DIVISION III PRESIDENTS QUARTERLY UPDATE - AUGUST 2022
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR CHANCELLOR JIM SCHMIDT
The Presidents Council recently completed its virtual August meeting, and this quarterly update highlights our discussions and actions. As fans return to the stands and students return to campus, the Council has witnessed renewed gratitude for the impressive work and accomplishments of our membership. Please review and discuss the topics included in this update with your presidential colleagues, athletics direct reports and commissioners.
2023 CONVENTION LEGISLATION AND SCHEDULE
The Council reviewed the current slate of proposals for the 2023 NCAA Convention. The governance structure is currently sponsoring seven proposals and the membership, to date, is sponsoring five proposals. The Council initially identified the following proposals to be presidential in nature.
A proposal that would require institutions entering the new member process (provisional/reclassifying) to have a bona fide invitation from an active Division III multi-sport conference before applying for Division membership.
A proposal that would grant the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee a vote at the Division III Business Session at the NCAA Convention.
A proposal that would alter the composition of the Presidents and Management Councils and six governance committees to allow for representation of each multi-sport conference on either Council, greater regional representation, committee composition consistency and increase the student-athlete voice.
A proposal that would alter the composition of the Presidents and Management Councils to allow for representation of each multi-sport conference on either Council. (Membership sponsored)
A proposal that would increase the Nominating Committee composition to ten members based on sport committee region model. (Membership sponsored)
The 2023 NCAA Convention will take place January 11-14 in San Antonio and includes a Division III Presidents and Chancellors Forum scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 12, the Division III Issues Forum on Jan. 13 and the Business Session on Jan. 14. Click here for a draft presidents and chancellors schedule.
NEW NCAA CONSTITUTION
The new NCAA Constitution approved at the 2022 NCAA Convention went into effect Aug. 1, and the new Board of Governors met for the first time Aug. 2. At its first meeting
, the Board reviewed and approved its operating policies and procedures, defined its committee structure and identified the search committee for the next NCAA president. Division III is represented by Mary-Beth Cooper, Springfield College president and member of the Presidents Council (voting member); Michelle Morgan, Division III Management Council chair and director of athletics at John Carroll University (ex-officio), and graduated Division III student-athlete from University of Texas at Dallas, Isaiah Swann (ex-officio).
BUDGET ENHANCEMENTS AND STRATEGIC PLAN
The Council approved the Enrichment Fund (formerly non-championship initiatives) budget enhancements for fiscal year 2023 and after, to include additional conference grant funding to support the division’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategic priorities. Effective Sept. 1, 2023 the Council also approved an increase of the Division III Ethnic Minorities and Women’s Internship salary. Championship budget enhancements for fiscal year 2023 will include a day of rest in select team sports between the semifinals and championship, sport specific bracket increases, reimbursement for local ground transportation, no conference opponents in the first round, and per diem increases. The Council discussed how the
2022-2023 strategic plan better reflects the division’s initiatives, programs and resources to support the student-athlete experience.
PRESIDENTS ADVISORY GROUP
The Division III President Advisory Group met virtually and examined the division’s philosophy statement in a roundtable discussion. Breakout conversations centered on the Presidents Council decision to review the philosophy statement
and possible changes to modernize the guidelines. The feedback will be shared with the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee; the committee tasked with overseeing the review. The review timeline is slated for the 2022-23 academic year, and it may include a membership survey, and additional roundtable discussion and feedback during the Division III Issues Forum at the 2023 NCAA Convention.
The Presidents Advisory Group provided feedback on its annual Aug. meeting, and the Presidents Council voted to change the meeting format from a virtual meeting in August to an in-person meeting in Oct. in conjunction with the Presidents Council meeting. The new format will go into effect with the in person meeting at the national office in Indianapolis in late Oct. 2023.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT-ATHLETE ELIGIBILITY
All international prospective student-athletes initially enrolling at a Division III institution on or after August 1, 2023 will need a final amateurism decision by the NCAA Eligibility Center. To assist institutions, the Eligibility Center created a newsletter and a series of webinars to answer questions and to provide instruction.
NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS
To replace departing members, the Council elected Richard Lapidus, president at Fitchburg State, for a two-year term and Douglas Lee, president at Waynesburg, for a four-year term, effective immediately.
CONCLUSION
It is my intent that the quarterly update provides the necessary and critical information to assist you in the oversight of Division III athletics on your campus. Click here for a full recap of the August Presidents Council meeting, and the Summary of Actions
, which highlights all recent Council actions. As always, I welcome any comments or questions.
This email was sent to NCAA Division III presidents and chancellors;conference commissioners and athletics direct reports based on contact information in the NCAA Directory.
National Collegiate Athletic Association, 700 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204 US
