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.

Athletic Trainer Working Group, April 10
Initial recommendations. The working group created an initial set of recommendations for the councils to discuss during their spring meetings. The recommendations include the need to provide athletic trainers with a voice in decisions that will impact their workloads and work life balance, defining expectations regarding coverage of contests, practices and other duties, contract lengths and accessibility outside of work hours or the off-season, increase involvement in athletics department leadership and concepts regarding compensation and professional development.

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, April 14
Division III former student-athlete BOG representative. The committee will finalize its recommendation for the next Division III former student-athlete to serve on the NCAA Board of Governors for a two-year term effective after the BOG’s August meeting. The recommendation came from 16 nominations after a membership-wide call for nominations in March.

Division III SAAC subcommittee updates. The committee continues its on-going work with Mental and Physical Health through Physical Health Minutes which are videos posted on the DIII SAAC Instagram with helpful insights about topics such as sleep, flexibility and mobility, and nutrition. The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) subcommittee has kicked off the “DIII & Me” campaign with the goal to highlight a diverse group of Division III coaches, student-athletes, and alumni to showcase what it means to be a part of the Division III community. To share your “DIII & Me” story, please check out the link in the DIII SAAC Instagram bio or scan the QR in the “DIII & Me” posts.

Financial and Risk Management Working Group, April 15
Executive readout. The working group will meet with the Deloitte consultants and receive an update on the analysis of Division III finances. The review’s goal was to find opportunities to strengthen the division’s overall financial performance, identify threats and recommend structure options to address/mitigate financial loss. The working group will refine its opportunities that were identified during two prior workshops, and it will review a proposed implementation timeline.

Management Council, April 16-17
Athletic trainer recommendations. The council will provide feedback on the Athletic Trainer Working Group’s initial recommendations. [See AT Working Group April 10 update]

Budget enhancements. The council will review and provide feedback on the budget enhancements, approved in concept, by the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee.

Championships recommendations. The council will consider several recommendations from the Championships Committee.

• Increase the size of the football championships bracket from 32 to 40 teams.
• Combine pools B and C into one group of teams eligible for at-large selection.
• Adopt the NCAA Power Index (NPI) as the selection metric for non-automatic qualifiers for the championship field.
• Establish a bracket ratio of 1:6 for team sport championships.

Outside financial reviews. The Deloitte consultants will provide an update on its review of the division’s finances based on interviews with multiple Division III stakeholders and data and research analysis. The review goals include identifying the division’s financial priorities, threats, and opportunities to improve revenue growth and making recommendations to reduce risk and strengthen the division’s overall financial position.

The Lewis Rice consultants will provide an update on the evaluation of the Division III Enrichment Fund. Lewis Rice has completed interviews with Division III stakeholders related to the division’s grants and programs and has reviewed additional requested data and information. The goals of the review are to assess whether the division’s grants and programs are meeting identified objectives and align with the division’s strategic priorities.

Federated rules process. The council will receive an update regarding the Division III federated playing rules process that was implemented in July 2023. It also will consider the parameters to conduct a review of the Division III process.

Women’s wrestling. The council will consider a recommendation from the Committee on Women’s Athletics to sponsor 2025 convention legislation to add women’s wrestling as an NCAA national collegiate championship.

Graduate and postbaccalaureate student participation. The council will consider a recommendation to adopt noncontroversial legislation to incorporate the graduate/postbaccalaureate student participation directive into legislation.

Transfer regulations. The council will provide feedback on the on-going review of the year in residence requirement for transfer student-athletes being conducted by the governance structure. After the council meeting, the concepts will be socialized with the membership with opportunities to garner additional feedback. The council may receive a recommended legislative change to consider during its summer meeting.

Presidents and Management Council rotation. The council will act on a proposed council rotation recommended by the Nominating Committee. If approved by the Management and Presidents Councils, solicitation will begin in late April/early May to fill new council openings effective Aug. 1 per Proposal 2023-7 that legislates conferences will have one representative on either the Presidents or Management Council.

Division III new member process. The council will act on two recommendations from the Membership Committee: 1.) Moving the application date from Jan. 15 to Feb. 1; and 2.) The criteria to waive the exploratory year will be incorporated into the standard for application for provisional membership. An exploratory year will be required for applicant institutions that do not meet the standard.

Athletics consortium. The council will receive an update regarding the Membership Committee’s current review of the division’s athletics consortium legislation.

Name, image, and likeness. The council will act on the following recommendations from the Interpretations and Legislation Committee: (1) Establish a voluntary registry for professional service providers that student-athletes could access; (2) Establish a comprehensive educational plan and resources to assist student-athletes navigating NIL opportunities; and (3) Provide a bank of standard contract terms to inform student-athletes as they engage in NIL. 

Division III legislative process. The council will provide feedback on several proposed changes to the legislative process identified by ILC. After the council meeting, the proposed changes will be socialized with the membership with opportunities to garner additional feedback. The council may receive a recommended legislative change to consider during its summer meeting.

Athletic Trainer Working Group, April 18
Athletic trainer recommendations. The working group will review the feedback from the Division III Management Council regarding its initial set of recommendations and continue to refine its recommendations.

Membership Committee, April 18
Athletics consortium legislation. The committee will continue its review of the athletics consortium legislation.

Championships Committee, April 23
Gender equity update. The committee will receive a gender equity review update.

Budget principles and guidelines. At the request of the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee, the committee will review a draft document of budgetary principles and guidelines. The committee’s feedback will be given to SPFC during its June meeting. Once finalized, these principles will be used to guide future budget discussions.

NCAA Power Index (NPI). The committee will discuss policies related to NPI (e.g., the intervals at which changes can be recommended) and the role of the regional advisory committees moving forward. The committee also will review an updated implementation timeline to include membership education opportunities.

Presidents Council, April 24
Presidents and Management Council rotation. The council will act on a proposed council rotation recommended by the Nominating Committee.

Outside financial reviews. The Deloitte consultants will provide an update on its review of the division’s finances. The Lewis Rice consultants will provide an update on the evaluation of the Division III Enrichment Fund.

Budget enhancements. The council will review and provide feedback on the budget enhancements, approved in concept, by the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee.

Division III former student-athlete BOG representative. The council will act on SAAC’s recommendation for the next Division III former student-athlete to serve on the NCAA Board of Governors.

Congressional engagement. The council will discuss the Association’s strategy to engage federal legislators.

Board of Governors. The council will participate in the consultative process and discuss the BOG April agenda.

 

With every communication, we also anticipate additional questions. Please send all questions to DIIIGovernance@ncaa.org. Thank you for your continued collaboration and leadership.