Report: NCAA directors take first steps toward governance review

Mark Emmert has been criticized for the NCAA's ineffective governance. (Bloomberg/Getty Images)

A memo obtained by CBSSports.com revealed the NCAA board of directors has approved the first steps at reviewing and possibly restructuring its governance.

According to the report, recommendations submitted by management consultant Jean Frankel have been approved by unanimous vote. Frankel reportedly submitted those recommendations after meeting with an estimated 250 college adminstrators, as well as, attending Collegiate Commissioners Association and BCS functions.

Questions surrounding the NCAA's future governance made headlines last month when several BCS commissioners publicly expressed their frustrations with the association. The NCAA has received criticism for president Mark Emmert's severe sanctions against Penn State following the Jerry Sandusky scandal and controversial tactics used in the investigation of the University of Miami. The association has also been criticized for profiting off the likenesses and names of its amateur athletes in the EA Sports class-action lawsuit and the sale of NCAA apparel tied to specific player searches on its website.

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According to the report, the memo includes the possibility of a special convention in July 2014 and a recommendation to redefine the role of the NCAA executive committee as a "more vital vehicle."

Items in the recommendations include:

• Governance review will be a one-year process. "Criteria" and "approach" will be communicated to the membership in early September.

• "Membership stakeholders" will begin the process of "idea submission as desired."

• NCAA governance consultant (Frankel) and NCAA staff continue the outreach to membership soliciting ideas and input.

• The board "continues its work on engagement."

• The NCAA executive committee begins work on "corporate role definition."