NCAA DIVISIONS II AND III ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Kurt Hunsaker Jennifer Smith

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DIVISION II ACADEMIC UPDATE

Path to Graduation The review focused on the following: The academic readiness of prospective student-athletes; The success of student-athletes once enrolled at a collegiate institution with a focus on graduation and not year-by-year eligibility checks; The opportunity for access to athletically related financial aid, practice and competition; and Administrative efficiency.

Path to Graduation Five proposals: Initial-eligibility proposal; Three proposals on progress-toward-degree requirements; and Two-year college transfer proposal.

Proposal No Adopted Freshman Academic Requirements Two sliding scales with different grade-point average requirements for qualifiers and partial qualifiers. Scales do not mirror the Division I sliding scales. Provides increased access for underrepresented groups. Effective date will apply to prospects initially enrolling at a Division II institution on or after August 1, 2018.

Qualifier: Above z=-1.25 sliding scale and 2.2 minimum GPA Partial Qualifier: Above z=-1.5 sliding scale and 2.0 minimum GPA Q NQ PQPQ

Proposal No Adopted No change to current good academic standing requirements. Increase term-by-term requirements from six hours to nine- semester/eight-quarter hours. 18-semester/27-quarter hour requirement developed to ensure that student-athletes are dedicating time to academics during the “regular academic year.” GPA requirement aligns with many institutions’ policies for good academic standing. Effective for all incoming and continuing student-athletes in fall 2016 and thereafter.

Progress Toward Degree No Adopted Completion of [including summer] Good Academic Standing [based on institutional policy (annually or term-by- term)] Term-by- Term [cannot use summer hours to meet term-by-term requirement] Regular Academic Year [Non-Summer Hours] Grade-Point Average Options [can be recertified midyear to regain eligibility] Year One Institutional Policy Nine-semester/eight- quarter hours 18-semester/ 27- quarter hours 2.00 Year Two Institutional Policy Nine-semester/eight- quarter hours 18-semester/ 27- quarter hours 2.00 Designation of Degree Year Three Institutional Policy Nine-semester/eight- quarter hours 18-semester/ 27- quarter hours 2.00 Year Four Institutional Policy Nine-semester/eight- quarter hours 18-semester/ 27- quarter hours 2.00 Year Five Institutional Policy Nine-semester/eight- quarter hours 18-semester/ 27- quarter hours 2.00

Proposal No Defeated Change requires student-athletes to earn 27-semester or 40- quarter hours each academic year only during in the first two years of enrollment. Entering year three, a student-athlete may satisfy the requirement by earning a cumulative total of 54-semester or 80-quarter hours. Proposal eliminates the use of the averaging method for certifications. Misapplication of the current legislation. Effective for all incoming and continuing student-athletes in fall 2016 and thereafter.

Progress Toward Degree No Defeated Completion of Credit Hours – End of Academic Year [including summer hours] Year One27-semester/40-quarter hours Year Two 27-semester/40-quarter hours OR 54-semester/ 80-quarter hours in Year 1 and 2 combined Designation of Degree Year Three24-semester/36-quarter hours Year Four24-semester/36-quarter hours Year Five24-semester/36-quarter hours

Proposal No Adopted Change requires student-athletes to earn 24-semester or 36- quarter hours each academic year. Entering year three, a student-athlete may satisfy the requirement by earning a cumulative total of 48-semester or 72-quarter hours. Proposal eliminates the use of the averaging method for certifications. Misapplication of the current legislation. Effective for all incoming and continuing student-athletes in fall 2016 and thereafter.

Progress Toward Degree No Adopted Completion of [including summer] Credit Hours – End of Academic Year [including summer hours] Year One24-semester/36-quarter hours Year Two 24-semester/36-quarter hours OR 48-semester/ 72-quarter hours in Years 1 and 2 combined Designation of Degree Year Three24-semester/36-quarter hours Year Four24-semester/36-quarter hours Year Five24-semester/36-quarter hours

Proposal No Adopted Two-Year College Transfers Three options for a two-year transfer to be immediately eligible at a Division II institution GPA required for all two-year transfers who do not earn an AA degree. A two-year transfer who graduates with an AA degree is not subject to additional core credit-hour requirements (e.g., English, math, natural/physical science). Limits the number of physical education activity course credit hours. Effective for two-year transfer initially enrolling at a Division II institution on or after August 1, 2016.

Qualifier with no four-year attendance and ONLY one full-time term at two-year college All other qualifiers, partial qualifiers and nonqualifiers ONLY one full-time semester/quarter Two full-time semesters/three full- time quarters 12 semester- or quarter-hours of transferable degree credit 12-semester or 12-quarter-hours of transferable degree credit per term of attendance: Six- semester/eight-quarter hours of transferable English; Three-semester/four-quarter hours of transferable math; and Three-semester/four-quarter hours of transferable science Graduate Cumulative GPA of 2.200Cumulative GPA of 2.200* Limit of two physical education activity credits for credit requirements and GPA *For a student-athlete who meets all the two-year transfer requirements EXCEPT the 2.20 GPA but has a minimum 2.00 GPA, the student-athlete is eligible for practice and financial aid.

DIVISION III UPDATE

Transfers General rule. Common conditions affecting transfer. Basic exceptions.  2-4 transfers.  transfers.  4-4 transfers.

Transfers General rule.  An SA who transfers to a member institution from any collegiate institution is required to complete an academic year in residence at the certifying institution before being eligible to compete for or to receive travel expenses. Bylaw

Transfers Academic Year in Residence.  Enrolled in and complete a minimum full-time program of studies for two full semesters or three full quarters; or  Enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies for two semesters or three quarters and pass a number of hours that is at least equal to the sum total of the minimum load of each required term. Bylaw

Transfers Common conditions affecting transfer:  Officially registered and enrolled full time and attended class during academic year.  Reported for regular squad practice (including practice or conditioning activities that occur prior to start of academic year).  Participated in practice/competition in a given sport even though enrolled part time. Bylaw

Transfers Basic 2-4 Transfer Exceptions:  Has not previously used a seasons of participation at a Division III institution and has never practiced or competed at a non-Division III institution.  Academically and athletically eligible at the time of transfer had the SA remained at the previous institution. o May have exhausted two-year college eligibility. Bylaw (a) and -(b)

Transfers Basic Transfer Exceptions:  Academically and athletically eligible at the time of transfer had the SA remained at the previous institution; OR  Successfully completed at least 24-semester/36-quarter hours of transferable-degree credit and spent at least two semesters/three quarters in attendance at the two-year college. Bylaw (c)

Transfers Basic 4-4 Transfer Exceptions:  Has never practiced or competed at a collegiate institution.  Academically and athletically eligible at the time of transfer had the SA remained at the previous institution. NCAA Proposal No Bylaws (a) and -(b)

Transfers Basic 4-4 Transfer Exceptions, continued:  Previous institution did not sponsor sport and, while at the institution, the student-athlete: o Successfully completed at least 24-semester/36- quarter hours of transferable-degree credit; and o Spent at least two-semesters/three quarters in attendance. Bylaw (c)

QUESTIONS?

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