During its two -day virtual meeting this week, the Division III Management Council took measures to support, in the concept, unacittled legislation derecting betting on professional sports.
In addition, the Council has ordered the staff to develop concepts for the appropriate committees of division III concerning a security port, limited immunity or reduced sanctions for student-athletes who engage in prohibited sports bets but require help for the problematic game.
“Explore the concept of a safety port or limited immunity for students-athletes involved in the reaffirms of sports betting that the reduction of misdeeds and education will continue to be paramount. We seek to deregulate bets on professional sports because we think it will be more likely that students and staff will seek help for the problematic game” Verdugo, president of the council and the director of athletics of Wiscons Claire.
Eligibility pilot exemption program
In another action, the Council recommended that the Presidents’ Council a Pilot Delivery Program would allow students-athletes from Division III, in accordance with specific criteria, to continue to represent their school in intercollegial competition while being registered in another school which has an official academic agreement with its school and does not sponsor university athletics.
This pilot program will offer widening paths to student-athletes to pursue their academic objectives and complete their opportunity for participation.
The Presidents Council will examine the recommendation and take final measures at its meeting later this month. If the program is approved, schools could submit requests for derogation for the 2025-26 academic year.
The coaches connect the program
The management board has approved a request for an establishment of a connection program on coaches. The program aims to improve the communication, commitment and education of Division III coaches in governance and the championships. The program’s mission is to prepare coaches to make informed decisions and collaborate with the administrators of athletics and their conference office.
The program would have a representative of the head coaches of each conference that sponsors the sport, the Director of the Championships of Division III of the NCAA, the members of the Sports and Rules Committee, a representative of the Championship Committee, a member of the academic staff and the affairs of Division III and a representative of the Association of Coaches.
The program will be implemented for three sports in 2025-2026. Four videoconferences will take place between September and June to discuss relevant questions for this sport.
Legislative actions
The management board has examined several legislative recommendations. He approved the recommendation of the Interpretation and Legislation Committee for unusual legislation that aligns the major participation of junior ice hockey with other pre-child participations.
In addition, the Council approved a request from the female athletics committee to sponsor the legislation for the NCAA 2026 Convention to add female flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program.
The management board also agreed that changes in regulation 16 are appropriate to improve the experience of student-athletes, increase flexibility and reduce an administrative burden in the colleges and universities of Division III. Consequently, the Council sponsored a proposal for an agreement in 2026 which would allow schools to provide expenses for practice sessions at any place, provided that the student-athlete is eligible and that no class is missed.
The council also approved, in the concept, the following unusual proposals:
- To clarify that students-athletes can receive expenses to attend a recognition banquet and receive a prize for this banquet.
- To allow a school to provide meals to students athletes who are not on a meal plan in the same way as those of a meal plan when meals are missed for training activities or during a vacation period.
- To allow a student-athlete or the team to receive an occasional meal, anywhere, of a member of the institutional staff, a parent of a student-athlete or a booster.
- Allow schools to emit non -athletic clothes, in accordance with institutional policy.
- To allow students-athletes to keep their clothing and athletics equipment, in accordance with institutional policy.
- Consolidate the statutes concerning academic services, career and other support services and specify that institutional policy is the standard for determining the permissibility of such programming.
- Disguise legislation on financial donations from external organizations and allow schools and conferences to pursue partnerships and sponsorships with professional sports organizations.
The Council will plan to adopt these non -controversial proposals in the final format at its July meeting.
Federated game rules
The Management Council has approved a process of implementing the legislation adopted by the members of the 2025 Convention which provides the Council with the power to exempt division III from a newly adopted play rule.