FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2003

INDIANAPOLIS — In its August 8, 2003 meeting, the NCAA Executive Committee passed recommendations submitted by the Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues on the use of American Indian mascots, nicknames, and logos by NCAA member institutions.

At its April meeting, the Executive Committee referred input received from the divisional governance structures and NCAA institutions that currently use American Indian mascots, nicknames and logos to its Subcommittee. The Executive Committee requested an Association-wide recommendation for action on the issue at its August meeting. The Executive Committee reviewed and took action on the recommendations in three separate areas: institutions, conferences and associations.

First, the Executive Committee approved a recommendation to request member institutions that use American Indian mascots, nicknames, or logos to complete a self-analysis to determine if the depiction of the mascot, nickname, or logo can be viewed as offensive.

Second, the Executive Committee approved a recommendation to request NCAA conferences with institutions that use mascots, nicknames, or logos depicting American Indians or symbols to review policies regarding contests on campuses in their conference, and also to review conference policies for awarding championships to institutions and venues that use American Indian mascots, nicknames, and logos.

The last action focused on the Association's requirements moving forward. The Executive Committee endorsed the recommendation to develop a self-analysis checklist for use by affected member institutions; continue to monitor the use of mascots, nicknames, logos, and behaviors including periodic monitoring of the self-analysis checklists pertaining to this issue; establish criteria for NCAA championship sites and venues that include the review of the visibility of American Indian mascots, logos and symbols; and establish criteria that ensure institutions participating in NCAA championships adhere to the Association's principles of student-athlete welfare, cultural and gender diversity, sportsmanship, and nondiscrimination.

The Committee declined to approve a recommendation that would have required the elimination of all references to American Indian mascot names, nicknames, and logos in NCAA publications and announcements. The Executive Committee agreed that action would not properly take into account the results of the institutional self-analysis.

The Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee (MOIC), with assistance from the NCAA championships staff, will develop the self-analysis materials for review and action by the Executive Committee in August 2004. Once approved, the materials will be distributed to affected institutions in September 2004. Those institutions would have until August 1, 2005, to complete the self-analysis for review by the Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues.

In action related to the Confederate battle flag, the Executive Committee agreed with the Subcommittee's recommendation to support the previous policy of honoring contractual events in Georgia, and to contract future events in that state; to retain the moratorium in the state of South Carolina; discussions with member institutions, conferences and organizations where the Confederate battle flag is prominently displayed to determine if moratoriums are warranted; the retention of not awarding contracts for NCAA sponsored championships in the state of Mississippi; and a continued review of NCAA legislation and policies for all NCAA certified events.

The Executive Committee also approved the Association's 2003-04 budget. Operating revenues will increase by more than $30 million, while expenses will increase by slightly more than $24 million over the previous budget year. As part of the upcoming 2003-04 budget, the Association has increased the allocation of dollars for student-athlete welfare, while decreasing its expected expenses in administration.

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