An Athletic Demotion

Harvard athletic officials this week criticized last week's vote by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to demote the football programs of Harvard and the seven other Ivy League schools from Division 1-A, the top classification in the NCAA.

"I think it's a very sad situation," John P. Reardon Jr,'60, director of athletics, said. "We wanted to stay in Division 1-A based on our tradition. Basically Harvard, Yale sand Princeton started the NCAA. I don't think it's a good omen for college athletics," he added.

Representatives of the 137 Division 1-A school voted at a special convention last week to change the requirements for membership in the top division, making the Ivy League schools, ineligible. As a result of that vote, Ivy League teams and those of about 40 other schools will move down to Division 1-AA.

The reduction in status can be prevented if the Ivy League requests and wins a temporary waiver from the new eligibility requirements. The NCAA this week set December 21 as the deadline for applying for such a dispensation.

Ivy League officials this week seemed uncertain whether they would go through with the waiver request, but Jim Litvack, executive secretary of the league, and Bob Myslik, Princeton athletic director, are working to develop the league's case.

"I believe television is at the root of the whole thing," Reardon said, adding that "the big schools wanted their own small group within Division 1-A and their own contract so they could get all the money."

Even President Bok expressed displeasure with the NCAA decision. "The entire exercise is one that leaves me very cold indeed," he said this week. "It seems to me to reflect primarily the commercial orientation of college sports that I think has been a source of considerable harm to what institutions of higher education are trying to accomplish."

He added that the major football powers are interested in an approach to football "which is far from what we think is desirable."