BAY CITY, Mich. — The NCAA Division II Membership Fund Selection Committee approved a grant of $13,500 to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) to hire a consultant to review the landscape for potential new members.
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. The Membership Fund is overseen by the NCAA Division II Planning and Finance Committee and is an annual line item in the Division II budget.
The selection committee reviewed each application with an eye towards determining whether the request would support Division II, particularly the guiding principles of Division II member stabilization, membership development or member loss prevention. The committee noted the principles mentioned above in awarding the GLIAC with the grant.
The grant allocated to the GLIAC was to retain the services of a consultant to look at prospective new institutions. The funds will also aide in developing a comprehensive plan that includes development of comparative institutional data (academic profiles, budgets, enrollment, etc.) and assist with the development of a comprehensive strategic expansion plan.
“We are thrilled to get the support from the NCAA to hire a consultant to help the GLIAC's expansion efforts,” stated Dr. Keith A. Pretty, President of Northwood 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 Dave Marsh, Athletic Director of Northwood University and President of the GLIAC 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 provide us with the essential resources to develop a membership and expansion plan for the future.”