The Division III Presidents Council approved a framework to review name, image and likeness activities.
The move follows a resolution adopted at the 2026 NCAA Convention charging the governance structure with monitoring and, if needed, recommending policy or legislative changes to address NIL in Division III.
The goals of the approved review were outlined in the Division III Management Council meeting earlier this month. Next, a dedicated working group will be established to conduct the review. The working group will include individuals with experience and expertise in NIL activities. The current Division III analysis also will inform the working group's efforts.
At its virtual meeting this week, the Presidents Council also covered several other topics.
Board of Governors
The council approved a recommendation from the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for a graduated student-athlete to replace Board of Governors member Greg Ricketts, a former football student-athlete whose two-year term on the board expires in August. The board will act during its Aug. 6 videoconference on the recommendation for the new graduate student-athlete member. The divisional graduated student-athlete positions ensure that student-athletes have a clearly defined voice and opportunity to serve at the highest level of the NCAA governance structure.
Division III analysis
The council received an update on the Division III analysis, which it endorsed in the fall and initiated at the 2026 Convention. The council established a 19-member working group that is representative of the division and charged it with analyzing tension points identified by the membership at the Convention to ensure Division III continues to operate efficiently and effectively to meet the evolving needs of student-athletes and member schools and conferences. At its meeting, the council received an update from the working group, reviewed initial stakeholder engagement feedback and supporting data regarding the identified core tensions, provided feedback and engaged with the consultants.
Membership survey
The council reviewed the results of the Association-wide spending prioritization survey completed by the membership in February to help the NCAA with planning. The survey provided input about how the membership prioritizes Association-wide programs and services. The council was then asked to identify services and programs it believed should continue at the current level of funding and those that should continue but with potential budget reductions.
Senior campus leadership
The council endorsed, in concept, an initiative to engage and educate senior campus leaders, such as presidents/chancellors and athletics direct reports, to strengthen their roles as Division III leaders and advocates. The initiative will provide open discussion opportunities to enhance understanding of the division; prepare campus leaders to make informed decisions related to collegiate athletics (e.g., Division III legislation, Association-wide topics such as sports wagering, congressional engagement); and include collaboration with athletics directors and conference commissioners to enhance and strengthen athletics departments, conferences and the division. The initiative is slated to begin in the fall.
