Here's a article that's on CHN talking to the Ron Wilson head coach at RIT.
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2015/03/13_rit,_atlantic_ready_for_future.php
Two things stood out in the article.
From what I understand is that for a school to play NCAA D1 hockey now, they have to be a NCAA D1 school. There are NCAA D2 schools that are playing right now in NCAA D3 hockey pretty much as club teams. They can't play D1 and can't play in the D3 hockey post season.
The NCHC can benefit from the "big name" schools even if it might be a stepping stone to their main conference adding hockey. Schools like Arizona State might put money to hockey like Minnesota, Michigan, and Penn State.