Dec. 16, 2003
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Johns Hopkins University and seven other schools that currently compete as multi-divisional schools recently received a pledge of support from the National Faculty Athletic Representatives Association (FARA) and the National Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in the battle to defeat the NCAA's proposal (65) that would eliminate the waiver that has allowed the eight schools to offer athletics related aid to student athletes who play Division I sports at their institutions. Both organizations recently held national meetings and voted to support Proposal 65-1, the amendment offered by the eight schools that would be affected by the NCAA proposal.
At the national FARA meeting in New Orleans, a unanimous vote to oppose Proposal 65 was taken with a similar unanimous vote taken in support of Proposal 65-1, which would allow the eight schools affected to maintain the "grandfather" clause that has covered them since 1983.
"We think it would be grossly unfair if the membership did not grandfather what amounts to a handful of schools," noted Ed Streb, FARA President and the Faculty Athletic Representative at Rowan (NJ) University. "We don't see how anyone really benefits from the proposal (65), but we certainly understand the damage it could do to some fine programs."
The national SAAC also pledged its support of Proposal 65-1 after its recent national meeting. Although smaller in numbers than the national FARA, the national SAAC voted overwhelmingly to support the position of the schools that would be affected by the elimination of the waiver. The group felt strongly that the vote at the NCAA Convention in January will be in favor of the amended proposal (65-1). While it was noted that the national SAAC would not likely speak on behalf of the eight schools at the convention, it maintained the option of doing so if it felt that such support would be needed.
"When the national Student Athlete Advisory Committee reviewed Proposals 65 and 65-1, we felt there were several overwhelming reasons to support the eight schools that would be affected," Jaime Fluker, the Chairperson of the National Student Athlete Advisory Committee and a recent graduate of Carthage College, noted. "We don't feel that any of these schools gain a competitive advantage in the Division III sports they sponsor and there was no proof of a recruiting advantage gained by sponsoring a Division I sport that receives scholarship support. Perhaps most importantly we felt that Proposal 65 would have a negative impact on the athletic programs at these schools and we felt strongly that we did not want to take away from the history and tradition that these programs enjoy."
The 2004 NCAA Convention will be held from January 9-12 in Nashville, Tennessee. The eight schools that would be affected (Colorado College, RPI, St. Lawrence, Johns Hopkins, Clarkson, Oneonta, Hartwick and Rutgers-Newark) have undertaken an exhaustive approach to defeating Proposal 65. Administrators from the eight schools have been in contact with representatives of nearly all 424 Division III member institutions to educate them on the history of the waiver and how their school would be adversely affected if Proposal 65 were adopted.
More information on Proposal 65 and the alternative Proposal 65-1 is available at:
http://www.jhu.edu/news/univ03/dec03/pdf/ncaaproposal65.pdf
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