The NCAA Official Publication of the National Collegiate Athletic Association December 20,1989, Volume 26 Number 45 Whalen urges CEOs to back Commission in person The chair of the board of directors time to be there-to be the kind of our institutions. This Convention is from the NCAA Presidents Com- of the American Council on Educa- presence that will reaffirm the au- now just over four weeks away. mission and, frankly, it is my opinion tion has urged the chief executive thority and responsibility that many (Editor’s Note: IIke Presidents Com- that this is indeed “make or break” officers of all NCAA member insti- believe we have failed to exercise.” m&Con ‘sgrouping qf le&Mve prop- time. Therefore, I recommend fa- tutions to attend the NCAA Con- Whalen is a former officer of the OS& is scheduled to be completed 6~ vorable votes on the following: vention next month in Dallas and Presidents Commission and also noon Januur y 9. The Convention (1) Proposal 24, which would to support the legislation being spon- has been named to serve on the new irseff is scheduled to adjourn at I provide for the disclosure of gra- sored by the NCAA Presidents Com- duation rates. 1 can tell you from mission. first-hand cxpericnce, having testi- In a letter mailed to CEOs De- ‘Cm__ frankly, it is my opinion that this is ficd before the Senate Committee cember 6, ACE hoard chair James indeed ‘make or break’ time? on Labor and Human Resources, J. Whalen, president of Ithaca Col- James J. Whalen that we must do this one ourselves lege, wrote, “Several very important or the Congress of the United States proposals will come from the NCAA Knight Foundation commission that p.m. Januury 10.) will do it for us. Federal intrusion in Presidents Commission and, frank- will discuss possible reforms in in- I am writing this letter ac chair of this area would set avery dangerous ly, it is my opinion that this is indeed tercollegiate athletics. the Board of Directors of the Amer- precedent and would open a door ‘make or break’ time.” The text of the ACE letter follows. ican Council on Education to report that we will never be able to close In another portion of the letter, Dear NCAA Colleague: on some of the issues to be discussed again. We simply must not allow Whalen said “. there are many The next NCAA annual meeting, in Dallas and to encourage all this. vested interests relative to these which will take place in Dallas, college and university presidents (2) Proposal 26, which would proposals that will be active at the Texas, beginning on January 7 and with NCAA programs to attend the modify “Proposal 42” to allow par- James J. Whalen Convention. However, 1 believe that ending midday on January 9, will meeting on those key days. Several tial qualifiers to receive need-based, we should invest our interest and deal with issues vital to the future of very important proposals will come nonathletically related financial aid. Commission, in conjunction with This is a very important issue in the NCAA, this year conducted a Division 1, because without the very comprehensive study of the in Dallas modification, partial qualifiers will time demands on student-athletes. Hearn, Young to debate be considered nonqualifiers and An analysis of those data suggests President Thomas K. Hearn of thus will be ineligible for any kind that reductions in the lengths of Wake Forest University and Chan- of institutional aid. The Presidents season for football and basketball cellor Charles E. Young of the Unii Commission feels strongly that this definitely arc in order. Proposal 30 versity of California, Los Angeles, would be inappropriate. would reduce the spring football will debate the issue of freshman (3) Proposal 32, which would season in Divisions I-A, I-AA and eligibility in the Presidential Debate allow an institution, under its nor- II; reduce the basketball season in at the 1990 NCAA Convention in mal methodology, to award non- (all divisions), and seek further sea- Dallas. athletically related aid for summer son reductions in other sports, with The dcbatc is scheduled for 5:30 school study. This important pro- recommendations to be made in p.m. Sunday, January 7, immcdi- posal would disallow individuals April 1990 and voted on at the 199 1 ately after the opening business receiving such aid from participating Convention. session. It will be moderated by in any summer athletics activity. Let me quote from the Presidents Martin A. Massengale, chancellor (4) Finally, Proposal 30, which Commission newsletter, precis: of the University of Nebraska, Lin- relates to time demands on our “We genuinely believe that these coln, and chair of the NCAA Pres- student-athletes. The Presidents See Whulen, puge 2 idents Commission, which is sponsoring the debate. Both Hearn and Young are cur- rent members of the Presidents Com- Two legislative areas mission. Hearn will take the position that freshmen should continue to be Thomas K. Heam Chades E. Young without major themes eligible for participation in intercol- (Editor ‘s Note: l&r is the3fth in a Amateurism legiate athletics, while Young will during the one hour allotted for the the Commission since mid-1988 series of six articles reviewing the The first two proposals in the argue for freshman ineligibility. program, questions will be wel- when he replaced John Brooks legislative proposals to be acted upon amateurism grouping represent rec- Each will make his presentation comed from the audience. Slaughter in that position. President ut the Association’s 84th annual ommendations by the Special Com- and then have a chance to respond Hearn has been the Atlantic at Wake Forest since 1983, he pre- Convention next month in Dal& mittee to Review Amateurism Issues to the other speaker. If possible Coast Conference representative on See Heurn, page 9 Otis installment covers the amend- to allow some greater flexibility in ments in the amateurism andpluying- the Association’s legislation as it seuson groupings.) relates to those student-athletes in- Sliger elected Commission officer volved in the top levels of interna- Bernard E Sliger, president of was assigned in 1988 to review prop- There is no major theme in the tional competition. Florida State University, has been osals offered during the early ses- groupings of legislative proposals One would allow such individuals elected to serve as chair of the sions of the National Forum. dealing with amateurism and play- to receive broken-time payments NCAA Presidents Commission’s President of Florida State since ing seasons that will be considered (up to $250 per week) from the U.S. Division I subcommittee in 1990. 1977, Sliger was executive vice- by the 1990 NCAA Convention. Olympic Committee or the appro- Shger was elected in a mail vote president and then chief academic Instead, those topics have at- priate national governing body in a of the Division I members of the officer at the institution during the tracted a variety of proposals, rang- sport to make up for lost earnings Commission. Earlier, Martin A. five-year period before that. ing in amateurism from additional while participating on a national flexibility for world-class athletes to team, even if they are not enrolled in Massengale, chancellor of the Uni- He was a faculty member and conducting awards banquets, and a regular term at the time. NCAA versity of Nebraska, Lincoln, was administrator at Louisiana State in playing seasons from conditioning legislation already permits receipt reelected as chair of the Commission University for 19 years, taking a programs in Division I-A football of such payments while the student for 1990; and Asa N. Green, presi- leave of absence in 1969 to organize to outtof-season practice activities dent, Livingston University, was the Louisiana Coordinating Council is enrolled. in Division III tennis. The other amendment would al- selected as Division II chair for for Higher Education. He then be- 1990-1991. In fact, the 14 proposals in the low individuals to receive the full came that council’s executive direc- playing-seasons grouping include Balloting continues to elect the tor. benefits of the USOC’s Elite Athlete Commission’s Division III chair. special-interest amendments dealing Health Insurance Program without Sliger has served on the Commis- Sliger holds three degrees, in- with eight different sport-base- jeopardizing their eligibility for col- sion as the representative of the cluding a doctorate, in economics ball, basketball, fencing, football, lege athletics. Division I-A independent institu- from Michigan State University. He ice hockey, softball, tennis and vol- When sponsorship of those two tions in the South since 1987 and has served as chair of the board of leyball. proposals was announced by the trustees of the American College And while all of the amateurism NCAA Council in October, NCAA will complete his term on the Com- Bemad E Sl@er mission at the 1991 NCAA Conven- Testing Corporation. proposals require votes of the full President Albert M. Witte said, tion. While on the Commission, he He will succeed Lattie E Coor as presidency at Arizona State Univer- Convention, 11 of the 14 playing- “There is a felt need to work more has served as the chair of the Presi- Division I chair at the end of the sity, has served as Division I chair seasons proposals are aimed at var- closely and to develop better rela- dential Nominating Committee in Convention in Dallas next month. for the past year and concludes his ious divisions and will be acted tionships with the USOC and the 1989 and as chair of the Commis- Coor, president of the University of term on the Commission next upon in the separate division busi- national governing bodies.