Weekly Education
5/01/13
As a reminder to coaches!
Per Bylaw 13.4.1.4, Institutional Staff members (including athletics staff members) may respond to a prospective student-athlete's letter or electronic mail requesting information from an institution's athletics department prior to the permissible date on which an institution may begin to provide recruiting materials to a prospective student-athlete, provided the written response does not include information that would initiate the recruitment of the prospective student-athlete or information related to the institution's athletics program (e.g., the reply contains an explanation of Current NCAA legislation or a referral to the admissions department).
4/22/13
Official Interpretation
Recruiting Conversations at Camps and Clinics (1)
Date Published; April 19, 2013
The committee confirmed that a camp or clinic is considered an athletics competition or athletic event. Therefore, a host institution's coaching staff member may NOT engage in recruiting activities (e.g. campus tours for recruiting purposes, meeting with faculty members, complimentary admissions, extending written offers or aid) other than recruiting conversations with prospective student-athletes participating in the institution's camp or clinic until after the completion of the camp or clinic. Any recruiting activities that occur after completion of the camp or clinic are subject to applicable recruiting calendar restrictions.
3/23/12
The academic and membership affairs staff determined that required conditioning activities outside the playing season may not include contact-related drills or activities (e.g., wrestling, combative activities, blocking drills). Further, the staff determined that the use of training or resistance sleds in required conditioning activities is permissible, provided such equipment is not related to the sport (e.g., blocking sleds in football).
3/15/2012
The academic and membership affairs staff determined it is not permissible for an institution to send an impermissible form of electronically transmitted correspondence (e.g., text message, instant message) to the parent or legal guardian of a women's basketball prospective student-athlete who serves on the staff of his or her daughter's nonscholastic team unless the individual also serves as a head coach of his or her daughter's scholastic team and the electronic transmission is unrelated to recruitment of his or her daughter.
3/12/2012
The committee confirmed that an institution is not permitted to certify that a student-athlete's institutional financial aid is unrelated in any degree to athletics ability if the student-athlete's athletics participation or achievements are criteria specifically requested as part of the application process for such aid. An institution may certify that the student-athlete's aid is unrelated in any degree to athletics ability (even if the student-athlete lists athletics participation or achievements as part of his or her extracurricular activities), provided such factors were not specifically requested as part of the application process and were not taken into consideration in awarding the institutional aid to the student-athlete
3/1/2012
Donations to Outside Sports Clubs or Training Centers (I)
NCAA Division I institutions should note that it is not permissible for a member institution or a member institution's booster club to sponsor or make a donation, directly or indirectly, to an outside sports club or training center (e.g., amateur club team, Olympic training center) that involves a student-athlete from that institution or any prospective student-athletes. Further, it is not permissible to provide the names of representatives of the institution's athletics interests to an outside sports club or training center participants for the purpose of soliciting donations. However, it is permissible for a representative of the institution's athletics interests to donate to an outside sports club or training center, provided the representative acts independently of the institution, the funds are distributed through channels established by the organization conducting the fundraising activity and the funds are not earmarked directly for a specific student-athlete or prospective student-athlete.
02/14/12
NCAA Division I institutions should note that an institution may not buy or arrange an athletically-related advertisement (e.g., advertising availability of season tickets, institutional camps) in conjunction with an athletics event involving prospective student-athletes, regardless of whether the advertisement directly solicits the enrollment of prospective student-athletes.
The recruiting advertisements legislation applies to all forms of media (e.g., facility signage, printed materials, broadcast or electronic media) and applies to all athletics events, regardless of whether the event is a competitive event. Therefore, the legislation prohibits advertisements in conjunction with both scholastic and nonscholastic competition, as well as advertisements in conjunction with events such as banquets honoring prospective student-athletes' academic and athletics achievements and fundraising events for high school athletics departments.
However, the publication of nonathletics institutional advertisements or promotional material in conjunction with an athletics event involving prospective student-athletes is permissible, provided the institution's athletics department is not involved in the advertisement or promotional activities and the advertisements or promotional materials do not contain athletics information. Funds generated by the purchase of nonathletics institutional advertisements or promotional materials may not be used for the benefit of a high school or two-year college's athletics program and the institution must document the cost of the advertising and promotional activities.
12/21/11
Official Interpretation
The committee determined that field or facility preparation or maintenance that is performed by a student-athlete, related to practice or competition and required, supervised or monitored by a coaching staff member is not a countable athletically related activity.
[References: NCAA Division I Bylaws 17.02.1 (countable athletically related activities), 17.1.6.1 (daily and weekly hour limitations -- playing season), 17.1.6.2 (weekly hour limitations -- outside the playing season); and a staff interpretation (10/20/11, Item No. a), which has been archived]
12/21/11
Pursuant to the nontraditional courses legislation, a student-athlete may use nontraditional courses to meet the full-time enrollment requirement to be eligible for competition. The following questions and answers may assist the membership in applying the legislation:
Question No. 1: What is "term time?"
Answer: "Term time" refers to the divisions of the academic year (e.g., semesters, quarters, trimesters) and is also referred to as a regular academic term.
Question No. 2: Does the nontraditional courses legislation limit the number of nontraditional courses in which a student-athlete may enroll during a regular academic term?
Answer: No. Such a determination would be made by institutional policies applicable to all students and any applicable conference rules.
Question No. 3: If a student-athlete is enrolled in a nontraditional course that is being used to meet the full-time enrollment requirement and the student-athlete completes the nontraditional course within the first month of the regular academic term, would the student-athlete be considered full time for the remainder of the term?
Answer: Yes, provided the nontraditional course was completed in accordance with institutional policy.Â
Question No. 4: Does "regular enrollment periods" refer to periods in which students at the offering institution enroll in traditional (e.g., taught in a typical, face-to-face classroom environment) courses?
Answer: Yes. The student-athlete must enroll in nontraditional courses at the same time he or she enrolls in traditional courses, if the nontraditional courses are to be used. Therefore, if a student-athlete dropped or withdrew from a traditional course in the middle of a term and enrolled in a nontraditional course, he or she could not use the nontraditional course for full-time enrollment or to meet progress-toward-degree requirements unless any student was permitted to enroll in a nontraditional course at that point in the term.Â
Question No. 5: May a nontraditional course that is completed over the course of an entire academic year be used to meet the minimum full-time enrollment requirement?
Answer: The legislation requires that the course be conducted during the institution's regular academic term in accordance with the institution’s academic calendar and applicable policies and procedures. Therefore, such a course could be used to meet the minimum full-time enrollment requirement only if the institution offers similar traditional courses that span the entire academic year and the other criteria of the legislation are met.
[References: NCAA Division I Bylaws 14.1.8.2 (requirement for competition) and 14.1.8.2.6 (nontraditional courses)]
Notice about Educational Columns: Educational columns and hot topics are intended to assist the membership with the correct application of legislation and/or interpretations by providing clarifications, reminders and examples. They are based on legislation and official and staff interpretations applicable at the time of publication. Therefore, educational columns and hot topics are binding to the extent that the legislation and interpretations on which they are based remain applicable. Educational columns are posted on a regular basis to address a variety of issues and hot topics are posted as necessary in order to address timely issues.
12/7/11
NCAA Bylaw 11.4.2 Advisory -- NCAA Enforcement Basketball Staff (I)
Educational Column:
Any questions related to the issues noted within this educational column should be directed to the men's basketball enforcement staff.
On October 29, 2009, as part of its plan to address current issues in men's basketball recruiting, the NCAA Board of Directors sponsored legislative proposal 2009-99. This proposal, adopted by the membership as NCAA Bylaw 11.4.2, and effective January 16, 2010, states:
In men's basketball, during a two-year period before a prospective student-athlete's anticipated enrollment and during a two-year period after the prospective student-athlete's actual enrollment, an institution shall not employ (or enter into a contract for future employment) an individual associated with a prospective student-athlete in any athletics department noncoaching staff position or in a strength and conditioning staff position.
This legislation was adopted due to the growing practice of hiring individuals whose primary value to an institution was the connection to specific prospective student-athletes to increase the likelihood of the involved prospective student-athletes' enrollment at the institution.
An individual associated with a prospective student-athlete (IAWP) is defined in Bylaw 13.02.17 as follows:
Any person who maintains (or directs others to maintain) contact with the prospective student-athlete, the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians, or coaches at any point during the prospective student-athlete's participation in basketball, and whose contact is directly or indirectly related to either the prospective student-athlete's athletics skills and abilities or the prospective student-athlete's recruitment by or enrollment in an NCAA institution. This definition includes but is not limited to parents, legal guardians, handlers, personal trainers and coaches.
It has come to the attention of the NCAA enforcement staff that there is confusion in the membership regarding the application of Bylaw 11.4.2 to college coaches. By definition, an NCAA, a two-year college or an NAIA coach could trigger IAWP status by performing coaching-related responsibilities relative to any prospective student-athlete with whom the coach has been associated as a result of the following:
- Currently enrolled student-athletes coached at a previous institution;
- Prospective student-athletes recruited by the coach to his previous institution; and
- Associations with pre- and post-secondary scholastic entities.
As a result, please be advised that the legislation set forth in Bylaw 11.4.2 has been and is applicable to the employment of such individuals. Therefore, if an institution hires a former NCAA, two-year college or NAIA coach in a noncoaching staff position or as a strength and conditioning coach within the specified two-year window, all prospective student-athlete's that trigger IAWP status for the individual are permanently ineligible for competition at the institution.
In order to ensure that noncoaching staff hires are in compliance with NCAA legislation, please work closely with your men's basketball staff. Any additional questions may be addressed to the conference office or the enforcement basketball staff at the national office.
11/21/11
4-4 Transfer -- Fulfillment of Nonqualifier Residency Requirement for Practice and Financial Aid (I)
Interpretation:
The academic and membership affairs staff determined that a nonqualifier who attends two four-year institutions during his or her first year of enrollment (e.g., one semester at each, one quarter at one and two quarters at the other) may combine the terms of enrollment at the two institutions to fulfill the one-year residence requirement for practice and athletically related financial aid.
11/9/2011
Interpretation:
The academic and membership affairs staff confirmed that the maximum number of permissible off-campus contacts used by an institution for a multisport prospective student-athlete may not exceed the specific limit set forth in the contact legislation for the particular sport. For example, if an institution's football coach and track coach contact a prospective student-athlete, the institution uses only one institutional contact; however, the track coach may not engage in more than three off-campus contacts, even if the coach makes contact on the same day as the football coach. Further, if the football coach already has contacted the prospective student-athlete on five occasions, the track coach only has one remaining contact.
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11/8/2011
Prospective Student-Athlete Participating in Promotional Activities During Summer Prior to Initial Enrollment (I)
Interpretation:
The academic and membership affairs staff determined that a prospective student-athlete who officially registers, enrolls and attends classes at the certifying institution during the summer prior to initial enrollment may participate in a promotional activity.
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Information Related to the Academic Changes Adopted by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors at the October Meeting.
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10/20/2011
Student-Athlete Performing Required Work other than Regular Employment (I)
Interpretation:
The academic and membership affairs staff confirmed that any work performed by a student-athlete (e.g., field or facility preparation for practice or competition) that is required, supervised or monitored by a coaching staff member (including strength and conditioning coaches) or noncoaching staff member with sports specific responsibilities, other than regular employment in accordance with NCAA employment legislation, is a countable athletically related activity.
7/7/11
The academic and membership affairs staff determined that a prospective student-athlete from a country with multiple tiers of secondary education, who successfully completes the initial tier of secondary education in his or her home country [e.g., General Certificate of Secondary Education in the United Kingdom] within the timeframe prescribed for completion by the country’s ministry of education, and subsequently graduates from a secondary school in another country, including the United States, shall be permitted to advance his or her graduation date by one year.
The countries for which this policy applies are all multitiered leaving exam countries. This includes, but is not limited to, the United Kingdom; the University of Cambridge international exam program; New Zealand; Quebec, Canada; Scotland; the Caribbean exam countries and British patterned Africa.
6/22/11
Social Media Fact Sheet
Any questions on Social Media?? Read through the Fact Sheet for more information!
6/3/11
The academic and membership affairs staff confirmed that an institution may make off-campus, in-person contact with a prospective student-athlete beginning July 1 following completion of his or her junior year even if the prospect will repeat the junior year; however, once the prospect begins classes as a junior for the following academic year, no further contact may occur until July 1 following the academic year or the first day of classes of the prospective student-athlete’s senior year, whichever is earlier.
5/27/11
The committee determined that an institution may publicize off-campus preseason practice activities that are conducted at a single designated site, provided the institution normally conducts preseason practice activities at that particular site.
5/23/11
The academic and membership affairs staff confirmed that an institution may provide those persons accompanying the prospective student-athlete on an unofficial visit with transportation only to view off-campus practice and competition sites in the prospective student-athlete's sport and other institutional facilities.
5/16/11
May 13, 2011
The academic and membership affairs staff determined that during an official or unofficial visit, a prospective student-athlete may participate in recreational activities in a facility (on- or off-campus) that is not open to the general public (e.g., campus recreation center, golf course, swimming pool), provided such activities are not organized or observed by members of the athletics department coaching staff (including strength and conditioning coaches) and are not designed to test the athletics abilities of the prospective student-athlete. Further, in situations in which there is a fee associated with the use of the facility (e.g., guest fee at a private facility used by the institution for practice or competition, admission fee for open swim session at institutional recreation center), a prospective student-athlete shall pay the going rate associated with the use of that facility.
5/09/11
May 2, 2011
The academic and membership affairs staff confirmed that a four-year college student-athlete who has received written permission to contact another NCAA institution is considered a senior prospective student-athlete. Therefore, such an individual may not be employed (either on a salaried or volunteer basis) at an institutional football camp. In sports other than football, such an individual may not be employed at an institutional camp (either on a salaried or volunteer basis) if he or she is being recruited by that institution or if he or she was a high school, preparatory-school or two-year college athletics award winner.
05/03/11
Q. Is Skype considered to be a "telephone call" for recruiting purposes to speak with a prospective student-athlete?
A. Bylaw 13.02.15 states that all electronically transmitted human voice exchange (including videoconferencing and videophones) shall be considered telephone calls.Pursuant to Bylaw 13.1.3.2.2, if a prospective student-athlete initiates and pays the expenses of a telephone call (or videoconference), the call is not considered a countable telephone call.
05/03/11
NCAA Bylaw 16.8.1 -- Permissible Practice Expenses (I)
Date Published: 3/28/11
Educational Column:
NCAA Division I institutions should note that as set forth in NCAA Bylaw 16.8.1.1, a member institution may provide a student-athlete expenses for practice sessions only if they are associated with an away-from-home contest or conducted at a site located within the member institution's state or, if outside that state, no more than 100 miles from the institution's campus.
Further, pursuant to Bylaw 16.8.1.1.1, any practice on an extended road trip shall take place either at the competition site or on a direct route between two consecutive competition sites. It is not permissible for an institution to schedule practice sessions at other locations in order to provide entertainment opportunities for team members.
For example, traditional winter or spring trips to warm-weather locations (that involve significant travel outside the institution's state) must include actual competition, as listed on the institution's official schedule, in order for the institution to provide student-athletes any expenses (e.g., transportation, lodging and meals) for the trip.
In the sports of men's and women's skiing and women's rowing, a member institution may transport a team to a practice site beyond the mileage limitations of Bylaw 16.8.1.1 if necessitated by weather conditions. In women's rowing, if such practice activities are conducted during an institution's academic term, the practice activities shall occur only at a site located within the member institution's state or, if outside the state, no more than 200 miles from the institution's campus. All practice activities must be within the institution's declared playing and practice season in women's rowing.
Finally, in swimming and diving, a member institution may provide expenses to practice at the closest available site that includes a diving platform beyond the mileage limitations of Bylaw 16.8.1.1 if the institution does not have access to a diving platform therein. Student-athletes must not miss class time for these practice activities.
The following questions and answers are designed to assist the Division I membership with the application of this legislation.
Question No. 1: May a golf team with an away-from-home tournament outside the mileage limitations of Bylaw 16.8.1.1 practice the day before at another golf course in the locale of the competition site?
Answer: Yes, practice can occur within the immediate locale of where the institution's team is residing while within a 100-mile radius of the team's competition site.
Question No. 2: May a golf team from Indiana competing in multiple tournaments on a spring break trip in Florida stop while traveling to practice at a course in Atlanta?
Answer: No, a practice on an extended road trip must take place either at the competition site or on a direct route between the two consecutive competition sites. It is not permissible for an institution to schedule practice sessions at other locations in order to provide entertainment opportunities for team members.
Question No. 3: May an institution provide expenses for its women's rowing team to practice at a site 150 miles from the institution due to an ice storm?
Answer: Yes, practice activities may occur outside the mileage limitations of Bylaw 16.8.1.1 if necessitated by weather. The practice activities must be within the institution's declared playing and practice season.
Question No. 4: May an institution without a diving platform transport its diving student-athletes that will participate in platform diving to a facility 400 miles from campus?
Answer: Yes, provided that facility is the closest available site that includes a platform, and no class time is missed by the student-athletes participating in the practice session.
05/03/11
March 14, 2007
The committee confirmed that it is permissible for a institution's Web site or an athletics department staff member's personal Web site (or personal page on any site) to include information related to the institution's athletics programs, subject to the restrictions applicable to an institution's athletics Web site. For example, in order to include any recruiting material, highlight videos or information related to prospects on an athletics department staff member's personal site, it must be permissible to include such material and information on the institution's athletics Web site. Further, it is not permissible for an institution's Web site or an athletics department staff member's personal Web site (or personal page on any site) to include a hyperlink to the Web site of a recruiting/scouting service or a noninstitutional publication that reports primarily on the institution's athletics program.  Finally, it is permissible for general informational video content related to an institution's athletics programs to appear on institutional Web sites (athletics and nonathletics) and personal Web sites of athletics department staff members, provided such content is generally accessible to the general public (e.g., not included in a separate recruiting section) and is not created for recruiting purposes.
