The NCAA held its annual convention from Jan. 14-17 in National Harbor, Md., where 12 Division III legislative items were proposed. Eight of the proposals were approved, while one was defeated, two were withdrawn, and one was referred to the Division III Management Council. A listing of each proposal, its result, and an analysis, written with the help of Wesleyan Athletic Director John Biddiscombe, follows.

 

Proposal No. 1: To establish limits on the number of student-athletes from the same member institution who may participate on an outside team tour without requiring the tour to be certified as an institutional tour.

Effective date: Immediate.

Result: Approved by roll-call vote (440-15-1).

What it means: The current NCAA rule stipulates that “an outside team that includes student-athletes from more than one member institution may participate in international competition in any sport on a foreign tour provided the outside team is not comprised solely of student-athletes from the same institution.” As teams are limited to one foreign tour every three years, this is a significant rule change. Each sport now has a limit ranging from two to seven student-athletes; if an outside team has more than that number of student-athletes from a particular school, the trip must be counted as an official outside team tour for that school.

 

Proposal No. 2: To specify that an institutional staff member may design a voluntary, individual-specific workout program for a student-athlete, but may not conduct the individual’s workout outside the declared playing season.

Effective date: Immediate.

Result: Approved by roll-call vote (453-2-1).

What it means: Coaches currently design workouts for their entire teams, but Biddiscombe noted the flaws in this “one size fits all” mentality. “The rationale is, why would you design a workout for a goalie that might be exactly the same as one for a forward?” he said. “Let’s say you have one shot putter who’s very strong and another shot putter who’s very weak. You want the weak person to do a different kind of strength training workout than the strong one, and this allows you to do that.”

 

Proposal No. 3: To establish August 15 as the first permissible date for preseason practice in cross country, field hockey, golf, rugby, soccer, tennis, and women’s volleyball.

Effective date: August 1, 2009.

Result: Defeated by roll-call vote (297-154-6).

What it would have meant: Currently, the first permissible practice date is the date that permits 16 practice opportunities (25 for football) prior to the first intercollegiate contest or September 1st, whichever is later. The NESCAC, however, would have retained this guideline if the proposal had been approved. “We would have stayed with the current date,” Biddiscombe said. “We did not support this, because we thought it would just create additional separation between the dates we use and nonconference opponents.” He added that the likelihood of increased costs as a result of the earlier start date was another detriment to the proposal. “Philosophically, we didn’t agree with it,” he said.

 

Proposal No. 4: To specify that an institution shall not commence practice sessions in ice hockey before October 15.

Effective date: August 1, 2009.

Result: Approved by roll-call vote (225-54-176).

What it means: Essentially nothing for Wesleyan and the NESCAC, which does not allow teams to begin practice in winter sports until November 1st. The ten ECAC-East schools involved in the conference interlock also abide by this practice restriction. It will, however, help level the playing field between Wesleyan and its nonconference opponents. Teams currently are allowed to commence ice hockey practice as early as September 7 or the first day of fall classes, whichever is earlier (though the playing season is limited to 19 weeks).

 

Proposal No. 5: To specify that an institution is not required to provide student-athletes one day off per week during conference championships or postseason tournaments.

Effective date: August 1, 2009

Result: Withdrawn

What it would have meant: Biddiscombe noted that there was significant opposition to the proposal, which led to its withdrawal. Each group that reviewed it, he said, felt that athletes need time off, whether it’s a championship or not. “Let’s say you had a conference championship series that went Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday,” he said. “Somewhere during that period of time, the athletes receive a day of rest. That’s the intent of the rule. Why should that be any different than the regular season?”

 

Proposal No. 6: To specify that a season of participation shall not be counted when a student-athlete participates in the one date of competition during the nontraditional segment in the sports of baseball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, and women’s volleyball.

Effective date: August 1, 2009

Result: Approved by roll-call vote (431-18-6).

What it means: Each sport except football and basketball has a “traditional segment” (which concludes with the NCAA Championship) and “nontraditional segment,” which begins on September 7 or the first day of fall classes for winter and spring sports and February 1 for fall sports. Currently, the nontraditional segment in these sports allows one date of competition, but a student-athlete who participates only in the nontraditional segment will currently still be charged with a season of participation. Beginning next year, though, students will not lose a year of eligibility for participation in the nontraditional segment. “What this really does is add [an additional] playing opportunity for that student,” Biddiscombe said.

 

Proposal No. 7: To remove archery, badminton, synchronized swimming, and team handball as emerging sports for women.

Effective date: August 1, 2009

Result: Approved by roll-call vote (403-21-35).

What it means: Student-athletes participating in sports classified as “emerging sports for women” are included in an institution’s number of female student-athletes. Biddiscombe used the example of a badminton team with substantial female participation. “If it’s on the emerging sport [list], the federal government and the NCAA allow you to count that toward those numbers, even though it’s not recognized by the NCAA…” he said. “On the other hand, a number of these sports have gotten put on the emerging sport list but never fulfilled the criteria to grow and prosper and have enough participation to qualify as [NCAA] Championship sports, and that’s ultimately the goal.” The NCAA will no longer allow teams to include female student-athletes in these sports in gender-equity figures, though the federal government still will.

 

Proposal No. 8: To specify that the data included in the NCAA computer statistical database used for championships selection criteria be made available to each institution throughout the season.

Effective date: August 1, 2009

Result: Withdrawn

What it would have meant: Biddiscombe explained that two conferences had wanted to make the information public so that schools could understand why they were or were not chosen for an at-large Championship bid. However, one of the two conferences withdrew its support after the NCAA noted that the cost of making the information public would be prohibitive. The remaining conference continued its support, but the proposal was withdrawn before it could come up for a vote. Biddiscombe also noted that each conference has a regional representative with access to the NCAA’s database, allowing schools to access the information (but not allowing the general public to do so).

 

Proposal No. 9: To specify that each head coach shall be certified in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and automatic external defibrillator (AED) use.

Effective date: August 1, 2009

Result: Approved by roll-call vote (420-33-6).

What it means: The NCAA does not require institutions’ athletic trainers to be certified in CPR, making this an important measure to ensure student-athletes’ safety. Biddiscombe noted, however, that most states—including Connecticut—require schools’ trainers to be licensed; in order to be licensed, trainers must be certified in various emergency procedures, including CPR. Associate Director of Athletic Injury Care Ken Dompier, in conjunction with the Red Cross, has been instructing Wesleyan’s coaches in emergency procedures for over a decade, according to Biddiscombe.

Special note: A similar proposal was voted down on two previous occasions. The original proposal required someone certified in CPR and AED use to be present at every athletic venue during practice or competition. “There were loopholes, and we [the general membership] were concerned that these loopholes created liable situations,” Biddiscombe said. “A cross country runner out for a long-distance run—how could you have someone be with them the whole time? They just felt uncomfortable with that, and then this became a more watered-down version.”

 

Proposal No. 10: To establish a tryout exception that allows an institution’s athletics department staff members, or representatives of its athletics interests, to be involved in the conduct and administration of the use of a member institution’s facilities for physical activities by a group that includes prospective student-athletes, under specified conditions.

Effective date: Immediate.

Result: Approved by roll-call vote (452-4-2).

 

Proposal No. 11: To specify that the use of an institution’s facilities by a group that includes prospective student-athletes shall not be considered a tryout provided the physical activities are related to a sport that is not sponsored by the institution on the varsity intercollegiate level.

Effective date: Immediate.

Result: Approved.

What they mean: Although coaches are forbidden from bringing prospective athletes to campus for the purpose of evaluating their athletic abilities—or having it done on their behalf at any location—Proposal 10 “now allows a coach to…supervise a venue where prospective students might be,” Biddiscombe said. “This is really a rule that is allowing coaches who have responsibilities and have always had responsibilities in certain administrative areas to not be in violation of the rule. It’s really bringing the rule in sync with the practice, rather than making the practice in sync with the rule.” Proposal 11 is simply a corollary to Proposal 10.

 

Proposal No. 12: To specify that all sports with a nontraditional segment in the fall must complete all practice and competition by the first date of final examinations for the fall term at the institution.

Result: Referred to Management Council.

What it would have meant: Some sports’ nontraditional segments end on October 30th, but Biddiscombe noted that this proposal would have significantly shortened the nontraditional segment for some schools that use different calendar systems—for example, schools that have six weeks of one course followed by a final. “Let’s say your exams fell on October 10th, after that first six weeks,” he said. “You couldn’t continue on with the rest of the nontraditional segment.” The proposal was referred to the Management Council to help develop language that makes allowances for schools using these academic calendars.