What's In a Name

 

written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III     >> Greetings. It's Tuesday Morning.  >> 125 years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Plessy v. Ferguson, endorsed “separate but equal” racial segregation, a concept renounced 58 years later by Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. >> Today's Word Count: 1,509 (6 minutes). Well. Worth. Your Time. >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. Share us with a friend today, won't you? >> Advertise your job opening. Contact us today.   Sign Up for Free: D3Playbook TOP STORY 1.  What's In a Name   by Lilah Burke, Inside Higher Ed "Washington and Lee University is -- in part -- named after Robert E. Lee. Four months after the commander of the Confederate States Army surrendered at Appomattox, he was invited to be president of what was then called Washington College, a role he filled for five years. He is revered by many for his work at the university, which was renamed to honor him in 1870. Lee’s presence at the university goes beyond the name. His body is held at the campus’s Lee Chapel, and there are portraits of the general across campus. Before 2016, the chapel was the final destination of the annual Lee-Jackson Day parade, part of the Virginia state holiday honoring Lee and fellow Confederate general Stonewall Jackson. The university has made some changes. It’s removed Confederate flags, canceled visits from Confederate groups and changed the way it talks about its history. This year, the campus hired its first associate provost for diversity and inclusion. In the past four years, 46 percent of faculty hires have been people of color. But the fight over Lee’s legacy at the university has continued, as the administration is pinned between vocal alumni and parents who want to see traditions continue, and students and faculty who feel that change is long overdue." >> Situational Awareness: "Earlier this month, Mike McAlevey, rector of the Board of Trustees, announced that a decision on the name would be made by the board in June. For supporters of the change, there's not currently consensus on what a replacement would be. While some have suggested W&L University, members of the alumni group Not Unmindful, which supports the change, have volunteered other options. While there hasn't been as much momentum toward removing the name of George Washington (himself a slave owner), many see the opportunity as a chance to start fresh." >> A Key Stat: In July 2020, faculty voted 188 to 51 to change the name. The university, Alison Bell, a professor of anthropology at Washington and Lee and a graduate of the university said, can’t control the connotations of the word “Lee.” >> Flip Side: "While there have been some students advocating to keep the name, the main group opposing the change is an organization of alumni and parents called Generals Redoubt. In the past year, the group has been involved in sending letters to the administration about the name and legacy, arguing that Lee should be honored for his personal qualities and leadership of the university, rather than his involvement in the Confederacy." >> The Last Word: “Unfortunately, you face a binary choice: capitulation (either in an accelerating cadence to constantly escalating demands, or immediately, on the premise that a quick surrender may save most of the physical plant, excepting statues of course),” wrote alumnus Kazimierz Herchold to President William Dudley and the board, in a letter circulated by the organization." >> Continue Reading   MERGER 2. Creating Uncertainty   by Karen Weaver, Forbes Sports   "Delaware’s state capital—a town known more for Dover Air Force Base, the Dover 500 racetrack and traffic jams leading to the Delaware beaches—is the setting where higher-education history is about to be made. May 15, a day that should have been filled with exuberance for seniors celebrating their big moment graduating from Wesley College, was instead bittersweet. All knew it would be the last time any graduate would walk across the stage as a Wesley Wolverine. Next year, the rising seniors will leave as Delaware State Hornets. Two colleges located less than a mile apart will become one on July 1. Delaware State University, a 130-year-old land-grant historically Black college and university (HBCU) and the proud owner of a successful Division I athletics program, is acquiring its neighbor to the east, Wesley College, a 148-year-old minority serving institution (MSI) with a robust Division III athletics program. It’s the first time in history that an HBCU has acquired another college, and it’s a big deal in the First State." >> Decision Time: "How many Wesley Wolverine athletes will join the Delaware State rosters next year remains to be seen. Each athlete has to do two things they have not had to do before: apply to the NCAA Eligibility Center (which certifies they are academically allowed to play Division I sports and meet the division’s amateurism standards) and enroll in the transfer portal. Once a Wesley athlete completes both of those steps, a conversation can begin between the coach and the player. According to Hornets vice president and director of athletics D. Scott Gines, they would be treated as a “preferred walk-on,” meaning they would receive priority in the academic course registration process and other athlete-centric opportunities. Delaware State offers six sports for men and 13 for women." >> Worth Noting: "For now, there is a mixture of sadness and hope in Dover as both schools await approval from the accreditation agencies: sadness in losing a place so many called home for nearly a century and a half, one that grew from a two-year school to a four-year residential campus, a fixture in the community; hope for a prominent HBCU to reach new heights and its full potential, strengthening its competitiveness for students in a changing demographic landscape." >> Read More   A MESSAGE FROM BLUEFRAME TECHNOLOGY   The best and most reliable end-to-end live video streaming provider in college athletics is BlueFrame Technology. Join #BlueFrameNation and Stream Like a Pro with special pricing for D3Playbook subscribers! Learn more today!    SOFTBALL 3.  First Pitch The NCAA Division III Softball Committee has announced the 48 teams that will compete in the Division III Softball Championship. The regional round will be held May 20-23.  Six teams will compete at eight regional sites.  The finals, hosted by Old Dominion Athletic Conference and city of Salem, will be held May 27-June 1 at Moyer Park in Salem, Virginia.  All rounds will use a double-elimination format. Regional Brackets DePauw, Geneva, Millikin, Belhaven, Calvin, Mount St. Joseph East Texas Baptist, Salisbury, Birmingham-Southern, Redlands, Ohio Northern, Eastern Nazarene Husson, Babson, Brandeis, Eastern Connecticut, Tufts, Endicott Texas Lutheran, Emory & Henry, Christopher Newport, Emmanuel, Bridgewater State, Cedar Crest St. John Fisher, Geneseo, Rochester, PSU Behrend, Stevens, York (Pa.) UW-Oshkosh, Alfred, Linfield, Southern Maine, Piedmont, Illinois College Virginia Wesleyan, TCNJ, Moravian, Farmingdale State, Gettysburg, Penn College St. Olaf, St. Thomas, MSOE, Coe, Webster, UW-Superior bold indicates host >> Selection Release >> Bracket   NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS 4. MD, LA, MO, TN Join In NIL   Maryland, Louisiana, Missouri and Tennessee will become the latest states to join the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) campaign as both governors have sent signals that they intend to sign bills on their desk. Maryland's Larry Hogan announced he plans to sign bill today that will cover college-athlete NIL, effective July 1, 2023, and a series of college-athlete health & safety measures, effective July 1, 2021. Bill is called Jordan McNair Safe and Fair Play Act.  The Louisiana state Senate approved a college-athlete NIL bill by 32-0 vote. The bill now goes to the state House. It would become effective with the governor's signature and then each school's governing board's adoption. So figure around July 1. The Missouri legislature has sent its NIL off to the governor's desk and has an effective date of August 28. The Tennessee state legislature site showed Gov. Bill Lee has signed a college-athlete NIL bill. This means there are at least 15 states with such laws. DIII Schools Included Louisiana: Centenary, Louisiana College Maryland: Goucher, Hood, Johns Hopkins, McDaniel, Notre Dame, St. Mary's, Salisbury, Stevenson, Washington College Missouri: Fontbonne, Washington U., Webster, Westminster Tennessee: Rhodes, Sewanee   TRANSACTIONS 5. Comings and Goings   BROCKPORT - John Feeney announced his retirement as head gymnastics coach CAPITAL - BT Pham named head coach of cross country and track and field EASTERN - Randy Syracuse named director of golf ELMIRA - Randie Torgalski named assistant athletic director and head softball coach FERRUM - Sam Martin named assistant football coach PACIFIC - Richard Warren announced his retirement as director of golf PACIFIC LUTHERAN - Mike Snyder named director of athletics and recreation SAGE - Tom Fashour announced his retirement as head athletic trainer and head women's tennis coach TRINITY, Texas - Jordan Deadwyler named assistant sports information director   1 THING 6. Golf Cart Insurance   Although golf carts are designed for courses and trails, with top speeds typically in the range of 10 to 20 mph, there are people who nevertheless drive them on busy public roads—spawning a federal case in Florida. A recent ruling by a judge in Miami centers on whether insurance companies’ automobile policies extend to carts when they’re driven alongside cars. “Given the quality of drivers in Miami-Dade County, and our exceedingly high insurance rates that lead the nation,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres wrote in his May 10 opinion in Geico v. Gonzalez, “it would come as a surprise to some that use of golf carts on our roadways is becoming more common. This trend seems unwise, to put it mildly, because bad things happen when a golf cart meets a two-ton vehicle. And when bad things happen, litigation ensues. Take this case.” >> Keep Reading     Thanks for starting your day with us. Please invite your friends to sign up for D3Playbook   Sign Up for Free: D3Playbook

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