The Division III Strategic Planning and Finance Committee has allocated funds for several significant initiatives, including enhancements for championships and a range of other Division III programs. The group convened this week in Indianapolis.
The championships enhancements were recommended in February by the Division III Championships Committee. Taken together, they would carry a roughly $825,000 cost for the 2019-20 academic year and a roughly $670,000 cost in 2020-21.
The Division III Management Council will decide whether to approve and implement those recommendations at its meeting this spring. Final budget approval rests with the division's Presidents Council.
The potential championships enhancements include:
- Allocating funds to account for changes to sport committee rosters driven by the Championships Committee's regional realignment recommendation. Division III's regions have not been significantly altered since the 2007-08 academic year, and the Championships Committee has endorsed a realignment proposal from the Division III Commissioners Association.
- Expanding championships fields and brackets in seven sports.
- Increasing officiating fees by 5 percent over a two-year period.
- A two-year pilot to guarantee that conference opponents do not meet in the first round of Division III championship competition.
- A handful of sport-by-sport requests, including an increase in the stipend for the national coordinator of officials in men's and women's basketball, football and baseball.
Other funding proposals
The Strategic Planning and Finance Committee allocated funds for the following nonchampionships initiatives, among others, beginning in 2019-20:
- A 5 percent budget increase for strategic initiative conference grants.
- Funding for the increase from 20 to 23 internships for the Division III Ethnic Minorities and Women's Internship Grants.
- Additional funding for Division III University, including approximately 10 new compliance modules and added access for faculty athletics representatives, athletic trainers and compliance officers.
- An annual workshop for the 360 Proof alcohol abuse prevention program, at which 40 individuals — half from athletics and half from student affairs — would receive training that helps them more effectively implement the program on their campuses.