CSUN President Expected to OK Move to Division I

James W. Cleary, president of Cal State Northridge, is expected to announce his decision to move the university to NCAA Division I status in all sports except football at a press conference Thursday.

Cleary confirmed in an interview Friday night what had been rumored the past several weeks: He believes Northridge should be a part of major college athletics.

During the past week, several Northridge coaches stated the announcement was a mere formality.

“It seems everyone here is pretty sure where we’re headed, but no one has said anything for sure,” one coach said Friday. “But the sense we all have is the same. We’re going Division I.”

Cleary stopped short of saying that. The lone roadblock is money.

“If requirements are so high that the potential is not there to meet those requirements, then it would not be in the best interest of the university,” Cleary said of the school’s financial situation.

Cleary said he will meet with Elliott Mininberg, vice president for administrative affairs, and other school officials twice early next week to review finances before the press conference.

“We still need some more information.” he said. “What’s not clear yet is to what extent we will have to depend on the community. We need to get the numbers together right now.”

Northridge must petition the NCAA by June 1 to be eligible to compete in Division I during the 1990-91 athletics season. There is a two-year waiting period while the university makes the transition to upper-division standards, most of which involve scheduling.

Cleary said the school can request another year to make adjustments, if needed. Then it can either go ahead with the move or back off.

But once the switch is made, the school could not reverse the decision for two years.

“We want to be sure we’re doing the right thing,” Cleary said. “To get on the right track, then have to abort after one or two years would be a mess.”

Cost of an 8,000 to 10,000-seat sports arena and expansion of the athletics offices will be discussed after finances are studied, Cleary said.

In December, 1986, Northridge coaches voted unanimously in support of such a move. Since then, a committee was formed and several studies gauging the support of faculty, student and community groups have been completed.

The results have been consistently in favor of the proposal, even from campus groups thought to have misgivings about the possible perils of competing at the major college level.

Cleary often expressed concern that the move would not sit well with some members of the Northridge faculty, but when the university’s academic senate met in March to discuss the matter, few questions were raised. Although it was listed only as a discussion item on the agenda, the proposal was quickly brought to a vote. And it passed unanimously.

Previously, Northridge’s Intercollegiate Athletic Board, Alumni Board, Dean’s Council, University Planning Council and President’s Associate Board of Directors approved the recommendation.

Cleary hinted last month after the senate vote that his decision was becoming less complicated.

“If there were a place that there might be the greatest opposition, it would have been in that forum,” he said. “I was impressed with the overwhelming support.”

Community support was then tested and the results, too, were favorable.

In addressing a gathering of Northridge athletes last month, Dr. Edward Peckham, dean of students, divulged that 85% of the community groups queried by school officials supported the move to Division I suggested by the coaches. Of the other 15%, he said, many also wanted football to be upgraded to Division I status.

Public reaction to the idea, Peckham said, “exceeded our greatest expectations.”