Thirty-six Division I-A presidents and chancellors joined together today on a teleconference hosted by Tulane University, and attended by NCAA President Myles Brand and representatives of the Knight Commission, to seek greater:

- access and equity in college football's post-season play

- higher academic standards for student-athletes and

- lower operating costs for intercollegiate athletics

The university leaders, representing schools affiliated with C-USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, Sun Belt and Western Athletic conferences as well as independent universities, also created the Presidential Coalition for Athletics Reform.

The coalition was formed as a result of an invitation to participate in a dialogue sent by Tulane University President Scott Cowen to the presidents of 52 universities not affiliated with the BCS. Forty-four university leaders are part of the coalition.

"Today we began a dialogue on bringing about positive, system-wide change in Division IA athletics, change that will more closely align the current system to its original purpose of supporting the values, goals and mission of higher education and the goals of the NCAA," Cowen said.

By August 1 the coalition will form an executive committee comprised of presidents, athletic directors and commissioners from each of the conferences represented by the coalition, as well as a non-conference affiliated university.

The committee will focus on finding ways to provide greater access to college football post-season play, increase parity among Division I-A programs and encourage the NCAA to reconsider its new Division I-A membership criteria.

Cowen said the committee would work in a collegial manner with BCS universities and would consider more drastic remedies only "as a last resort."

"Regardless of the methods, if the current system is to be fixed, we must focus on three things - increasing the academic performance and graduation rates of student-athletes, creating an open system of postseason play in football and lowering the cost of operating an athletics program," Cowen said.

He emphasized that the coalition supports the current academic reform efforts of NCAA President Myles Brand, especially his effort to reward universities for the academic performance and graduation rates of their student-athletes and hold universities responsible for failure in such areas.

"We know the NCAA's academic reforms are supported by all Division I university leaders," Cowen said.

The coalition also wants to work with the NCAA to rescind or modify its new Division I-A membership requirements that will go into effect in 2004 and consider other ways to reduce the financial burden of intercollegiate athletics.

Cowen also said coalition members welcomed yesterday's announcement by the Bowl Championship Series Presidential Oversight Committee stating that it will host a September 8 meeting in Chicago with NCAA President Myles Brand and Division I-A presidents from schools not affiliated with the BCS.

"We welcome this opportunity because we want to share our thoughts as well as listen to our colleagues' concerns about a significant overhaul of the current system," Cowen said. "For this meeting to be successful everyone has to come to the table with an open mind and with no preconceived notions of what a new system might look like after 2006. No option should be discarded in advance of the meeting. All options should receive a full and open analysis and discussion."

Cowen said both BCS and non-BCS schools need to agree on the meeting's agenda prior to September 8. The coalition plans to hold its second teleconference soon after the Sept. 8 meeting.

Cowen added that the coalition also extends an invitation to the BCS commissioners to meet with commissioners of the coalition's conferences to :work together for a new, improved system rather than each body working separately."

Cowen also announced that Tulane will host a National Symposium on Athletics Reform in New Orleans on November 11 to which all Division I presidents and conference commissioners are invited. The symposium will include a debate between a BCS president and conference commissioner and a president and conference commissioner from the Presidential Coalition for Athletics Reform. The title of the debate will be "Access to Post-Season Play." Myles Brand and Bill Bowen, author of "The Game of Life," will also take part in the symposium’s panel discussions.

Following today’s 3 p.m. (Central Time) teleconference with fellow presidents and chancellors, Cowen held a press briefing for local and national media. A replay of the press briefing will be available for reporters who missed the original briefing beginning today, July 22, at 7:30 p.m. (Central Time). The replay will be available through July 29. To access the replay dial 888-211-2648 followed by the pass code number 3740962.

For more information on the members of the Presidential Coalition for Athletics Reform and background on the group visit http://coalition.tulane.edu