The Transformation Committee agreed today on a set of recommendations it will forward to the Division I Board of Directors for review and approval. The recommendations represent an important and appropriate first step toward transforming Division I athletics and better supporting the sustainability of college sports.
Among the recommendations are adjustments to transfer rules and updates to the Division I infractions process to promote time-efficient outcomes, focuses the time and resources of all involved on a modernized set of shared principles and rules, and holds accountable those who are directly involved in the rule-breaking while minimizing impact on student-athletes who were not involved.
Transfer recommendations, intended to stabilize the transfer environment, would require additional accountability for schools that receive transfer student-athletes and provide student-athletes with a window of time to enter the Transfer Portal each year in order to be eligible to compete in the following year. Some of the changes to the infractions process would include incentivizing cooperation of all parties, additional investigative tools and more flexibility within confidentiality rules.
Now, the committee will focus on student-athlete benefits and minimum expectations for all Division I members. The Transformation Committee is co-chaired by Greg Sankey, Southeastern Conference commissioner, and Julie Cromer, athletics director at Ohio University.
"College sports continues to face many challenges, and we need to move quickly to update our rules and make infractions more efficient so we can focus our attention on Division I membership expectations and, most importantly, benefits for student-athletes," said board chair Jere Morehead, president at the University of Georgia.
The board will review these recommendations at its June 30 meeting. If it supports them, it will send them to the Division I Council for feedback during that group's July 20 meeting. The board's vote to approve the recommendations would occur at its Aug. 3 meeting.
"Today's recommendations reflect the work of many people within the Division I membership, including those who have provided feedback and the members of the Transformation Committee," Cromer said. "Everyone helped in creating and refining these concepts to make them ready for board and Council approval in the next month."
