THE COLLEGES : CLU Regents Hint Delay on SCIAC Vote

Several members of the Cal Lutheran Board of Regents expressed concern Friday over the elimination of all athletic scholarships should the university become a member of the NCAA Division III.

Board members also said that they do not want to needlessly hurry into voting on a proposal to move to the Division III Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, which prohibits scholarships.

The 40-plus-member board will consider in meetings at Cal Lutheran today a faculty recommendation that the university join the SCIAC. Cal Lutheran currently holds membership in the NCAA Division II Western Football Conference and the Golden State Athletic Conference in the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics District 3 in other sports.

Board member Bob Samuelson of La Canada said that while he is undecided about the move, he understands the opposition to Cal Lutheran joining the SCIAC.

“I think the majority of problems with the move come with not giving any scholarships,” Samuelson said.

Jerry Miller, Cal Lutheran’s president, is a staunch advocate of the move.

“I wish that all of our coaches and faculty could be wholeheartedly in favor of this decision, but I recognize that there are different commitments and interests concerning the move,” Miller said.

Brian McConnell of Ventura, a board member for 9 years, said that he is doubtful the board will vote on the proposal at today’s meeting. The board’s next meeting is Jan. 13-14.

“I have a feeling that the vote will be postponed until our January meeting,” McConnell said. “We will need more information before we can vote on this.”

McConnell suggested that the board table its decision until after the NCAA Convention on January 8-12. A proposal will be considered at the convention to create Division I-AAA, which would alter the makeup of Division II and perhaps make it more attractive for Cal Lutheran to remain in the Western Football Conference.

“I get the feeling we were trying to push this through to make something happen,” McConnell said. “But I’m not sure that’s what we want to do depending on what the NCAA does. I would like to wait and see what they do.”

Also, Cal Lutheran will host a meeting Dec. 1-2 of the WFC Executive Committee. Bob Hiegert, athletic director at Cal State Northridge, said he would be surprised if Cal Lutheran decided to leave the conference before that meeting.

“The WFC schools have as good a relationship as any conference I’ve been a part of,” Hiegert said. “I would think they would wait until after the executive committee meeting just out of courtesy to the rest of the conference.”

McConnell said that he is concerned with SCIAC rules that limit recruiting and prohibit scholarships. Under Division III rules, a coach’s off-campus recruiting is limited and no coach is allowed to work in a school’s admissions office.

Currently, baseball Coach Rich Hill, softball Coach Wendy Olson and assistant football coach Ernie Sandlin work in Cal Lutheran’s admissions office.

“The ability to get grants and scholarships is a good incentive for an athlete,” said McConnell, a 1965 CLU graduate. “I don’t know if I’m in favor of knocking that out.”