On Wednesday, the NCAA announced a detailed timeline for its Constitutional Convention — aimed at determining the governing body’s future role in college sports.

A 28-person Constitution Committee has been meeting since Aug. 17 to define priorities. But “as the committee began its work, it became clear that there was more to be done outside of their charge to implement the transformational changes that are needed to improve the Association,” Board of Governors chair Jack DeGioia and NCAA President Mark Emmert wrote in a letter to members. 

Here’s what they came up with:

• The convention will take place on Nov. 15, where Divisions I, II, and III will all discuss the first round of findings put together by the Constitution Committee.
• After two more rounds of feedback, members will vote on the new constitution at the 2022 NCAA Convention on Jan. 20.
• Each division will then be tasked with rewriting its own rules, which must go into effect on Aug. 1, 2022.

The NCAA claims it’s committed to reform — but timing and the Constitution Committee’s makeup have raised eyebrows.

The Convention was organized after the Alston decision, which found that the NCAA’s pattern of placing strict rules on athlete compensation is, at the very least, subject to future legal scrutiny. At worst, it’s “flatly illegal.” The convention is likely an attempt to mitigate legal concerns.

The NCAA also did not include many of the professors, lawyers, and activists who have proposed plans to reform the organization.

Every single one of the committee’s members are current or former NCAA, school, or conference officials. There are no current Division I athletes represented. 

Ahead of the convention, the NCAA compiled a massive survey of more than 3,000 officials and 1,000 athletes. 

A vast majority of participants want the NCAA to continue overseeing certain duties like eligibility, revenue allocation, championships, and on-field rules, but it also suggested overwhelming support for a few big changes. 

The survey provided a rare window into what a large number of athletes might actually want: enforcement for health, safety, and diversity.

• More than 85% of athletes in each division agreed that the NCAA needs to set health and safety standards and include athletes in decision making.
• At least 78% in every division found gender equity and cultural diversity to be central, too.
• In an open-ended question section, they also emphasized the importance of mental health.

Administrators said the divisional structure isn’t working for everyone, and there’s a growing feeling that the NCAA shouldn’t be in charge of the richest schools or sports at all.

• More than half of Division I administrators favored altering divisions, but only about one-third of admins in D-II and D-III did.
• Almost every category of Power 5 admins favored change at a higher rate than non-Power 5 admins.
• One suggestion included breaking Power 5 schools away from the NCAA. Another included breaking FBS football teams away.

It will take until next August, however, to see how many changes the NCAA actually implements.