Amend Article IX, Section C as follows:

1. Awards/Hall of Fame Committee

This committee annually reviews the Association’s recognition and awards programs and recommends revisions, additions or deletions, where appropriate, to the National Administrative Council. The Hall of Fame Program, recognition programs, special awards, awards of merit, trophies, bowls, banners and plaques to championship teams and individuals, All America and Scholar-Athlete certificates, all-tournament team awards, and other awards authorized by the Association, are under the review and jurisdiction of this committee. This committee comprises five members from the NAIA Athletics Directors Association, two members from the NAIA Faculty Athletics Representatives Association, three members from the coaches associations, and a member of the NAIA Sports Information Directors Association, and two at-large positions will be designated for females and/or minorities. The chair is elected by this group. The National Administrative Council shall make the appointments to this committee. The term of appointment shall not exceed three years and is renewable.

2. National Conduct and Ethics Committee

This committee shall be charged with reviewing and acting upon cases:

a. Involving inappropriate conduct of a physical or verbal nature by players, coaches or fans;

b. Involving violations of the NAIA Code of Ethics;

c. Involving violations of the Institutional Financial Aid Policy (See Council of Presidents Policy);

d. Involving violations of the campus visitation/tryout, financial assistance, recruitment, scheduling and/or frequency of play regulations;

e. In which a student or institutional representative provides false or inaccurate information to the NAIA or to a member institution; and/or

f. Involving violations of the Declaration of Intent to participate in postseason-play regulations.

The committee comprises three members from the NAIA Athletics Directors Association, and two members from the NAIA Faculty Athletics Representatives Association and two at-large positions will be designated for females and/or minorities. Each association shall select its own members with the committee chaired by a member of the NAIA Athletics Directors Association. This committee shall report to the National Administrative Council. This committee is authorized to impose penalties on institutions’ athletics programs, coaches and/or students as authorized in Article VI, Section C of the NAIA Bylaws.

. . .

5. Competitive Experience Committee

This committee is appointed by and reports to the Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives. A member of the Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives shall be appointed by the Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives to serve as chair. The committee shall consist of seven nine members (including the chair), and shall include, at a minimum, three active institutional faculty athletics representatives or conference eligibility chairs, three directors of athletics currently employed at an NAIA member institution, and a conference commissioner currently employed by an affiliated NAIA conference, and two at-large positions will be designated for females and/or minorities.

The committee’s duties include:

a. Oversight of operations of the NAIA National Eligibility Center. The committee shall prepare reports related to the operation of the Eligibility Center for review periodically by the Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives and Council of Presidents;

b. Development of policies (for review by the Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives) related to administration of the NAIA National Eligibility Center, including definitions and determination of elite-level competition; and

c. Review of appeals submitted by member institutions related to eligibility determinations for individual student-athletes rendered by the NAIA National Eligibility Center.

. . .

7. National Eligibility Committee

a. The National Eligibility Committee is appointed by the Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives to serve as the official body to administer all eligibility matters.

An officer of the Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives is named each year to serve as coordinator for this committee and to work closely with the committee in the administration of the program. The National Eligibility Committee is composed of three to five members, from widely spread geographic areas, normally selected from faculty athletics representatives whose normal function in their institution or conference makes them knowledgeable and skillful in this area. Selection of the committee will take gender and minority representation into consideration to maintain a balance on the committee.

b. The National Eligibility Committee’s duties are as follows:

1)   Operates under policies developed by the Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives and works with the NAIA President/Chief Executive Officer in the disposition of all eligibility cases, problems or interpretations;

2)   Acts as the interpreting body of the Constitution and Bylaws for the Association;

3)   Is authorized to impose penalties on an institution’s athletics program and/or charge an institution with the responsibility of imposing sanctions on students as authorized by Article VI, Section C of the NAIA Bylaws;

4)   Initiates such changes in NAIA standards or policies as it feels are in the best interest of the organization and makes recommendations for consideration by the annual meeting body and membership; and

5)   Works with the faculty athletics representatives and athletics directors of member institutions in developing a national program of rules and standards.

8. Committee on Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion

This committee will consist of nine members: one representative of the Council of Presidents, one representative of the Faculty Athletics Representatives Association, two representatives of the Association of Student-Athletes (one male and one female), two current NAIA head coaches (one male and one female), and three at-large members. The three at-large members are to be appointed by the Council of Presidents, and three at-large positions to be designated for females and/or minorities.

The Committee on Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion reports to the Council of Presidents. The purpose of this committee is to raise the level of commitment and awareness about issues related to leadership, diversity, and inclusion in the governance of all phases of the NAIA.

. . .

11. Champions of Character Advisory Committee

The functions of this committee are as follows:

a. Use the guiding principles of the NAIA strategic plan in concert with the developed strategies and performance objectives in order to create a course of action and integrate throughout the NAIA membership.

b. To be responsible for an annual review of conduct in competition, Scorecard implementation, online education, convention programming, development of resources, character research, and annual award.

c. Oversee the Campus Character Liaison responsibilities.

d. Specific national Champions of Character awards selection. (i.e. Dr. LeRoy Walker, Coach of Character, All That’s Right in Sports).

e. Provide annual review and recommendations of rules and programming to the Council for Student-Athletes.

The committee shall consist of nine11 members: one representative from the Council of Presidents, one representative member from the from the Conference Commissioners Association (CCA), one representative member from the Athletic Directors Association (ADA), two Campus Character Liaisons (CCL), one men’s sport head coach, one women’s sport head coach, two members (one male and one female) from the Association of Student-Athletes (ASA), and two at-large positions to be designated for females and/or minorities. Each body shall select its own members, with the committee chaired by a member of the NAIA National Administrative Council. Selection of the committee will take geographic location and gender into consideration to maintain a balance on the committee. Additional professionals may be asked to assist the committee and must be qualified by experience and or title. This committee shall report to the Council for Student-Athletes and work in consultation with the Council of Presidents and other key stakeholders.

12. National Drug Testing and Education Committee

The functions of this committee are as follows:

a. To be responsible for an annual review of the drug testing policy;

b. Provide annual recommendations to the National Administrative council on championships at which testing will occur and methods for selecting student-athletes to be tested;

c. Review and rule upon exception requests and appeals related to positive drug tests; and

d. Review NAIA drug education program and provide recommendations to the Council for Student-Athletes.

The committee shall consist of eight10 members: one member from the Council of Presidents, one member from the Athletics Directors Association, two members from the Athletic Trainers Association, one member from the Faculty Athletics Representatives Association, one member of the Conference Commissioners Association, and two members from the National Administrative Council, and two at-large positions to be designated for females and/or minorities. Each body shall select its own members with the committee chaired by a member of the NAIA National Administrative Council. Additional professionals may be asked to assist the committee and must be qualified by experience and or title. This committee shall report to the National Administrative Council and work in consultation with the Council for Student-Athletes and other key stakeholders.

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Intent: To increase diverse representation on NAIA standing committees by adding members to the Awards/Hall of Fame Committee, National Conduct and Ethics Committee, Competitive Experience Committee, Committee on Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion, Champions of Character Advisory Committee and National Drug Testing and Education Committee to ensure multiple positions are reserved for female and/or minority representatives.

Effective date: August 1, 2021

Submitted by: Heart of America Athletic Conference

Co-Sponsored by: Golden State Athletic Conference, Association of Independent Institutions, Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, Cascade Collegiate Conference