Division II corps will have an easier time making the transition to Division I in future years, according to a decision made by the Drum Corps International board of directors this past weekend in Rosemont, Ill.Corps can now opt to undertake a limited touring schedule as opposed to a six- or eight-week full-blown tour, which can create a financial difficulties for newer corps. The first corps to benefit from this new, limited touring schedule status will be the Mandarins of Sacramento, Calif. The Mandarins qualified for Division I based on the high scores it made during finals week in August in Madison, Wis. However, the Mandarins' leadership elected to opt for the abbreviated schedule due to the financial strains that a full, six- or eight-week tour puts on a corps. "This creates an opportunity for a corps like the Mandarins to take the first step in the direction of becoming a member corps," said Drum Corps International executive director Dan Acheson. "It gives Drum Corps International the flexibility to schedule a corps in Division I events without creating an environment where a corps overextends its resources. It's something that was motivated by a handful of Division II corps looking for opportunities to participate at the Division I level," Acheson said.Drum Corps International operations director Wayne Leide said that the board was looking to the future in approving the limited schedule. "I thought it was great that the board of directors would be responsive to the continuing evolution of the activity," Leide said.