The Mercer Cluster. (Macon, Ga.) 1920-current, May 24, 1990, Image 7

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The Mercer Cluster., May 24, 1990, Image 7

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Newspaper Page TextSports THE CLUSTER, MAY 24, 1990-PAGE 7 NCAA Panel Give Landmark Recommendation By ANTHONY HOOKER Already strapped with the task of replenishing a sorely depleted • athletic department. Athletic Direc tor Bobby Pope and his staff have the additional challenge of address ing some controversial issues that will be introduced on the NCAA platform during their January con vention. Although the meeting is over seven months away, recom mendations have already been made, proposing that the larger Division I schools be allowed to vote on issues separately from smaller schools in the division; In addition, there are proposals look ing to tighten the criteria for membership. The committee study ing NCAA divisional makeup recommended a revised structure under which the 106 Division I-A football schools would be allowed to vote their own fate on all issues—including financial aid. In the past, all 293 Division schools have voted on all issues, which often resulted in smaller schools voting in policies that more close ly affected the larger schools. Financial aid has been a major toptclntKc early discussions Cur rently, the maximum amount of a Pell Grant an athlete is allowed to use is $1,700. Larger I-A schools favor allowing athletes to accept full Pell Grants (worth $2,400). but are consistently outvoted by smaller schools who use part of the Grants to subsidize their money for the athletes. Assistant Basketball Coach Mike Jeffers stoles. "The proposal is not fair to smaller, and specifically, private schools. They’re trying to put a limit on the amount of money for scholarship, but that would mean that while Ga. Southern or Ga. State can recruit five players at a combined tuition price of 15,000-20,000, we would have to pay 50,000 for the same amount of players. Now, if I'm not mistaken, that’s a lot for Southern and State to work with. And we’re recruiting basically the same athletes. Here, we got to take the resources given and use them to our best abilities. We’ve done that, but some of these recommendations could put a strain on our depart ment.” Head Basketball Coach Brad Scigfried adds, "If this seg ment passes, there will a BIG swing of power to the larger schools.’’ The committee also addressed multidivisional classifications. For schools such as Georgetow n, which plays Division I basketball but Division III football, the commit tee recommended creating a Divi sion 1-AAA which^like Division III, wCuld provide nonscholarship completion for football, including a possible championship playoff. * As yoAcan see.” Coach Scigfncd ocgfrn. Voeorgctown Is a perfect examplelof how the system can become Manipulated. The NCAA looks to create a equitable state, but schools arc influenced heavily by the big revenues in college sports. They feel in order to succeed, they may need to move away from the general mandate. While this could be justified on a school’s personal standpoint, it doesn't aid the general consensus because not all of us use this tactic to obtain revenue.” To make Division II a Mercer Moments: 1977-81, “The Rock 99 By ROBBIE BURNS ••The Rock" returned to Mercer University recently and is now here to stay. During alumni festivities. Vivian Humphrey, possibly Mercer's greatest women's basket ball player, was inducted into the school's athletic Hall of Fame. Nicknamed "The Rock," Hum phrey was the cornerstone for two of Mercer's greatest learns. She helped lead the Teddy Bears to a 22-10 record in 1978-79 and a 29-6 record (Best in school history) in 1979-80. In 1981. Humphrey was a finalist for the Margaret Wade Trophy, emblematic of the top women s senior basketball player in the country. She was named io the GA1AW All-State team all four years as a Teddy Bear. Humphrey made the Coach s All Region team and the Kodak All Region team three consecutive years As a sophomore, she was the Most Valuable Player in the state, and Humphrey was named to every All-Tournament team she played in during her career. Humphrey holds three school records She is Mercer's ail time leading scorer with 2.284 points. She also holds the school record for most field goals during a career (925) and highest scoring average (19.6). For four years, the Mercer Women's basketball program was built upon "The Rock" of Vivian Humphrey, a great scorer, solid player, and now a member of the Mercer Athletic Hall of Fame NOTE: Vivian Humphrey is now one of the top high school coaches in the state at Southwest Dekalb in Atlanta. more attractive option for borderline Division I and Division III programs, the commi tec sug gested allocating $3 million of the Division I basketball tournament proceeds for Division II. Although no school would be "involuntarily removed” from Division I. each Division 1 school would be required to provide a minimum of 25 scholarships for men’s sports and 25 for women’s or spend a minimum of S250.000 each on scholarship aid for men and women by September 1, 1994. Also, Division I schools would be requiurcd to sponsor a minimum of seven men's and seven women’s sports, up from the current six-and six requirement. Outdoor and in- door^rack would be counted as one sport, rather than two as it currently is. Despite the fact that the Women's Basketball team was recently in jeopardy of being suspended indefinitely. Director Pope insisted that there would be no problem in adjusting to a new requirement, citing that the depart ment-could renew the men’s volleyball and women’s golf program Henry Named Coach Continued from page 1 Southwest Georgia Academy in Damascus. During her college career, she was a iwo-time Academic All American and an honor graduate in physical educa tion front Tennessee. A standout performer for the Lady Vols for four seasons. Henry helped to lead them to the NCAA Final Four on three occasions. She scTVcd as team captain for three seasons. The highlight of her playing career came in the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angeles where she was a starting guard on the gold medal-winning U.S. women s squad. In addition to the Olympics, she played for the United Slates in the World University games twice and was a member of the USA Na tional Select Team twice. The 28-year-old Henry is the fourth coach in Mercer's modern- day women's basketball history which started in 1970. Peggy Col lins coached the Mercer women from 1970 through 1977. Jane Fon taine held the post from 1977 through 1980. and Ed Nison serv ed that capacity from 1981 through 1990. Chel Denmark at the plate for Alpha Delta PI In Tuesday's game against Baby Bluze, Pi kappa Phi Pi kappa Phi Bulk r! Kappa rni GDG kappa Sigma kappa Sigma Alpha IMta PI Defender Champions Defenders Bab) Bluie Bab> Blu/r Alpha Delta Pi Employment Policies Continued from page 1 The University’s first Six-Month Report (March *1989 to September 1989) to the OFCCP explains the hiring of Counter, McKinnon, and Miller as made under the pressure of time The faculty Complaint, however, suggests equal opportuni ty alternatives to Godscy’s private recruitment of these individuals For example, while a national search was conducted. Coomcr could have served as Acting Pro vost. a position held by Dr. Douglas Skelton until December. 1988 According to the Complaint. "If it were necessary to fill it within a few weeks, the President could have announced the position (academic vice president) internal |y, where there were several qualified people, and actively solicited nominations and applica tions.” In cither case. "Coomer could have submitted his creden tials in an open, equitable competi tion for the job.” The Complaint asks the OFCCP to investigate "this pattern of employment without bona fide solicitation of applications;” to report its findings, and to require the University "immediately to rectify the inequities created by these appointments, redefine the responsibilities of the Equal Oppor tunity Officer to ensure that the goals of the University’s Affir mative Action Plan arc well serv ed. and provide a plan for fulfill ing these goals in future appoint ments.” Mary Ann Drake, spokesperson for the complainants. sa\s, "We are concerned about equity in all aspects of employment in the University. Private recruiting and hiring that excludes women and members of minority groups, con stitutes one of the worst kinds of discrimination. With four vice presidential vacancies within one year. Mercer had an extraordinary opportunity to recruit qualified women and members of minority groups whose appointments to any or all of these positions would have well served the students, faculty, and staff of the University; the citizens of Georgia, and higher education. Godsey failed in one of his fundamental responsibilities. ’ ’