Members of the NCAA D-I Council took the stage on Day Two of the Learfield Intercollegiate Athletic Forum to discuss what they have focused on since the rule-making body’s restructure back in January ’15. Miami AD and Council Chair Blake James noted the council is now being made up of 39 members, including 22 ADs, four Senior Women Administrators and six conference commissioners. The council has seven current committees at work including oversights for football and men’s and women’s basketball, strategic vision and planning, competition oversight, legislation and a student-athlete experience committee, with each of those committees having a student representation as well. James admitted one of the difficult things for the council is that there are always changing issues for his team to examine. James said the council moves forward as best it can while keeping in mind what is best for student-athletes. One of the NCAA’s most influential bodies, for the past two years the council has largely focused on looking at the enforcement of infractions across all programs, looking at football recruiting reforms and issuing a three-year moratorium on adding new bowl games to the college football schedule.
TIME TO RE-EVALUATE: The issue of transfers has been of particular interest for the council in the past few months, especially considering the recent football coaching carousel and how it effects players left behind. NCAA VP/D-I Governance Kevin Lennon stressed that “no one is talking about free agency,” as there “will always be an anchored academic component” in transfer rules. However, Lennon was open-minded toward the council examining lightened transfer rules, especially those that enable a student-athlete to stay on a graduation-track within 4-5 years of total schooling. Meanwhile, Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander said the council is still looking for football coaches for the oversight committee, but it has been a fluid and engaging process to find potential additions. As for topics likely to emerge in council meetings next year, the panel cited concussions, student-athlete time demands, financial aid and early recruiting.
