INDIANAPOLIS--- The NCAA begins Friday the process of surveying its Division III members on the growth of the division – including asking for their opinions about subdividing the division or creating an entirely new division.
“The membership received a lot of important information and engaged in some very good discussions at the NCAA Convention in January about the future of Division III and the association as a whole. With this survey, we are looking to build on those discussions and continue to ask Division III members what they think is the best direction to move toward,” said Dan Dutcher, NCAA vice president for Division III. “Included in the survey are questions that ask for opinions regarding the implications of continued membership growth and the possible formation of a subdivision in Division III or a new division.
The survey is being mailed to Division III member institutions today. It will contain questions that reflect feedback regarding other options for proceeding raised by membership during Division III forums at the 2008 NCAA Convention in Nashville. The survey requests one institutional response from every member school.
Presidents or chancellors will receive the survey and are asked to consult with various constituencies in such areas as enrollment, admissions and financial aid.
Senior administrators to whom athletics reports, athletics directors, senior woman administrators, student-athlete advisory committee liaisons and faculty athletics representatives at every institution will receive a copy of the survey, and institutions are encouraged to provide copies to other appropriate individuals on campus.
Because responses to the survey will be due by Feb. 29, institutions are urged to begin scheduling meetings during the three-week period following mailing of the survey to permit appropriate constituencies to assist with the institutional response.
Division III, with approximately 440 active and provisional members, is the NCAA’s largest division. It is projected to grow to approximately 480 members by 2020. Issues related to this growth, such as diversity of institutional membership, closely contested votes on important legislative initiatives, and practical challenges including future access to championships, prompted the NCAA to form an Executive Committee Working Group on Membership Issues in 2007.
The Division III working group has recommended the creation of a fourth NCAA division as the best option.
“While the working group has identified what it sees as the preferred direction, nothing has been decided,” Dutcher said. “We want to give our Division III colleges and universities more opportunity to voice their opinions. The survey will allow us to learn the interests and preferences of the Division III membership regarding our membership growth and structure. The working groups will use the survey results to help identify recommendations for a future membership vote.
The membership vote could occur as early as the January 2009 Convention. Any structural changes would include a delayed effective date of at least two years, to allow time for member schools to decide future affiliation.
Findings from the survey will be shared publicly after the Division III working group reviews results at its March 26 meeting in Indianapolis.
The survey was constructed by the NCAA research staff, and its content was reviewed before distribution by various presidents, administrators and student-athletes who serve in the Division III governance structure. Also, a sampling of the presidents and administrators offered views about the working group's restructuring recommendation during discussion forums at the Convention.
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