BENTONVILLE — A committee exploring a sanctioned sports program at NorthWest Arkansas Community College wants to test the concept with a baseball team and a softball team for three years.
The committee, set up last month by college board chairman Ric Clifford, held its first meeting Wednesday. Any proposal from the committee must be approved by the Board of Trustees in order to move forward.
Committee members also agreed the two teams should compete in Division III of the National Junior College Athletic Association.
Division III does not allow its member schools to offer students any kind of athletic scholarships, said Chip Durham, a commitee member and former college baseball coach. Division II allows schools to pay their student-athletes' tuition and fees. Division I allows schools to cover their tuition, fees, room and board.
Both teams' expenses would be paid entirely with donations for the three-year trial period, said Todd Schwartz, a committee member. The goal would be to raise enough to cover 150 percent of anticipated costs.
"I do not want this to be a burden on the college financially," Schwartz said.
The college has several club sports, including baseball and softball, but no official sports program.