Good afternoon.

I am delighted to be here with you, to announce that I have decided that it is time for the University at Albany intercollegiate athletics program for men and women to move up to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level.

Consequently, I have instructed Dr. Milt Richards, our Director of Athletics, to immediately notify the NCAA of our intention to upgrade our program to Division I, effective with the 1999-2000 academic year. This move will make Albany the 20th school in New York with a full Division I program, but only the second public institution of higher education.

I have not arrived at this decision lightly. I have made it following careful and comprehensive study and consultation with all interested and affected parties, both on campus and off. And the overwhelming majority agrees with Dr. Richards, Vice President for Student Affairs Jim Doellefeld, our Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Board, our students, our University Senate and me that now is the time for the University at Albany to make the move to Division I.

There are many reasons why I believe this is the right step for the University at Albany. At present, Albany is one of only a handful of Carnegie research universities that do not currently compete at the Division I level.

Our Albany student-athletes can — and should — compete against the nation's best. Division I sports will improve the quality of campus life, add interest and excitement to our intercollegiate athletics program, and enhance Albany's visibility — in New York and throughout the nation. It also will enhance our partnerships with our Capital-Saratoga Region friends and neighbors. A top-quality Division I athletics program can and will serve as a rallying point for area sports fans. It will move the University at Albany closer to our community, by bringing many more of our neighbors onto our campus to attend our athletic events.

During previous discussions about the possible upgrade, Dr. Richards and Vice President Doellefeld have said the move would be made only under certain conditions. I heartily endorse these conditions, which are, specifically:

• No State funds currently allocated to the campus will be used for intercollegiate athletics beyond those used when we were competing at the Division II level.
• There will be no lowering of admissions standards for student-athletes.
• Gender equity will continue to be of the highest priority; and, finally,
• Recreational and intramural activities will continue to be supported at least at the current levels of funding.

Our move from NCAA Division III to Division II in 1995 has been a rousing success. Our teams have won more than 55 percent of their contests, and our student-athletes are getting even better grades in Division II than they did in Division III.

Under Dr. Richards' leadership, with the excellent financial plan that he developed, his outstanding coaches, administrators and academic advisors, and the strong support of our students, I am confident that the transition from Division II to Division I will be even more successful.