▁is ▁clear ▁that ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁the ▁North west ▁Inter col leg iate ▁Athlet ic ▁Association ▁had ▁become ▁mor ib und . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁officials ▁at ▁Whit man ▁College ▁called ▁a ▁conference ▁of ▁seven ▁primary ▁athlet ics - orient ed ▁univers ities ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁to ▁reform ▁a ▁new ▁inter col leg iate ▁athlet ics ▁association . ▁Each ▁school ▁was ▁represented ▁by ▁two ▁deleg ates ▁at ▁the ▁Wal la ▁Wal la ▁conference ▁— ▁one ▁representing ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁and ▁another ▁representing ▁the ▁student ▁body . ▁The ▁gather ing ▁was ▁attended ▁by ▁six ▁colleg es ▁— ▁Id aho , ▁Washington , ▁Washington ▁State , ▁Oregon , ▁Oregon ▁Agricult ural , ▁and ▁Whit man . ▁A ▁sevent h ▁institution , ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Mont ana , ▁was ▁apparently ▁invited ▁to ▁the ▁re organ iz ational ▁meeting ▁but ▁apparently ▁did ▁not ▁attend . ▁ ▁At ▁a ▁two - day ▁conference ▁in ▁Wal la ▁Wal la , ▁February ▁ 7 – 8 , ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁discuss ions ▁on ▁a ▁broad ▁range ▁of ▁topics ▁were ▁planned , ▁including ▁the ▁el ig ibility ▁of ▁those ▁particip ating ▁in ▁paid ▁summer ▁baseball , ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁combined ▁football ▁schedule , ▁and ▁establishment ▁of ▁regional ▁meets ▁for ▁track ▁and ▁field ▁and ▁debate . ▁R ules ▁for ▁athlet ic ▁participation ▁including ▁a ▁one - year ▁residence ▁requirement ▁and ▁four ▁year ▁total ▁of ▁el ig ibility ▁were ▁also ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁promoted ▁at ▁the ▁meeting ▁by ▁some