"31.3.5  Automatic Qualification. In Division II, each governing sports committee may recommend annually to the Championships/Competition Cabinet those conferences that should receive automatic qualification for their teams or individual student-athletes into NCAA championships.  The decision of the Championships/Competition Cabinet shall be final. Prior to recommending that a conference receive automatic qualification, a governing sports committee shall ensure that the member conference meets the requirements specified in sections 31.3.4.1 through 31.3.4.4. In Division I, eEach governing sports committee shall forward annually to the Management Council those conferences that should receive automatic qualification for their teams or individual student-athletes into NCAA championships.  Prior to forwarding the list of conferences to receive automatic qualification, a governing sports committee shall ensure that the member conference meets the requirements specified in 31.3.5.1 through 31.3.5.5.  A member conference may appeal to the Management Council the automatic-qualification review of the sports committee and the committee's decision to find, or not find, a conference qualified for automatic-qualification status. The decision of the Management Council on such appeals will be final.

[31.3.5.1-(a) through 31.3.5.1-(i) unchanged.]

[31.3.5.1.1 unchanged.]

"31.3.5.2  Additional Requirements, Sports Other Than Division I Men's Basketball.  The conference must have: To be considered eligible for automatic qualification, a member conference (including a single-sport conference) must include six core institutions that satisfy continuity of membership. For the purposes of this legislation, core refers to an institution that has been an active member of Division I the eight preceding years.  Further, the continuity-of-membership requirement shall be met only if a minimum of six core institutions have conducted conference competition together in Division I the preceding two years. There shall be no exceptions to the two-year waiting period.

"(a)  Been a member conference of the Association for two consecutive academic years. The Championships/Competition Cabinet may grant a waiver of the two-year waiting period;

"(b)  Conducted competition in the sport in question for two consecutive years at the time of its application for automatic qualification. The Championships/Competition Cabinet may grant a waiver of the two-year waiting period; and

"(c)  Have at least six members that sponsor the sport on a varsity intercollegiate basis in the division in which automatic qualification is sought and that are eligible for the NCAA championship, and have had at least six members that are eligible for the NCAA championship participate in the process that determines the automatic qualifier.

"31.3.5.2.1  Exceptions.

"(a)  Prior to September 1, 2003, a Division I member conference that was a member of the Association as of September 1, 1999, may be considered for automatic qualification in all sports by satisfying either the existing automatic qualification provisions or those automatic qualification provisions that were in effect on September 1, 1999.

"(b)  Prior to September 1, 2003, the eight-year core principle does not apply to an institution that was a Division I active member, provisional member or a member in the process of reclassifying to Division I as of September 1, 1999.  Such an institution would be subject to the provisions in effect on September 1, 1999. 

"31.3.5.3  Additional Requirements, Division I Men's Basketball.  The member conference must satisfy the criteria for automatic qualification for the National Collegiate Division I Men's Basketball Championship as set forth in 18.5.1. All waiting periods for eligibility for automatic qualification described herein are applicable to the criteria specified in Bylaw 18.5.1. In addition, the conference must:  The member conference must include seven core institutions that satisfy continuity of membership to be considered for automatic qualification in men's basketball. For the purposes of this legislation, core refers to an institution that has been an active member of Division I the eight preceding years.  Further, the continuity-of-membership requirement shall be met only if a minimum of six core institutions have conducted conference competition together in Division I the preceding five years in men's basketball.  There shall be no exception to the five-year waiting period.

"(a)  Have been a member of the Association for the five preceding years, be composed entirely of institutions that have been members of Division I during the eight preceding academic years and have at least six member institutions that have held continuous membership in the conference for the five preceding years; and

"(b)  Have complied with requirements established by the Division I Men's Basketball Committee relative to the national officiating and certification program approved by the Championships/Competition Cabinet.

"31.3.5.3.1  Grace Period.  A conference shall remain eligible for automatic qualification for one year following the date of withdrawal of the institution(s) that causes the conference's membership to fall below seven institutions, provided the conference maintains continuity of membership (i.e., six institutions that conducted conference competition together in Division I for the preceding five years.)

"31.3.5.3.1 2 Continuity of Conference Membership.  In keeping with the principles of duration and the continuity-of-membership requirement in Division I set forth in 31.3.4.3-(a), a conference that currently is receiving automatic qualification into the Division I Men's Basketball Championship shall be subject to the following requirements: Exceptions.

"(a)  A conference that maintains continuity of membership in the conference by at least six of the same institutions for a period of five preceding academic years, all of which have been members of Division I for the eight preceding academic years, shall remain eligible for automatic qualification. However, any new member added to a conference that maintains continuity of membership shall not represent the conference as the automatic qualifier until it has been a member of Division I for at least the two preceding academic years. There shall be no exceptions to the two-year waiting period; Prior to September 1, 2003, a Division I member conference that was a member of the Association as of September 1, 1999, may be considered for automatic qualification in all sports by satisfying either the existing automatic qualification provisions or those automatic qualification provisions that were in effect on September 1, 1999.

"(b)  A conference that does not meet the continuity-of-membership requirement above but does satisfy the following requirements shall forfeit eligibility for automatic qualification for one year:(i) is composed of at least six institutions that have been members of Division I during the eight preceding academic years; (ii) retains at least three of its members that have held continuous membership in the conference the five preceding academic years; and (iii) complies with the requirements set forth in Bylaw 18.5.1.1. The conference shall regain eligibility for automatic qualification following its one-year waiting period, providing the conference is composed of at least six of the same institutions that were members during the preceding academic year and that have been members of Division I during the eight preceding academic years, and the conference satisfies the requirements in (ii) and (iii) above; and  Prior to September 1, 2003, the eight-year core principle does not apply to an institution that was a Division I active member, provisional member or a member in the process of reclassifying to Division I as of September 1, 1999.  Such an institution would be subject to the provisions in effect on September 1, 1999. 

"(c)  A conference that does not meet the continuity-of-membership requirement or the exception referenced in Bylaw 31.3.4.3.1-(b) shall forfeit eligibility for automatic qualification (i) for five academic years if it adds an institution that has been a member of Division I for eight academic years or more, or (ii) for a period of years until the institution that was added has been a member of Division I for eight preceding academic years and the conference meets the continuity-of-membership requirement per Bylaw 31.3.4.3.1.  Men's Basketball.  Subsequent to September 1, 2003, a Division I member conference as of September 1, 1999, may continue to apply the automatic qualification requirements in effect September 1, 1999, until any change (e.g., adding or losing any member) in its men's basketball membership occurs.  Thereafter, the automatic qualification regulations in effect September 1, 2003, shall be applicable.

"31.3.5.3.2  New Member Conference Requirement.  A conference that is a new member conference of the NCAA and that is composed of institutions that have been members of Division I for less than eight academic years shall not be eligible for automatic qualification into the Division I Men's Basketball Championship until the conference has been a member of Division I for eight academic years.

"31.3.5.3.3  Waiver.  The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee is authorized to apply the former automatic-qualification provisions [Executive Regulation 1-6-(b)-(1) in the 1988-89 NCAA Manual] in determining, upon a conference's request, its eligibility for automatic qualification if that conference currently is:

"(a)  Receiving automatic qualification but is undergoing membership changes, provided the specific membership changes and their effective date(s) were on file in the NCAA national office prior to January 1, 1989;

"(b)  Complying with the waiting period(s) set forth in the former provisions; or

"(c)  Not receiving automatic qualification but requested, prior to January 1, 1989, that the committee consider its eligibility for automatic qualification.

"31.3.5.4  Additional Requirement, Division I Women's Basketball.  The conference must have complied with requirements established by the Division I Women's Basketball Committee relative to the national officiating and certification program approved by the Championships/Competition Cabinet."