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MEMORANDUM
To: David Berst, NCAA Vice President for Division I
From: Amy Perko, Executive Director, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
Subject: Knight Commission recommendations on NCAA governance and related issues
Date: October 15, 2013
On August 6, 2013, the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics sent a memorandum to the NCAA Division I Board of Directors and NCAA President Mark Emmert sharing its recommendations on NCAA governance and related issues. This memorandum is attached and through this transmission, is formally submitted through the NCAA governance redesign process subsequently initiated by the NCAA to receive such ideas.
As the memorandum notes, the recommendations resulted from the Commission’s 18-month review of the Division I structure and governance issues. The review included in-depth interviews conducted by a higher education research firm with nearly 50 higher education and college sports leaders. The interview discussion guide was developed during January and February 2013, following in-person meetings about the topics in 2012. Four critical areas were explored in the interviews:
- Purposes and Goals of Intercollegiate Athletics
- Finances
- Intercollegiate Sports Governance
- Football-Related Governance, Resources and Alternative Models
The Commission’s study explored the viability and potential support for structures different than those that are currently in place today.
The study conclusions and the Commission’s recommendations address the overarching question asked in the redesign materials: “What Should the Overall Divisional Membership Structure Look Like?” The resulting recommendations, along with prior Knight Commission reports, are intended to ensure that the mission and values of higher education are reflected in our sports programs.
Thank you for inviting the Knight Commission to contribute these recommendations to the discussion.