The National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I Management Council approved proposals Tuesday for an extended football season and more scholarship opportunities for female athletes.
The possibility of adding one game to the Division I-A and I-AA football schedule was contested only by the Atlantic Coast Conference, the conference to which the University belongs.
"People in other conferences wanted to do it because it offers the prospect of higher revenue," said Jack Evans, faculty athletic representative at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and ACC representative to the Management Council. "In our discussion of it, we felt the season was long enough and we didn't need to add a 12th game."
The added game would not lengthen the season in dates but would allow for an institution to add a game in place of a bye week, according to an NCAA press release.
"A lot of concerns in our conference had to do with academics," said Ronald A. Wellman, athletics director at Wake Forest University and ACC representative to the Management Council in a statement to The Chronicle of Higher Education. "Plus the season is long enough at 11 games, and we actually enjoy having a bye week."
While the Management Council approved the proposal, it still must be passed by the Division I Board of Directors. The Board is made up of the presidents of the institutions involved, including University President John T. Casteen, III.
The Board usually supports proposals approved by the Council, Evans said.
However, because of the divergent perspectives of the board, Evans said, "This might be an example where the Board of Directors might conceivably take a different direction."
The proposal to increase the number of available scholarships for women in gymnastics, track and field, soccer and volleyball were passed with varying support within the conference, Evans said.
The legislation was what Evans called "permissive or enabling," meaning that institutions will now be allowed to offer more scholarships as they are financially able if it is passed by the Board.
The Board will make its final decision at its April 28 meeting. The possible addition to the football season is not proposed to begin until Aug. 1, 2006, according to the NCAA press release.
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