In a recent article: Fresno Pacific, GSAC consider jump to NCAA which appeared in the July 23, 2009 of The Fresno Bee by Jeff Davis the following paragraph appeared:

I contacted both the NCAA and NAIA offices to get a statement on these meetings, both declined to answer at this time.

I was hoping that either side would give me more information on why they were meeting. I have been told by many people (all off the record) that that one of the issues being discussed is some form of merger. This is where many differ on what that means, a new NCAA Division for NAIA members, a new fourth division that would allow for some present NCAA D3 members to join along with NAIA schools or the NCAA absorbing NAIA members who want to make the move. The problem could be for some current NAIA members who would have no chance of being a part of the NCAA, because of a qualifying number of sports in there programs and the added expense .

I do know that many NAIA schools are concerned about the future of the NAIA. Numerous schools are putting together committees on campus to look at the options for their athletic programs. Some schools have hired consultants to help in this process. The landscape of this problem intensified when Fresno Pacific and other Golden State Athletic Conference schools announced recently that they were looking at NCAA D2 as a future home. This in the fact that Merrill Ewert, Fresno Pacific’s President is a member of the NAIA group NAIA-NCAA Working Group that will be presenting information on working efforts between the NAIA and NCAA in September. One person recently told me they would decide what to do, “when they find out what happens with the merger.”

These are issues that you as a school need to have the details on as you decide your future. The impact of all of this can cause headaches for you as an athletic department years down the road. I feel sorry for those schools who have already decided and made commitments to change. Havoc is already going on with conferences, this will not stop now. You can see the implications based on what happens or does not happen. Should a merger happen the reshaping of conferences will most likely continue in areas where NAIA and NCAA D3 and D2 schools are located in the same area. There is a lot riding on the final actions taken by both groups.

My suggestion: if you are not exploring options for the future consider doing that now as a school and as a conference. You will learn more about where your program is at and it is a great self-inspection of what you are doing now. You need to do your homework, keep updated on what is going on at both the NAIA and the NCAA. Talk with other schools outside your conference where you have connections, you might learn a lot about what is happening. Communication is a key in all of this.

Two things to keep an eye on from the NAIA. The hiring of a independent third-party administrator for a new NAIA Eligibility Center. The NAIA web site presently has an ad on the NAIA web site - http://naia.cstv.com/member-services/careers/index.htm . Many schools who had made announcements on a move to NCAA D2 mentioned that issue as a reason to move to the NCAA who has what many see as a solid eligibility program.

The other item will be the NAIA Presidents Congress to be held in Kansas City September 26 to 28. More information on the NAIA web site, including past information on talks with the NCAA - http://naia.cstv.com/member-services/NAIAPresidentialPerspective.htm .