The Division I Management Council at its October meeting endorsed a plan that essentially puts the group out of business. The plan, later adopted by the Board of Directors, replaces the Management Council with two 31-member bodies, the Legislative Council and the Leadership Council.

The revised governance structure also includes six cabinets, a 31-member championships cabinet and five other 20-member bodies.

Of the two new Councils, the Legislative Council is straightforward – its role is to consider proposals in the annual legislative cycle. The role of the Leadership Council is less obvious, and thus more intriguing.

Officially billed as a body that will “focus on examining issues on the horizon of intercollegiate athletics,” the Leadership Council is expected to have a national focus and will scrutinize issues both self-identified and that come at the behest of the Board.

Interest in serving on the group already is keen. Richard Ensor, who chaired the Management Council’s governance subcommittee while the restructuring planning was developed, said the reason is obvious.

“Many of our senior athletics administrators want to have an opportunity to have input and an impact on some of the major issues before the Division I membership, and they see the Leadership Council as a way to have a quality experience,” said Ensor, commissioner of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Tom Hansen, commissioner of the Pacific-10 Conference and an ad-hoc member of the governance subcommittee, said that was the desired outcome. He said “leadership” carries a cache that is attractive to the type of seasoned athletics professionals the governance subcommittee hoped would serve on the Council.

According to Ensor and Hansen, the Leadership Council agendas will be more streamlined and focused than those currently worked by the Management Council, though meetings are expected to be similar in length.

“I envision the Council agendas containing several directives from the Board, perhaps similar to the way many of the task forces have worked in recent years. Other issues would be self-generated,” Ensor said. “Still others could percolate up from the general athletics administration through the cabinets or standing committees or sport committees.”

Ensor said the Leadership Council is the linchpin to the success of the restructuring plan. Much of the other restructuring simply tweaks the current structure and reorganizes the cabinet level into more topical areas.

“The composition of the Leadership Council is going to be important. We need to get different viewpoints and different perspectives within the group,” he said. “I hope we have ADs, FARs and SWAs from all different subdivisions with a lot of experience.”