Next week the 2019 NCAA Convention will get underway in Orlando bringing administrators from every level of NCAA competition together. Aside from networking and catching up, there is serious business to take care of at the NCAA Convention, most notably voting on new legislation. Athletic Directors will also hear new proposals that may be voted on at a later date. So what’s on the agenda at the 2019 NCAA Convention? Mental health, as it has been at the last several conventions will make up a majority of the conversation but there are other items as well. Below you can find a list of the key topics that will be on the agenda at the 2019 NCAA Convention.
Division I Autonomy Conferences
The five leagues that make up the autonomy conferences, the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC will examine ten proposals when representatives meet at the 2019 NCAA Convention. Among the items that will be discussed is a proposal by the Pac-12 that will mandate schools to provide student-athletes access to mental health services. Other proposals include allowing schools to provide omega-3 fatty acids to student-athletes, grant special parking access for unofficial visits, a pair of proposals dealing with comp tickets, and allowing teams to meet during the seven-day required break from athletically related activities after a season ends. You can see the entire list of proposals here.
Division I
The Division I Council will vote on five proposals at the 2019 NCAA Convention with 24 other proposals slated for a possible noncontroversial vote. One of the five proposals to be voted on would eliminate the requirement that hours earned to fulfill the credit-hour progress-toward-degree benchmark must be accepted for degree credit in the specific baccalaureate degree program while a second would impact the Final Four. If passed, the proposal would allow the NCAA to provide travel expenses for family members of student-athletes participating in the men’s or women’s basketball Final Four.
One of the 24 proposals slated for a possible noncontroversial vote is a proposal that would align the NCAA’s performance-enhancing drug list with the World Anti-Doping Agency except for glucocorticoids. Another proposal would revamp the baseball recruiting calendar, while another would allow for footballs to be used during a walk-through in the acclimatization period. In total, six proposals would make changes to current recruiting rules in a number of sports. See the entire list of proposals here.
Members will also vote on increasing the Board of Governors from 20 to 25 members.
Division II
Eight legislative proposals will be up for vote by Division II representatives at the 2019 NCAA Conference. One proposal would extend the spring football period, allowing schools to complete 15 practices in a 36 consecutive day window. A vote will also be held to decide if it will be required by schools to complete a health and safety survey each year that focuses on the organizational and administrative elements of athletics health care delivery. Members will also vote on a proposal which would add five independent voting members to the Board of Governors, increasing its size from 20 to 25. Read the entire proposal list here.
Division III
Six Division III proposals will be up for vote at the 2019 NCAA Conference. Members will join their Division I and Division II counterparts by voting on the proposal that would increase the voting members of the Board of Governors from 20 to 25 members. Additionally, other action items up for a vote would permit prospective student-athletes to receive educational expenses before college from any individual or entity other than an agent, professional sports team or representative of an institution’s athletics interests. Another item which members will vote on would allow athletics department staff to connect with prospective student-athletes via social media and allow athletics department staff to take actions that indicate approval regarding content prospective student-athletes produce on social media platforms. Read all Division III proposals here.