The Division I Board of Directors on Thursday temporarily suspended additional referrals to the Independent Accountability Resolution Process. The board met as part of the 2022 NCAA Convention in Indianapolis.
The Independent Accountability Resolution Process comprises independent investigators, advocates and adjudicators who are responsible for reviewing select infractions cases in Division I. The IARP was created in response to recommendations issued by the Commission on College Basketball.
The board's action was recommended by both the Infractions Process Committee and the Independent Accountability Oversight Committee. The referrals are suspended until the Transformation Committee completes its work. That committee is charged with making recommendations to the board on how to address Division I's most significant challenges and more effectively support current and future student-athletes.
"A temporary suspension is appropriate at this time, especially considering the work of the Division I Transformation Committee, which will review the infractions program as part of its examination of Division I overall," said board chair Jere Morehead, president at Georgia. "The board has concerns about the extensive time it has taken to resolve the cases referred to the independent process, and adding additional cases will only extend that time. This action will allow the independent process to work toward resolutions for the existing cases under its purview."
Significantly more cases than expected have been referred to the independent process, far more than the one to two per year anticipated. To date, six cases have been accepted. The complexity, number and reinvestigation of cases impacted the timeline to reach resolutions.
The suspension will not impact the cases currently in the independent process. During the period of the suspension, all infractions cases will remain in the peer-review model that includes investigation by the enforcement staff and adjudication by the Division I Committee on Infractions.
The board also met in conjunction with the Transformation Committee to map out expectations for that group's work and hear about its progress to date.
