Conference Rejects Chapman’s Bid for Admission

ORANGE —  Chapman University’s application to join the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has been denied, although conference officials have encouraged Chapman to re-apply in September, 1994, Chapman announced Tuesday.

Chapman, attempting to make the transition from NCAA Division II to non-scholarship Division III, had applied to join the SCIAC in 1994. If the next application is accepted, the earliest Chapman could join is January, 1995.

Chapman President James Doti received word of the denial late last week in a letter from the conference. The letter, which Redlands President James R. Appleton signed, listed suggestions to help Chapman improve its next application and said if progress is made the presidents “ ‘are inclined to vote in favor of Chapman’s application,’ ” according to Chapman.

The conference’s faculty athletic committee met May 6 and passed on a negative recommendation to the presidents of the eight member colleges. Chapman required six votes for a positive recommendation; no vote figures were released.

Ralph Amey, an Occidental professor and the chairman of the faculty committee, said a concern was that Chapman’s divisional switch was still in the planning stages.

“We are interested in having a school like Chapman in our conference,” Amey said. “We want them to be able to participate as fully as possible and as well as possible. We want them to be ready to hit the ground with both feet running.”

Chapman officials stressed that they don’t believe it is a setback for their program.

“We trying to show everybody that this is a long process,” Chapman Athletic Director Dave Currey said. “We have to prove to them that we are adding these sports and that football is a vital part of our future.”

Chapman is planning to add four women’s athletic programs for the next school year and football and golf in 1994. Chapman will compete in 1993-94 as if it were a Division III program. A institution must comply with Division III criteria for two years before becoming a full-fledged member.