NCAA talk: UBC staying put for '09-10

Justin McElroy of The Ubyssey just passed along word that UBC is not applying to join Division II of the NCAA:

"(UBC president Stephen) Toope said the university had several unresolved issues with joining the NCAA that prevented an application from going forward.

"First, Toope cited the divided opinion within UBC for moving to the American association, which he characterized as 'dramatic.' Of the 537 people that responded to a survey done by the review committee in October 2008, only 48 per cent said they agreed that UBC should proceed with an application for membership in the NCAA.

"The president also mentioned concerns about UBC being forced to undergo academic accreditation by a US agency, which is required to join the NCAA. The issue has been a sticking block of the academic community at the university, and while Toope said the NCAA are considering waiving the requirement for UBC, no decision has been made as of yet."

The question is whether this is a "no" or a "not now" from the University of British Columbia.

It's an emotional and logistical hornets' nest for the largest university in B.C., especially with Premier Gordon Campbell minting new universities like they were Facebook groups.

Speaking as an Easterner in a have-not province, the only concern on this end is that ultimately something will be done that does right by the athletes, in terms of offering them a good level of competition without overtaxing the ol' budget. Presumably, dual membership is the way to go there, but as the article notes, there's no clarity there.

Related:
UBC not applying for NCAA membership (Justin McElroy, The Ubyssey)
Related:
SFU's path to NCAA is clear-cut; UBC's is complicated (March 27)