less than two years.
The committee also will be soliciting feedback on a possible legislative change to remove NCAA Bylaw 21.9.1.3 and allow conferences to be immediately eligible for representation on the same committee.
Opportunity and access programs and grants. The subcommittee will discuss upcoming Division III programs (e.g., Institute for Administrative Advancement), receive an update on the Division III Opportunity Grants and updates on the OneTeam and Inclusive Leaders programs.
Interpretations and Legislation Committee, March 18 NIL resolution. The committee will continue its discussion regarding the NIL resolution adopted at the 2026 NCAA Convention and will recommend a responsive course of action to Presidents Council to review during its late April meeting.
NCAA Convention Business Session. The committee will continue its review of the Division III Convention Business Session and consider approaches for implementing a more efficient voting process.
Use of a season. The committee will consider several scenarios (e.g., student manager/coach) in which student-athletes might be charged the use of season and how to best clarify those for the membership.
Convention Planning Subcommittee, March 20 2026 convention. The subcommittee will review the 2026 Convention survey results and feedback for the three Division III educational sessions. It will use this feedback to begin to consider changes for the 2027 convention.
2027 convention educational sessions. The subcommittee will discuss possible topics for the Division III educational sessions for the 2027 convention. The subcommittee will issue a membership survey in April to solicit feedback about possible educational session topics.
Reminders.
DIII Analysis Working Group roster. The Presidents Council, via electronic vote, approved the DIII Analysis Working Group that will consist of 19 members. The individuals were selected based on their leadership, and ability to provide a diversity of perspectives across the division. The working group will have its first videoconference by late March with an anticipated in-person meeting in mid to late April. Click here for the roster.
Division III assistant director. Division III is excited to announce the hiring of Vince Gmerek who assumes the duties of Assistant Director of Division III Governance and Member Services effective March 23. Gmerek brings vast experience and NCAA knowledge as he is transitioning from the Eligibility Center, where he has worked the past decade. In his new position, Gmerek will support Division III institutions and conferences by processing legislative and interpretive requests, processing eligibility waivers, assisting with student-athlete reinstatement cases, and serving as a secondary liaison to several governance committees. He also will support several Division III educational initiatives (e.g., online educational resource center, Division III University, regional compliance seminars).
Board of Governors. Division III is seeking one former student-athlete (graduated within the past four years) to serve on the Board of Governors beginning this fall. It is a two-year renewable term. Candidates must have SAAC experience (campus, conference, or national) and preferably two years of service on National SAAC. Eligible graduates need to apply by 5 p.m. Eastern time March 13.
With every communication, we also anticipate additional questions. Please send all questions to DIIIGovernance@ncaa.org.
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.
