Harvard Winter Sportsmen Hurt By NCAA Rule

The onset of the winter sports season signals the renewal of Harvard's worry over the National Collegiate Athletic Association's 1.6 athletic eligibility rule.

Unless the 1.6 rule is abolished or a satisfactory compromise is reached at the NCAA convention in January, Harvard's outstanding winter athletes will not be allowed to compete on a national basis.

The ruling in question, made at the NCAA convention in 1964, states that students at member colleges with less than a 1.6 grade-level average may not participate in their school's varsity athletic programs.

The Ivy League refused to abide by the ruling and was barred from competing in NCAA tournaments when the legislation went into effect in 1966.

Last year NCAA President Marcus Plante declared a moratorium on the ruling and invited the Ivy League to participate in winter and spring competition while the 1.6 rule was under view. The moratorium ended this fall.