A List
10/30/03

SLU OPPOSES PLAN TO DISCONTINUE GRANTS-IN-AID FOR ATHLETES

CANTON – A proposal that would prevent St. Lawrence University and seven other 
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III institutions from 
offering grants-in-aid to athletes competing in their Division I sports, 
beginning in 2008, will now be considered by the full Division III membership 
in January. The NCAA Division III Presidents Council today denied a request 
made by the affected colleges to withdraw Proposal 2-69, opting instead to 
have the matter decided by the full membership. 
      St. Lawrence has, since 1997, offered grants-in-aid to some students 
in its Division I men's and women's hockey programs. 
      President Daniel F. Sullivan stated, "I am disappointed that the NCAA 
Division III Presidents Council did not agree to withdraw the proposal. We 
had very much hoped to remove a potentially divisive issue from the agenda 
of January's NCAA Convention. That, we believe, would have opened the way 
for focused discussion on the remainder of the proposed Division III reform 
package, the principles of which our institutions support."
      Sullivan added, "We very much want to remain members of Division III. 
But we believe it is important for the Division III membership to continue 
its long-standing recognition of the very special circumstances affecting 
one or two traditionally national-class sports programs at our schools, 
including the men's and women's hockey programs at St. Lawrence. I remain 
united with my colleagues at Johns Hopkins University,  Colorado College, 
Clarkson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Hartwick College, 
Rutgers University and SUNY Oneonta in the firm belief that enactment of 
Proposal 2-69 would do considerable harm to our schools. Worse, it would 
do so without measurably advancing the cause of Division III."
      The presidents, chancellors and athletics directors of the eight 
institutions plan to continue raising awareness on the issue among the 424 
schools in Division III until the convention in January of next year. 

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A list of "frequently asked questions" about Proposal 2-69, with answers, 
is available on the Johns Hopkins University Web site

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