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BAY CITY, Mich. — The NCAA Division II Membership Fund Selection Committee approved a grant of $9,200 to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) to develop a new strategic plan.  In total, the committee issued eleven Division II conferences and institutions with grants from the Division II Membership Fund.

The NCAA Division II Membership Fund was an outcome of the 2007 NCAA Division II Chancellors and Presidents Summit, during which the presidents determined the need for resources to retain current active institutions and help attract new schools or conferences to the division.

Requests for dollars from the Membership Fund include statements of rationale that demonstrate a commitment to benefit Division II. Priority is given to requests that have a greater impact on the division as a whole. Requests must support at least one of the following categories: new member development, current member stabilization and member loss prevention.

The grant allocated to the GLIAC was to update the strategic plan to increase stability and cohesiveness. Other proposals that were granted by the committee included: East Coast Conference for the development of an ECC identity Plan; Great Northwest Athletic Conference to establish non-conference tournament opportunities in six sports; Lone Star Conference to visit nearby campuses for the purpose of attracting new members; Pacific West Coast to bring directors of athletics of the three West Region conferences together for in-person meetings; Palm Beach Atlantic University to retain services of a consultant to evaluate the fan experience and game-promotion tactics for the athletic program; Peach Belt Conference to fund several initiatives related to the PBC strategic membership-growth plan; Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association to support a feasibility study for a prospective new member institution; Conference Carolinas to increase the cohesiveness of existing and potential future members of the conference to further stabilize the conference in the Piedmont area; Great Lakes Valley Conference to hire a new consulting firm to identify opportunities to better brand and market the conference; and Pacific West Conference to continue expansion efforts as outlined in its strategic plan.

“We are thrilled to get the support from the NCAA to review and update our GLIAC strategic plan,” stated Dr. Glenn D. Mroz, President of Michigan Technological University and the GLIAC’s Presidents’ Council. “In today’s collegiate environment, its critical that we stay on track to support our vision that the GLIAC be respected as one of, if not the best Division II conference in the nation, supporting our student athletes to the best of our ability.”  

“With the ever changing landscape in intercollegiate athletics, specifically the growth in division II, it is more important than ever to have a current and robust strategic plan to guide the GLIAC membership,” stated Suzanne Sanregret, Athletic Director of Michigan Technological University and President of the Management Council. “This NCAA grant provides us the financial resources to carry out this meaningful project which will help guide the conference into the future.”

“The NCAA Membership Grant will be a great asset to the GLIAC and the Midwestern Region of Division II athletics,” said GLIAC Commissioner Dell Robinson.  “The funds will help us review, revise and enhance our current strategic plan. The goal will be to create a vision and guidepost for the future direction of the conference.”