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.
Division III Analysis Working Group, April 20 Stakeholder insights and high-level data analysis. The consultants presented a high-level synthesized review of its initial work that included approximately a dozen stakeholder interview findings and supporting quantitative analysis. The information provided the working group an initial snapshot of the division’s feedback on the identified tensions and was used to focus the meeting’s discussions. The consultants emphasized that the initial findings did not represent conclusions or recommendations, and with guidance from the working group, it is actively gathering additional data and scheduling more stakeholder engagement interviews.
Small group discussions. Small group discussions. After reviewing the stakeholder engagement feedback and supporting data, the working group members divided into small groups to analyze core tensions and identify impacted segments, degree of impact, and root causes. The full working group had opportunities to identify and build consensus on the root cause of each tension. From the initial interviews, the following are the tensions in order of rated significance (from most significant to least) along with themes from the stakeholder interviews:
Economic implications. Themes included the resource gap between Division III institutions, diversity of Name, Image, and Likeness activity use, and strategies to use athletics as an enrollment driver.
Playing seasons and resources. Themes included the recent adoption of legislation to expand playing seasons without campus resources to fund the expansion; pros and cons on the impact to the student-athlete experience, such as infringing on the division’s philosophy to the need to change to meet enrollment needs; and athletic trainer impact and shortages.
Eligibility evolution.Themes included the impact on the student-athlete experience of potential eligibility models (e.g., four-year vs five-year); and a range of perspectives regarding the need to align with Division I eligibility rules.
Governance oversight and presidential involvement. Themes included athletics directors reporting to presidents/chancellors, broad conference representation within the governance structure, and specifically, the engagement of presidents and chancellors in the governance structure.
Championships selection criteria. Themes included assessments of NPI, the budgetary impact of championships travel and continuity with automatic qualification.
Membership standards. Themes included recent discussions regarding dividing or sub-dividing Division III, sports sponsorship minimums, and the Division III Philosophy Statement that outlines the division’s core values.
Next steps and strategies. The working group and consultants agreed that there is a need for a membership survey to gather additional information and data. Further, the consultants will conduct additional small group stakeholder engagements. The working group will review this additional feedback and data during its May videoconferences to inform next steps and proposed actions. NOTE:A survey was sent to all ADs and commissioners on Wednesday, April 29.
Presidents Council, April 29 NCAA Board of Governors student-athlete graduated representative. The council approved the recommendation from national SAAC regarding the Division III graduated student-athlete representative to the Board of Governors. With approval from the board, the new representative will begin their two-year term in Aug. 2026.
Division III analysis. The council received an update on the working group’s analysis and engaged with the consultants assisting with the work.
Campus senior leadership initiative. The council considered implementing a new initiative to increase engagement and education with campus senior leaders (i.e., presidents, chancellors, and athletics direct reports).
Association-wide membership survey. The council reviewed the results of the Association-wide spending prioritization survey completed by the membership in February 2026. The survey feedback provided input about how the membership prioritizes Association-wide programs or services, which the NCAA will leverage to support future planning. The council was then asked to identify services and programs it believed should continue at the current level of funding and those that should continue but with potential budget reductions.
Name, Image, and Likeness. The council approved the approach endorsed by the Division III Management Council to review NIL activities in Division III. The approach includes the creation of a dedicated working group comprised of individuals from the Division III membership with experience with NIL.
Upcoming Meetings and Anticipated Discussions.
Championships Committee, May 14 Championships ticketing review. The committee will review the Management Council’s feedback on a potential standardized ticketing price model (adults and students per sport) for Division III preliminary rounds of team championships which has been updated to include ice hockey. The committee will use its May and June meetings to finalize its recommendation with potential implementation for 2026-27 championships.
Championships budget initiatives. The committee will discuss its previously proposed budget recommendations to the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee and re-examine its support generally. Final approval will come during its June meeting.
NCAA Power Index. The committee will receive an update from the internal NPI working group’s efforts to create educational resources for sport committees and the membership. Fall and winter sport committees must submit potential dial adjustments by the June Championships Committee meeting and spring sports by the committee’s August meeting.
Coaches’ Connect Program. The committee will review a recommendation to incorporate three additional sports into the Coaches’ Connect Program for 2026-27. The committee will receive final survey results in June before finalizing its recommendations.
Regional Rules Seminar, May 14-15 Registration. You can register here for the 2026 NCAA Regional Rules Seminar in Atlanta. The Division III sessions also will be live streamed and attendees who want to watch the live stream must register. In order to earn credit for the once-every-three-year attendance requirement, attendees must scan the QR code that will be shown at the beginning and end of each live streamed session.
Reminder
2027 Legislative Cycle. Information related to submitting new legislative amendments for the 2027 NCAA Convention is now available on the NCAA website. All materials regarding this mailing can be found on the Legislative Actions and Issues page.
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.
