The authors reviewed the NCAA governance structure and process by which legislation is added to a NCAA agenda to vote. It included how legislation can be authored or sponsored by N4A

Bredahl, Jeffrey A.

Schubert, George W.

English

K-State Research Exchange

The Academic Athletic Journal Page 9 The NAAAA and the NCAA: Methods of Placing Legislation on the Agenda of NCAA Conventions By George W. Schubert, Ph.D. Dean and Faculty Athletic Representative and J etTrey A. Bredahl, B.B.A. Research Assi~tant and Law School Student University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND 58202 Introduction Throughout the United States various national and regional associations have been established to heighten the integrity of intercollegiate athletics. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with almost 1,000 member institutions, is one of the most influential of all amateur athletic organizations. The NCAA is constantly revising and adopting legislation at Annual and Spe-cial Conventions. The National Association of AcadernicAdvisors for Athletics (NAAAA), bas bestowed upon itself the obligation of representing a growing professional organization of athletic advisors. One very significant responsibility of the NAAAA is to establish methods by which its proposed legislation can be placed on the agenda of NCAA Conventions. Understanding how NCAA Committees, Commissions and member institutions submit proposals will assist the NAAAA in developing methods by which it can place NAAAA proposed legislations on the floor of NCAA conventions. Page 10 The Academic Athletic Journal, Fall 1987 NCAA Structure The main bodies of the NCAA are the: -Officers -Council -Division Steering Committees -Executive Committee, and the -Presidents Commission The officers consist of a president, secretary-treasurer and a vice presi-dent from each membership division (I, II, III). The president presides over the meetings of the Association, Executive Committee and Council. The secretary-treasurer is in charge of record-keeping and is responsible for aU funds of the Association. The division vice presidents preside at the meetings of their respec-tive division steering committee. The division steering committees act upon matters relating to their respective divisions. The establishment and direction of the general policy of the Association in the interim between conventions is the responsibility of the NCAA Council. The president and secretary-treasurer are ex officio members and are the chair and secretary, respectively. The other forty-four Council members include twenty-two from Division I, and eleven from each of the other two Divisions. The council serves as one body when acting on matters of overall Association policy and interdivision interest. The forty-four members of the Council repre-sent their respective division as members of subcommittees, called Division Steering Committees. The Division Steering Committees plan and conduct division business ses-sions at NCAA conventions. Also, they review legislative proposals that con-cern and affect their respective divisions. Each Division Steering Committee is chaired by its division vice president, who is one of the members of the Coun-cil from that division. The Executive Committee is entrusted to transact business and administer the affairs of the Association. There are fourteen members of the Executive Committee. The president and secretary-treasurer are ex officio members and are the chair and secretary, respectively. The division vice presidents are also members of the Executive Committee. The remaining nine members of the Ex-ecutive Committees include seven from Division I, one from Division II, and one from Division III. The Presidents Commission consists of forty-four members, including twenty-two representatives from Division I, eleven representatives from The Academic Athletic Journal Page 11 Division Il, and eleven representatives from Division ID. To be a member of the Pre idents Com.mis ion, an individual must currently be serving an NCAA member institution as the institution's Chief Executive Officer. The Presidents Commission is empowered to review any matter on the agenda for any meeting of the NCAA Council or for any NCAA conventions. Revision of NCAA Bylaws and Constitution The NCAA Bylaws and Constitution may be amended at any Annual or pecial Convention. Bylaws may be amended or adopted by a majority vote of the delegates. On the other hand, the Constitution can only be revised by a two-third majority vote of delegates. The delegates must be present to exercise their voting privileges. Bylaws 9, 10, 12, 13, and Divisional Championships are com-mon issues of the whole Association, therefore a two-third majority vote of delegates present and voting is required to alter them. A proposed revision to the NCAA Bylaws and Constitution must be submitted to the secretary of the Association by mail or wire transmission and received at the NCAA national office no later than November 1 (any amendment received after November 1 must be postmarked no later than October 25) preceding an Annual Conven-tion. The NCAA Council, by a two-third majority of its members present and voting, may establish a later date for the submission of proposed legislation for an Annual Convention when a Special Convention is held after November 1. Roll-Call Vote The Presidents Commission may designate, prior to the printing of the notice of any convention, specific proposals for which a roll-call vote of eligible voters will be mandatory. Voting by roll-call, on issues other than those so desig-nated by the Presidents Commission or secret ballot must be conducted only when so ordered by a majority of eligible voters present and voting, following an undebatable motion for a roll-call vote. Surrogate Author Method To achieve its obligation of representing a growing professional organiza-tion of athletic advisors, the NAAAA must establish methods of placing NAAAA proposed legislation on the floor of NCAA conventions. Following is a discussion of two methods by which the NAAAA may accomplish this task. The first method the NAAAA may utilize to place its proposed legisla-tion on the floor of NCAA conventions is the Surrogate Author Method. As discussed previously, the NCAA Council, a Division Steering Committee, or 1 the Presidents Commission may place legislation on the floor of NCAA con-Page 12 The Academic Athletic Journal, Fall 1987 ventions. The members of the Executive Committee, who are not a member of the NCAA Council or a Division Steering Committee, other member institu-tions, and non-member institutions may utilize the Surrogate Author Method to place legislation on the agenda at Annual or Special conventions. The first step for the NAAAA is to develop a professional relationship with members of the NCAA bodies. The second step is to develop a quality proposal which will be of interest to the NCAA. Third, the proposed NAAAA legislation must be introduced to an NCAA member, who is a member of one of the three NCAA bodies, which can place legislation on the floor of NCAA Conventions. The NCAA member, providing the proposal receives a favorable respons , will submit the NAAAA proposed legislation to its respective NCAA body. The NCAA member who submitted the NAAAA proposed legislation to the NCAA has been converted into the surrogate author of the proposal. As mentioned earlier, the proposed legislation must receive a majority vote from the NCAA body, to which the NAAAA proposal was submitted, in order to be placed on the floor of an Annual or Special Convention. Sponsoring Method Except for proposals sponsored by the NCAA Council, a Division Steer-ing Committee, or the Presidents Commission, each proposed legislation must be sponsored by a minimum of six active NCAA member institutions. The spon-sorship method may be the easiest way to place NAAAA proposed legislation on the floor of the NCAA conventions. To accomplish the sponsorship method, the NAAAA must identify a minimum of six active NCAA member institutions which will endorse the NAAAA legislation. If the sponsorship requirement is accomplished and appropriately forwarded to the NCAA, the proposed legis-lation will be placed directly on the floor of an NCAA Convention, with six spon-sors listed as the authors. Intradivision Proposals If a proposed amendment concerns only a specific division, that specific division votes upon that legislation. As mentioned previously, Bylaws 9, 10, 12 and 13 apply to all divisions of the Association; thus any amendment of them is to be considered by the entire Association. Only members of a division may sub-mit legislation that is applicable to that division. A bylaw provision adopted by any division is subject to review by the whole Association and may be rescinded by a two-third vote of delegates present and voting. The Academic Athletic Journal Page 13 Conclusion Placing NAAAA proposed legislation on the agenda of NCAA conven-tions is a significant responsibility of the NAAAA. There are numerous issues that concern the whole spectrum of college athletics. Strengthening academic requirements, reducing time away from the classroom, and increasing the graduation rate are a few of these common issues. By submitting proposed legis-lation to the NCAA Annual or Special conventions, the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics can make a substantial contribution to the improvement of intercollegiate athletics. Special note: Information pertaining to this manuscript was obtained from the NCAA Constitution: Article Five, Article Seven, Article Thirteen, and the NCAA Special Rules of Order. 

The NAAAA and the NCAA: Methods of Placing Legislation on the Agenda of NCAA Conventions

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The NAAAA and the NCAA: Methods of Placing Legislation on the Agenda of NCAA Conventions

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