The NCAA Official Publication of the National Collegiate Athletic Association April 24,1991, Volume 28 Number 17 Council urges active response to state legislature challenges The NCAA Council has voted strengthen academic requirements an increase from 2.000 to 2.500 in unanimously that the Association for initial and continuing athletics the core-curriculum minimum should continue to respond actively eligibility, at least in Division I, as grade-point average if such an in- to state and Federal legislative chal- developed by the Academic Re- crease is part of an indexing for- lenges regarding NCAA procedures quirements Committee for consid- mula. and regulations. eration by the Presidents Commis- The Council recommended that In its spring meeting April 15-17 sion. The Council also spent the Academic Requirements Com- in Kansas City, Missouri, the Coun- considerable time on proposals that mittee attempt to develop an index cil received a detailed report from would establish a Division I-AAA somewhat broader than the one Executive Director Richard D. football classification. requested by the Presidents Corn- Schultz on the Association’s gov- Academics mission (700 SAT and 2.500 core ernmental affairs, including a review The Council’s actions regarding GPA through 900 SAT and 2.000) of recent initiatives in various state academic requirements will be re- but not as broad as another sug- legislatures to challenge procedures ported to the Presidents Commis- gested alternative (400 SAT and and regulations adopted by the sion for consideration in its June 25- 3.250 CPA through 1,300 SAT and NCAA membership. 26 meeting. 1.000 CPA). With no votes in opposition, the Essentially, the Council supported Continuing eligibility: The Coun- Council adopted a motion directing the Academic Requirements Com- cil generally favored all of the Aca- Schultz to continue to respond mittee’s recommendations to date, demic Requirements Committee’s firmly to such challenges. It also as follows: proposed changes in academic re- urged that the Council and the Initial eligibility: The Council quirements for continuing eligibility, membership be kept informed of supported an increase from 11 to 13 as reported in the April 3 and 10 developments in these areas. in the number of required core issues of The NCAA News, with In other major issues at the spring courses, with the additional courses these additional actions: meeting, the Council generally ex- to be in English, math, or natural or It believes the requirement of pressed support for the steps to physical sciences. It also supported See Council. page 2 Division I nonscholarship football Fourth title raises concerns in other d ivisions Mati Sohn of host Pennsylvania State Univenrtty won the By Timothy J. Lilley 15-17 Council meeting by the Divi- ing administration of competitive pomm4-home Utte dwing tha National Cokgiate Men% Managing Editor, The NCAA News sion II Steering Committee in rem opportunities for these programs Gymnasttcs Champtonships-his fowth stratght victory in sponse to draft proposals developed under the NCAA umbrella, which the event. Sohnnf mutfne earned a perfect scorn (10). Story Multidivision classification may by the I-AAA subcommittee, the mitigates the concerns of all divi- on Page 7. be history, but Division 1 nonscho- subcommittee is intent on making sions. larship football is here to stay. What the Association’s membership aware “Also,” Dreidame added, “this remains to be seen is if-and if so, of all the possibilities for Divisions I legislation would deter upward Full agenda awaits committee where~-it ends up within the and II members who want to field movement of Division II schools NCAA’s governance structure. football teams with a Division III- (i.e., institutions would be required One of the most varied agendas also will be included in the meeting. And where Division I nonscho- like approach. in recent history awaits the NCAA to have been members of Division I Among them: larship football ultimately lands “The issue is where you want to Executive Committee, which will for at least eight years).’ l A report from an ad hoc group will determine its impact--positive put those institutions whose football Each division steering committee meet May 6-7 in New Orleans, looking at the feasibility and desira- and/or negative-on Divisions programs have been displaced by Louisiana. Often, this spring meet- reviewed separately the subcommit- bility of developing more flexibility I-AA and II football. action to eliminate multidivision tee’s work to date during the recent ing finds the Executive Committee in playing rules to accommodate That, in essence, is the premise classification,” said R. Elaine faced with mostly sportscommittee- Council meeting. Divisions I and the differences in the Association’s under which the NCAA Council Dreidame of the University of Day- related business-not so this year. III representatives were supportive, membership divisions. Subcommittee to Develop a Divi- ton, who is chairing the I-AAA Certainly, recommendations from but Division I1 concerns have led to sion I-AAA Football Classification subcommittee. “Our hope is that development of a survey on the several governing sports committees l Additional review of a change has been operating. And in the face the subcommittee’s work will result issue of I-AAA membership classi- will be reviewed and acted upon. in the width of football goal posts of concerns raised during the April in proposals that will facilitate keep- See Division I, page 3 But many other areas of discussion See Full, page 2 Limitations are sought on bowl ‘tie-ins’ In the News The NCAA Council will be asked tion membership. organizers an August deadline for a ticket allocation of greater than to sponsor a proposal at the 1992 Subcommittee members unanim- providing a date and kickoff time one-sixth of the total seats in the Convention that would place limits ously voted to seek the limitation for the contest and evidence of an stadium for a bowl game that paid on “tie-in” arrangements for football because they believe that agreements agreement to televise the game. less than %1 million to participating bowl games. reserving a berth for any team from A complete list of games recom- teams the previous year, unless the The Postseason Football Sub- a conference other than its cham- mended for recertification will be school receives approval from the committee of the NCAA Special pion for example, a league run- published in next week’s issue of Postseason Bowl Subcommittee. Events Committee will ask the Coun- ner-up ~~ are not in the best interest The NCAA News. The purpose of the amendment is to cil to support legislation that would of college football or postseason The subcommittee also made sev- prevent schools from “buying” a permit bowl games to reserve auto- bowl games. era1 other recommendations to the bowl bid. In seeking approval, the matic berths only for conference The subcommittee also recom- Council. Among those is a request school also would be required to champions and independent teams. mended recertification for 17 of the that the Council review current provide a statement from its chief The legislation would specifically 19 bowl games that were certified legislation permitting conferences executive officer pledging that the prohibit a bowl game from reserving for Division I-A football teams last with 12 or more member institutions tickets will be sold at face value to a berth for any team in a conference season. to divide into divisions and hold a constituents of the institution. other than the league’s champion. One of last season’s games, the championship game involving divi- *To require that the sponsoring Members of the subcommittee, All American Bowl in Birmingham, sion winners, taking into considera- agency of a bowl game sell at least who met for their annual spring Alabama, did not apply for recerti- tion such games’ potential impact 50 percent of the total number of meeting April 15-I 8 in Orlando, fication for next season. Also, the on bowl games. tickets for the game, unless the Florida, also agreed to ask the Pres- subcommittee delayed recertiflca- The Council also was asked to game is a sellout and adherence to idents Commission to endorse those tion of the Poulan/ Weed Eater In- approve amendments to Bylaw 30.8 that policy would not permit the limitations in concept until they can dependence Bowl in Shreveport, as follows: bowl game to accommodate the be formally enacted by the Associa- Louisiana, and gave that game’s l To prohibit a school from taking See Limitations, page I9 2 THE NCAA NEWSlAprll24,1991 Council Continued from puge I NCAA News, including the Division l The Council agreed to sponsor collegiate athletics eligibility. It was four of those positions. Among successfully completing at least eight II Steering Committee’s plans for a legislation for the 1992 Convention agreed that the draft legislation in other actions in this area, the Coun- hours per term should apply to survey of that division’s member- to specify that for purposes of meet- this regard would be tightened and cil approved development of a mcm- eligibility for both practice and com- ship. ing the new Division I financial aid reviewed again in August. bership survey to gather data petition, rather than competition membership criteria, an institution regarding gender-equity factors. The Council generally agreed that l The Council approved a staff only. could count only unearned, nonre- the Council subcommittee dealing suggestion that a Council subcorn- *The Council voted to sponsor It is asking the Academic Re- payable financial aid awarded and with the issue should continue to mittcc be established to assist the legislation at the 1992 Convention quirements Committee to review administered by the institution (in- work on the available alternatives, compliance services department in to establish somewhat earlier dead- the possible need for an exception cluding the athletics department) with additional advice from Division developing the certification concept, lines in the Association’s legislative to the proposal that nonqualifiers and based on athletics ability.