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🗞 Headlines. ILC Recap. College ‘Hidden Gems.’ Peanut Butter Pumpkins Disclaimer.

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“For decades, the NCAA governed college sports through a relatively simple premise: college athletes were students, not professionals; schools could restrict how they were compensated (largely limiting that compensation to athletic scholarships); and the NCAA could impose nationwide rules governing everything from recruiting and transfers to eligibility.

In recent years, that model has been steadily dismantled.

Court decisions, state legislation and billions of dollars flowing through major college football and basketball have transformed college athletics into something increasingly resembling professional sports. Athletes can now earn millions through name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements. Schools can directly share revenue with players. The transfer portal has created something approaching free agency. And courts have repeatedly questioned whether restrictions imposed collectively by the NCAA and its member schools violate federal antitrust law.”

» Court Awareness. “Congress is now considering an extraordinarily consequential attempt to impose order on that systemic disorder. The comprehensive nature of its significance is difficult to overstate. But its most important consequence may be something less conspicuous: Congress would give the NCAA and its members significant protection from the antitrust lawsuits that have progressively dismantled the NCAA’s regulatory authority.”

» Why It Matters. “The Protect College Sports Act therefore represents an unusual bargain. Athletes would receive federally guaranteed economic rights that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. In exchange, the NCAA would regain something it has increasingly lost in the courts: the ability to make and enforce uniform rules.”

» Reality Check. “The NCAA has now found itself attempting to operate what essentially amounts to a national sports league under rules that could be challenged under federal antitrust law or contradicted by legislation enacted in individual states. Professional sports leagues can do those things because the restrictions are generally established through collective bargaining between the league/teams and the players’ unions. This is precisely what makes the proposed Protect College Sports Act so interesting.”

During its two-day meeting, the DIII Interpretations and Legislation Committee reviewed the 2027 Convention Proposal Grouping, offered suggestions for the question-and-answer document, and reviewed two proposals under consideration.

» Grouping. “The ILC recommended to the NCAA Division III Management Council recommend to Presidents Council the proposed voting grouping and order as outlined in the Attachment for the 2027 NCAA Convention.”

» Proposals. The ILC was unable to reach consensus on the proposal to adopt an age-based eligibility model and recommended to the Management Council that it will not take a position at this time. During its discussions, the committee recognized the complexities and nuances of the proposal and expressed concern that the full implications cannot be adequately assessed within the three-month period leading up to the business session. The committee also expressed that the choice is not limited to the current eligibility model and the model outlined in the proposal. Other alternatives may better serve the division.

The ILC also recommended opposing the proposal for spring football practice period modifications, citing the strain that could be placed on institutional resources, including support personnel, athletics staff and facilities. Given the proposal's allowance for fullcontact activities, the committee noted that sports medicine and athletic training staff would likely face increased time demands related to practice oversight and the potential for a higher incidence of injuries.

» Student Coaches and Managers. The committee discussed eligibility impacts for students working as coaches and managers and determined that eligibility consequences should be the same for students acting as athletic support staff, regardless of the title assigned by the institution. The committee also determined that student athletic support staff who remain eligible for participation should continue to be eligible to receive benefits, such as team-issued apparel and travel expenses. Additionally, the committee agreed that student athletic support staff with remaining eligibility may be compensated for their work, provided such compensation is consistent with institutional student employment policies.

“Your school qualifies as a "hidden gem" if it receives fewer than 10,000 applications per year, has fewer than 7,000 undergraduate students, and still offers five or more unique majors.

College Raptor, Citizens Bank's higher planning platform, recently released its 2027 ranking of hidden gem colleges that fly under the radar despite high institutional merits.

What makes them "gems" include factors in College Raptor's overall best colleges ranking, such as retention and graduation rates, endowment per student, and the student-to-faculty ratio.”

» Of Note. The full Hidden Gems ranking lists 399 colleges, which can be filtered by conferences, public versus private, religious affiliation, region, and state.

» Top 10. Carleton, Smith, Yeshiva, Macalester, Bryn Mawr, Colorado College, Scripps, Kenyon, Mount Holyoke, and Trinity CT.

» Lacrosse (W). “Whittier College is rescinding its decision to eliminate the varsity intercollegiate women's lacrosse team and will continue the program going forward. The team is reinstated beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, and the College is dedicated to seeing it thrive.”

» Fundraising. Saint Mary’s University (Minn.) raised $195,295.71 from 1,760 donors as part of its Cardinal Challenge.

» Finances. “Stockton University is laying off 21 employees, including 14 faculty members, as it grapples with declining enrollment and millions of dollars in cuts to state funding. The move follows warnings from Stockton officials that more difficult budget decisions lie ahead for the public university.”

» Field Hockey. Tufts sophomore Eleanor Helm and York (Pa.) first-year Maddy Merlack were named the NFHCA DIII Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week.

“If you pick up a bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins this Halloween, there’s a new message on the wrapper that leaves very little to the imagination.

The seasonal candy now comes with a disclaimer on the front of the package that reads: “Carving not on actual product.” The wording appears beneath an image of a pumpkin-shaped Reese’s candy decorated with jack-o’-lantern-style eyes and a mouth.

The change comes after Hershey faced a $5 million lawsuit over claims that the packaging for Reese’s holiday-shaped candies was misleading. The lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge in September, but the plaintiffs’ attorneys said they were considering an appeal.

Despite the elaborate jack-o’-lantern face shown on the packaging, the Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkin itself is still just a pumpkin-shaped Reese’s candy.”

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