Representatives from campuses and conferences in all three divisions approved a new constitution for the Association on Thursday at the NCAA Convention in Indianapolis.
More than 1,000 NCAA members participated in the vote, with 801 voting in favor of the new constitution that, among other changes, provides significant authority to the three divisions to reorganize and restructure. It marks the first major constitution revision since 1997, when each division was provided a high level of autonomy. Thursday's action was only the fourth Association-wide vote since that time.
The new constitution was developed by the Constitution Committee in coordination with feedback from NCAA members in several stages since the summer of 2021, including at November's Special Convention and through surveys and meetings over the past several months.
"This is an important day in college athletics as we continue to evolve to better meet the needs of our student-athletes," NCAA President Mark Emmert said. "I applaud the work of the Constitution Committee and the entire membership for setting a sustainable course for college sports for decades to come."
The new constitution, effective Aug. 1, ensures student-athlete voting representation on each division's presidential body (Division I Board of Directors, Division II Presidents Council and Division III Presidents Council) and the NCAA Board of Governors.
The Board of Governors will reduce its number of members from 21 to nine: six members from the three divisions (four from Division I and one each from Divisions II and III), two independent members and one graduated student-athlete. Another student-athlete will serve as a nonvoting member on the board.
The constitution also includes some existing priorities and principles for the first time. It prohibits pay-for-play but embraces providing additional educational and other benefits, including those for name, image and likeness. It maintains existing revenue allocations and championship opportunities for each division, and each division will have oversight of its own budget, expenditures and financial distribution to its members. The constitution also underscores the importance of both physical and mental health and emphasizes diversity, inclusion and gender equity.
Each division also took the action required to allow it to review division-specific legislation in the constitution and adopt legislation no later than Aug. 1. They also relocated that legislation to appropriate bylaws in each division's manual.
In the coming months, each division will adopt additional changes to support its own governance model. Each division has already begun this work through the Division I Transformation Committee, Division II Implementation Committee and Division III Constitution Advisory Council.
"The ratification of the constitution is a critical step in our work to better serve our student-athletes and affirm the priorities and principles that guide our work," said Board of Governors chair and Georgetown President John DeGioia. "The new constitution modernizes our governance process and enables all three divisions to adopt additional changes that their member schools and conferences prioritize."