President Issues Statement Regarding NCAA Proposal for Reforms in Division III

In a statement issued on August 13, 2003, President Shirley Ann Jackson has vowed that "Rensselaer will engage in a vigorous and sustained effort to defeat the NCAA President's Council's proposal" to eliminate the awarding of athletics aid by Division III member institutions in sports classified in Division I.

"If approved this proposal could place Rensselaer's well-respected hockey tradition in jeopardy and hamper the ability of ice hockey players to receive the benefits of a Rensselaer education."

The NCAA President’s Council recommended the proposal apparently in the belief that “reforms” are needed in Division III athletics to address the ongoing relationship between athletics and education. The current Division III members with multidivisional classification that give athletics aid are:

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — men's ice hockey
Johns Hopkins University — men's and women's lacrosse
St. Lawrence University — men's and women's ice hockey
Clarkson University — men's and women's ice hockey
Hartwick College — women's water polo
SUNY Oneonta — men's soccer
Colorado College — men's ice hockey and women's soccer
Rutgers-Newark — men's volleyball

To read more about this issue:

The NCAA press release announcing the Presidents Council endorsement of the reform package:
The statement from NCAA President Myles Brand regarding the reform proposals: