* Note this article will be update through the afternoon as news develops.

The Pac-12 announced a series of smart policy decisions Monday resulting from the annual spring gathering of its presidents and chancellors.

The issue of greatest significance, however, was not addressed:

A press release summarizing the developments made no mention of a potential equity in the conference’s media rights.

That matter is expected to unfold over the coming weeks and months.

Colorado chancellor Phil DiStefano, who heads the CEO Group, said there has been “significant interest” in an equity partnership, but the conference “did not make any final decisions.”

As expected, the conference announced it will implement minimum standards for non-conference basketball schedules beginning in 2020-21:

“The approved new non-conference scheduling standards include the following elements:

“(i) a non-Conference five-year trailing average of opponents’ NET ranking must be 175 or less,

“(ii) no participation in road buy games,

“(iii) no regular season games against non-Division I opponents and

“(iv) no road games versus a non-conference opponent with a five-year trailing average of 200 NET.

It’s a much-needed move that’s central to a larger strategic plan designed to improve the basketball product and send more teams to the NCAA Tournament.

The change will force several programs to reduce the number of cupcakes played each November and December.

Non-conference games account for roughly one-third of each team’s schedule and are integral to shaping the power ratings for individual teams and the collective.

Victories over opponents in the bottom half of Division I provide no benefit to the Pac-12 in the NCAA Tournament selection process, while losses hurt the defeated team’s resume and undermine the entire conference.

The Pac-12 hinted the non-conference standards were coming last month when it announced the move to a 20-game conference schedule (starting with the 2020-21 season).

The accompanying news release noted:

“As part of the Pac-12’s new basketball strategic plan, the Conference will be discussing non-conference scheduling standards at its upcoming CEO meeting.”

The coaches and athletic directors have signed off on the plan.

The conference also announced Monday that it would extend the Student Athlete Health and Well-Being Initiative for five years at the current investment level of $3.6 million annually.

(The SAHWBI is one of the best things the conference does.)

The portion of the funding for mental health services on campus has been extended to $1.1 million.

*** The conference will no longer require athletes to lose a year of eligibility for intra-conference transfers.

The year-of-residency policy remains in place — transfers must sit out, but then get that year back, effectively.

The decision is “designed to provide student-athletes with a similar experience to any other student who decides to transfer.”

“The Pac-12 is committed to supporting our student-athletes on and off the field of play, and today’s decisions support this core mission,” DiStefano said.

“We are particularly proud of the leadership role that our Conference has played through our Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Initiative to bolster the existing programs we have on our campuses.

“The extension of this initiative and future support of the mental health will benefit student-athletes for many years to come.”

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