Goal-post reduction can be achieved economically Athletics directors at NCAA foot- mailed from the NCAA national News. schools, which use the wider up- their games on fields with 18-footd- ball-playing member institutions office February 21 with a memo- The NCAA Football Rules Com- rights. The committee addressed inch goal posts or they will be in have received diagrams detailing an randum from NCAA Executive Di- mittee developed the diagram in these concerns by exempting from violation of NCAA legislation re inexpensive way to reduce the width rector Richard D. Schultz. The response to objections from member the rule games played by member quiring intercollegiate competition of goal posts from 23 feet 4 inches to diagram includes head-on, side and institutions, particularly those in institutions on fields used primarily to be conducted under Association 18 feet 6 inches. top views of additional uprights and Division Ill, regarding the cost of for interscholastic competition. playing rules. The moditication will be neces- the brackets needed to attach them complying with the rule. Some in- Also, a member institution does not The narrower width was recom- sary to comply with a rule enacted to the existing uprights. It also stitutions reported that they received have to modify its goal posts if its mended by the Football Rules Corn- last year that requires the distance provides a list of materials and a cost estimates in excess of %l,CKKl field is used for two or more home mittee in January 1990 to offset between goal-post uprights to be cost estimate of approximately $360 for goal-post modifications. games by a high school. increased accuracy and proficiency reduced for the 199 I season. to modify two goals. A diagram Objections also came from insti- Except under these circumstan- of kickers on field-goal and extra- Copies of the diagram were appears on page 3 of this issue of the tutions that share fields with high ces, member institutions must play See Goal-post, page 3 Initial-eligibility criteria Discussion topic of pending report continues on What combination of core grade- ments. The additionalcorecourses revenue plan issue is a gray area, according to point average and test scores is the The Special NCAA Advisory Ursula R. Walsh, director of re- best for an initial-eligibility stan- Committee to Review Recommen search. dard? It’s a question as hard to dations Regarding Distribution of ‘We know from the College Board answer as it is to read. Revenues met February 21 in Chi- studies that numbers of core courses The NCAA Research Committee, cage to discuss the grants-maid and SAT scores are positively corre- at its February 22 meeting in Chi- component of the broad-based plan, cago, addressed this question and lated, and it is tempting to fall into but no formal action was taken. others in preparing an initial report the trap of assigning causality to Instead, the special committee that relationship. _either direction on its ongoing study of initial-eligi- will continue to consider several is likely; i.e., it is possible that those bility standards. alternatives for addressing the cost- with better skills, ab initio, will elect Meeting with the committee were of-attendance variance among Di- more core courses. And it is also two members of the Academic Re- vision I NCAA members, including within the realm of possibility that quirements Committee: Lorna P. such options as (1) basing the grants- Straus, University of Chicago, taking more core courses enables inaid component on dollar one to perform better on a test of chair, and Jerry L. Kingston, Ari- amounts, rather than on the number zona State University. Also present See [email protected], page 9 of grants awarded; (2) basing it on a were John J. McArdle, University combination of the dollar amounts of Virginia, who has served as psy- and the number of grants awarded; chometric consultant to the Re- CEOs set (3) adjusting the unit values and/or search Committee for this study, progressive values for the number and Daniel T Dutcher, an NCAA record at of grants awarded, and (4) increas- staff liaison to the Academic Re- ing by some percentage the unit quirements Committee. Convention value of the grants awarded by In addition to corecourse grade- private institutions. point averages and test scores, the A record 236 chief executive of- Members of the special commit- committee also discussed the use of f&s of NCAA member institu- tee will review these alternatives on CI~SS rank as a predictive variable tions --including more than half of a future telephone conference and and the possible inclusion of addi- al] the CEOs in Division l-at- determine at that time whether an tional core courses in the require- tended the 1991 NCAA Convention additional in-person meeting will be in Nashville. necessary. Chart shows That number easily surpassed the previous high of 199 chief executives Bill would tax the effects of at the Association’s special “integ- rity” Convention in June 1985. some revenues A total of 169 CEOs attended the A bill has been introduced in the new legislation 1990 Convention in Dallas, and U.S. House of Representatives that The chart on page 2 in the there were 137 a year earlier in San would tax as unrelated income re- Legislative Assistance column of Francisco. ceipts by a college or university of this issue of the News shows the Prior to the Nashville session, a various forms of athletics-related effects of 1991 Convention Pro- total of 266 chief executives had posal NOS. 36 and 38 on Division income, including broadcast revenue preregistered for the Convention. and booster contributions. I team sports. The proposals Each year, some preregistrants do Bentley is back The legislatron was introduced concern limitations on playing not actually attend, while some within the past week by Rep. Paul and practice seasons and coach- others register at the last minute. Sophomore Kim Penwell has been Bentley5 leading scorer B. Henry, R-Michigan. ing staffs. The Division I CEOs turned out and rebounder this season although p&ying a new position. After an analysis of the legislation In the March 6 issue of the in Nashville like never before, as She has been a key to the Fans’ ranking among the top News, a chart will be provided to teams in Division II all season and a major mason Bentley is by Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, the 54.7 percent of all institutions in NCAA’s legal counsel in Washing- show how the legislation affects that division (162 of 296) had their expected to make a thin3 straight hip to the championship individual sports. semMnals. See Championship PI&&W on page 8. ton, D.C., a report will be published See CE0.s. page 9 m The NCAA News. I-AA committee discusses ways to control crowd behavior The safety of spectators at Divi- the last two championship games gia Southern officials to prepare a istration of last year’s game and Coaches Association and head sion I-AA play-off games and pro- and will serve as host again in 199 I. detailed security plan to help ensure reviewed the schedule of events for coach at the University of Rhode cedures for selecting championship The discussion was prompted by the safety of fans during and after 199 I, which will be the last year of Island, reviewed issues discussed at sites and participants were major potentially dangerous celebrations games. the current three-year agreement the AFCA’s January meeting. He topics of discussion at the Division after the last two title games when The committee commended Geor- with Georgia Southern to host the said that while Division I-AA I-AA Football Committee’s annual thousands of fans streamed onto gia Southern for the manner in championship game. coaches endorse the current l6- meeting February 19-21 in Orlando, the field and tore down goal posts. which the last two championship Potential sites for future cham- team championship format, many Florida. As a result of the meeting, the games have been conducted, noting pionship games will be discussed are concerned that current proce- The committee discussed several committee agreed that the visiting that attendance in 1989 and 1990 with Georgia Southern and other dures allow a team to play all of its measures to control crowd behavior team’s bench will not be placed in ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, interested parties at the committee’s games at home. The committee both during and after play-off games front of the home team’s student in the history of the event. University 1992 meeting. noted this concern but affirmed its with representatives of Georgia section at any play-off game. In representatives and committee Robert Griffin, Division L-AA current procedures for selecting Southern University, which hosted addition, the committee asked Geor- members also critiqued the admin- president of the American Football See I- A A, puge 2 2 THE NCAA NEWS/February 27,199l I-AA Contract change llniversity of Georgia coaches In a related matter, the committee ccptions to the per diem policy be In other actions, the committee will no longer negotiate their own championship participants and sites. agreed on dates for the 1991 polls. granted in the future whenever a *Agreed to pursue further dis- t&vision and radio contracts. The preseason poll will be issued team travels from the Mountain or lo improve communication with cussions on the concept of a Division Vincent J. IIooley, director 01 member institutions, the committee August 19, the first regular-season Pacific time Tone to the Eastern I-AAA football classification with athletics, said the agreements WIII poll will be September 16, and polls time zone.