Reform package dominates Convention legislation (Editor 5 Nore: This is the second There are 182 proposals (includ- The Commission officers also restrictions on the recruiting process, Three proposals in the presidents’ in u series of seven articles outlining ing resolutions and amcndments- identified 39 of the 40 proposals in propose a 10 percent cut in grants- grouping arc sponsored by others Ihe Iegiskxtion to be ConSidQrQd ut thu to-amendments) in the Official No- the grouping for roll-call votes, and in-aid in all sports, reduce the play- and are there only hccause they 1991 annual Convention. This article tice of the Convention, which was any amendments to those or any ing and practice seasons in Divisions relate directly to the proposals to 1eview.sthe 40 proposals in the special mailed to the mcmhership Novem- Convention actions to postpone, I and II, phase out the use of athlet- reduce grants-in-aid. grouping idenrijied by the NCAA ber IS-and more than half of reconsider or otherwise affect those ics dormitories, reduce the use of Three other proposals in the pack- fiesidenu Commission for acrion them, 95 to he exact, are part of the proposals-also must be voted training tahles over a period of time, age are not part of the reform curly in the agenda.) reform package or seek to amend upon by roll call. That places a lot and establish requirements for exit agenda, per se, but are sponsored proposals in that package. of faith in the Association’s new interviews and academic counseling. by the Commission ~ one dealing The “reform agenda”for the I99 I The officers of the Presidents electronic voting system, which will The NCAA Council also is spon- with a redefinition of the partial NCAA Convention-featuring Commission, using their constitu- be used for the first time in Nash- soring all of those proposals except qualifier in Division II, another proposals sponsored by the NCAA tional authority to order the Con ville. the one regarding academic coun- with transfer eligibility in Division Presidents Commission and the vention agenda, identified 40 Commission proposals seling. All of them also are span III and a third that attempts to NCAA Council that were developed proposals for the special Presidents The Commission itself is spon- sored by various combinations of clarify the summer financial aid originally by the “Conference of Commission grouping. Thirty-three soring 15 proposals at the Conven- Division I conferences. provisions adopted at last year’s Conferences,” the Special Commit- of those are in the so-called reform tion, 12 of them reform issues or In addition, the Council and the Convention. tee on Cost Reduction and the Spe- package, and four others relate di- related thereto. Most of them were Commission are cosponsoring a More cost reduction cial Committee to Review the rectly to that package. Add to that developed by the group of Division resolution calling for the develop- Also in the Presidents Commis- NCAA Membership Structure 55 amendments-to-amendments to I conference commissioners under ment of legislation for the 1992 sion grouping are eight additional clearly dominates the legislation the reform proposals, and you have the name “Conference of Confer- Convention to strengthen the Asso- proposals developed by the Special submitted for the January 7-1 I gath- slightly more than half of all of the ences.” ciation’s requirements for initial Committee on Cost Reduction. The ering in Nashville. Convention legislation. Those amendments place several and continuing eligibility. See Reform puckage, page 2 Peek performance It looks as though Ithaca women’s soccer coach Pa- trick Farmer can barely stand to watch, but his team was at peak performance in winning the Division Ill Women’s Soc- cer Championship with a 1-O victory over Cortland State November 11. Fanner and spectators along the fence watch goalie Beth Howland defend a Cortland penalty shot during shootout. Pro-draft candidates would keep eligibility under plan llnderclassmen who believe they his value in the draft. This recom- letes to enter a professional draft of a videotape on career counseling 69, which would preclude a student- have the ability to play professional mend&ion addresses that issue.” without loss of eligibility. panels. The videotape, which would athlete from maintaining amateur football or basketball soon may Currently, student-athletes in base- If the committee’s proposal to be produced by the legislative servi- status in one sport while becoming a have the opportunity to test their ball and hockey, the other major permit student-athletes to test their ces department at a cost of $30,000, professional in another. The corn- value without losing collegiate eligii sports that use collegiate drafts, value is not adopted, the committee would bc made available to inter- mittee took no action on the request. hility if a recommendation from the may be drafted and may consider will review the policy that allows ested institutions. *The committee agreed to be- Professional Sports Liaison Corn- offers from professional sports juniors to declare themselves eligible l The committee noted that the come the “one voice” for several mittec is approved by the NCAA teams without sacrificing eligibility. for the National Football League NCAA does not license or approve groups concerned about profes- Council. Athletes in football and basketball, draft. professional agents but supports sional football coaches scouting on The committee adopted the rec- however, must declare themselves This year, 38 junior student-ath- the practices of Major League Base- college campuses. Previously, the ommendation at its October meeting eligible to be drafted and lose any letes declared themselves eligible ball and the National Basketball College Football Association in Overland Park, Kansas. remaining eligibility at that time. for the NFL draft in April. Of those Association requiring agents to be coaches committee, the NCAA, the “It is the belief of the committee The legislative services depart- 38, 20 went undrafted. Braxton certified before they can negotiate American Football Coaches Asso- that all student-athletes who have ment is “tine-tuning the recommen- Banks of the University of Notre player contracts. The NFL has a ciation, and the Big Ten and Pacific- an opportunity for pro sports should dation to see which regulations need Dame and Brad Gaines of Vander- policy requiring returning players 10 Conferences sent letters to the be able to determine their market changing if it is adopted,“according bilt University unsuccessfully sued to use certified agents but rookies NFL requesting scouting reforms. value without sacrificing collegiate to Evrard. the NCAA for reinstatement of are not bound by the policy. The committee will correspond with eligibility,” said Richard J. Evrard, The committee’s action is in anti- their eligibility after they were not .The Special Committee to Rem the NFL in future discussions and NCAA director of legislative servi- cipation of approval of Proposal drafted. view Relationships With Two-Year present the views of all concerned ces and staff liaison to the commit- No. 68 at the 1991 Convention. The committee also acted on sev- Colleges asked the committee to groups. tee. “As long as the student-athlete That proposal, a resolution, would eral other issues: endorse its position on legislation at @The committee also will monii does not sign a contract or sign with direct the committee to develop *It recommended that the the 1991 Convention. The special tor the Elite Athlete Disability In- an agent, he should be able to test legislation permitting student-ath- NCAA Council approve production committee opposes Proposal No. See Pro-dr#, page 2 2 THE NCAA NEWS/November 19,l~ Reform package Continuedfrom puge I Summary particular week. Sponsored by the Coun- Convention. Sponsored by the Council. mission. General busmess session, Dlvi- Council is sponsoring those, and Following is a summary of the 40 cil, the Commission and five Division I Division I business session, roll call. sions I and II, roll call. the Presidents Commission has an- proposals in the Presidents Com- conferences. General business session, No. 26: To redefine the partial qualilier No. 29:To require all Division I mstitu- Divisions I and II, roll call. In Division II as a student who graduates tions to make academic counsehng and nounced its support for all of them. mission grouping, including all No. 21-1: To amend No. 21 by permit- from high school and fulfills either the tutoring services available to all recruited The cost-reduction proposals deal amendments-to-amendments and ting six evaluations rnstead of four and core-curriculum or the standardized-rest& student-athletes. Sponsored by the Com- with limitations on numbers of related resolutions. Each entry in- four contacts instead of three in men’s score component of thr imtlal-ehgibility mission and seven Division I conferences coaches in all sports, restrictions on cludes an indication of the business and women’s basketball, football, and legislation. Sponsored by the Council and Division I busmess session, roll call. off-campus recruiting and use of session in which the proposal will be women’s volleyball. Sponsored by eight the Commission. Division II busmess No. 3O:Tu phase-out the USCof athletics recruiting materials, a restriction on acted upon, and roll-call votes are Dwtslon I-A institutions. General busmess session, roll call. dormitories and athletics wings or lloors over a five-year period in Divlslon I. the time athletes can be away from indicated in all appropriate instan- session, Divisions I and II, roll call. No. 27: To specify that a student-athlete No. 22: To establish a liveday recruiting who would not have been ehgible for Sponsored by the Council, the Commis- ces. campus for away-from-home corn- dead period (from 48 hours before to 72 athletics competition had he or she re- sion and seven Division I conferences.