Daily Compliance Item- 4/30/13- 14.1.7.2.1.3, 14.1.7.2.6- Nontraditional Courses

Run N. Shoot is a football student-athlete at Ocean State University (OSU). He only has 2 courses left to take in the fall to fulfill his graduation requirements.  One of the courses must be taken over the Internet (nontraditional course).  As long as OSU certifies that Run is enrolled in the necessary courses to complete graduation requirements, can he compete during the fall 2013 semester while only being enrolled in two courses?

Yes with conditions.  NCAA Staff Interpretation- 4/26/13-  Use of Nontraditional Courses during Final Semester or Quarter (I) – states that a student-athlete may satisfy the final semester/quarter exception through enrollment in one or more nontraditional courses, provided the student-athlete is a regularly enrolled, degree-seeking student in the final semester or quarter of his or her degree program at the certifying institution and the institution certifies that the student-athlete is carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete degree requirements.

[References: NCAA Bylaws 14.1.6.1 (admission), 14.1.7.2.1.3 (final semester/quarter), 14.1.7.2.3 (concurrent courses at two institutions), 14.1.7.2.6 (nontraditional courses), 14.4.3.4.3 (nontraditional courses from another institution), and a staff interpretation (12/06/95, Item No. c), which has been archived]

Daily Compliance Item- 4/29/13- 14.1.10, 17.1.6.2.1.1.4, 17.1.6.2.1.1.4.1- Male Students Practicing in the Summer

Ocean State University women’s basketball program has 4-5 male students that have practiced with the team all year.  These male students have really helped the team, so the coaches would like the guys to practice with the team this summer as well.  Is this permissible?

Yes with conditions.  NCAA Interpretation- Staff Interpretation- 4/26/13-  Use of Male Students During Women’s Basketball Summer Athletic Activities (I) – states that  male students may participate in summer athletic activities with women’s basketball student-athletes, provided they are enrolled in summer school, or meet the academic requirements exception to enrollment, and are not receiving any form of financial assistance from the athletics department (e.g., compensation, financial aid).

[References: NCAA Division I Bylaws 14.1.10 (eligibility requirements for male student to practice with women’s teams), 17.1.6.2.1.1.4 (summer athletic activities — basketball) and 17.1.6.2.1.1.4.1 (exception to summer school enrollment — academic requirements — basketball)]

Daily Compliance Item- 4/26/13- Current Event

DI Legislative Council sets date and time for initial men’s basketball practice NCAA.org

The Division I Legislative Council adopted legislation that puts the start date for men’s basketball practice at 42 days before a school’s first regular-season game. The measure also limits teams to 30 days of practice in that 42-day period.   The Council adopted a separate proposal that eliminated the requirement that the first men’s basketball practice begin no earlier than 5 p.m. on the first allowable day, preferring to allow schools to exercise their own best judgment when considering appropriate start times for basketball practice. Both proposals will go into effect for the 2013 season.   The proposals had been tabled since April 2012, when the Legislative Council tabled the bulk of the proposals in that year’s cycle to allow the Rules Working Group to fulfill its charge of making the Division I rulebook more meaningful, enforceable and supportive of student-athlete success.   The Rules Working Group and thought leaders from the membership and the National Association of Men’s Basketball Coaches recommended adoption of the proposal. It creates a flexible preseason practice schedule that allows practice days and off days instead of the current schedule that leads to practice occurring every possible day. The more flexible approach provides coaches with the ability to determine how to use practice opportunities.   The original proposal allowed practice to start 40 days before the first game, but the Council members adjusted the rule to accommodate for celebratory events often planned around the first men’s basketball practice. Because a significant number of teams start playing games on the first day the rules allow it (the second Friday in November), the first day for practice would fall on a Sunday, which is not conducive to celebratory events on campus. Expanding the time period to 42 days allows the first practice to be held on a Friday. The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association expressed preference to maintain its current 40-day period as an expansion posed potential conflicts with a weekend when recruiting can occur.   In other business, the Council recommended the Board suspend Prop. No. RWG 13-3, which eliminated the rule banning certain modes of communication (including text messaging) and eliminated numerical limits on phone calls. More than 75 schools requested an override of the rule, requiring the Board to reconsider its earlier action. The Council believes the proposal should be suspended and considered as a group with three other recruiting-related proposals that were either suspended by the Board or referred for further discussion before adoption. The other proposals would: Set a uniform, earlier start date for recruiting communication and contact (Proposal No.RWG 13-2) Lift restrictions on printed recruiting materials ( Proposal No.RWG 13-5-A) Deregulate who can perform recruiting tasks. (Proposal No.RWG 11-2) The Board will consider the recommendation at its May 2 meeting in Indianapolis. Proposals adopted by the Council are considered final at the close of the Board meeting.

Daily Compliance Item- 4/25/13- 17.02.4, 17.02.8- Joint Practice at NCAA Championship

Two women’s tennis student-athletes at Ocean State University (OSU) have qualified for the NCAA Championships.  After arriving in the locale of the championship, the OSU coaches arranged for their student-athletes to practice with student-athletes at another institution.  Will this joint practice session count as a date of competition?

 

No.  NCAA Staff Interpretation- 10/26/94- Participation in Joint Practices at NCAA Championships- states that in individual sports (e.g., tennis), it is permissible for an institution’s team or individual student-athlete who is participating in an NCAA championship to engage in practice sessions during the championship with another institution’s team or individual student-athlete who also is participating in the championship without using a date of competition.

[References: 17.02.6 (date of competition, countable, institutional) and 17.02.7 (date of competition, countable, individual student-athlete), and IC 02/22/90, Item No. 1]

NCAA Bylaw 17.02.8 states that intercollegiate competition is considered to have occurred when a student-athlete in either a two-year or a four-year collegiate institution does any of the following: (Revised: 1/10/95)

(a) Represents the institution in any contest against outside competition, regardless of how the competition is classified (e.g., scrimmage, exhibition or joint practice session with another institution’s team) or whether the student is enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies; (Revised: 1/10/91)

(b) Competes in the uniform of the institution, or, during the academic year, uses any apparel (excluding apparel no longer used by the institution) received from the institution that includes institutional identification; or (Revised: 1/16/93, 1/11/94, 1/9/06)

(c) Competes and receives expenses (e.g., transportation, meals, room or entry fees) from the institution for the competition.

Daily Compliance Item- 4/24/13- 14.1.9- Regaining Elibility

Change Up is a softball student-athlete at Ocean State University (OSU).  Change was eligible at the start of the 2012-13 academic year but became ineligible for the spring 2013 semester because her GPA fell below the minimum requirement.  The softball team will still be competing after the conclusion of the spring semester.  Can Change begin participating in competition once the spring semester is over if she meets all NCAA progress toward degree requirements?

Yes with conditions.  NCAA Official Interpretation- 5/14/04- Certification of Eligibility at the End of the Academic Year- states that a student-athlete who was eligible for competition at the beginning of the academic year, but became ineligible at midyear, (e.g., due to failure to meet the six-hour requirement) could be certified as eligible at the end of the academic year for competition in a season already in progress (e.g., outdoor track and field, baseball) provided the student-athlete meets all applicable progress-toward-degree requirements to be eligible for competition during the subsequent fall term.

 

[References:  NCAA Bylaws 14.1.10 (change in eligibility status) and 14.4 (progress-toward-degree requirements); and a 4/27/89 official interpretation, Item No. 10]

Daily Compliance Item- 4/23/13- 14.6- All-Star Games

Slam Dunk is a senior prospect who will be enrolling at Ocean State University this fall on a full basketball scholarship.  The first day of classes for the fall semester is August 19th.  Slam has been invited to play in three all-star games this summer prior to enrolling.  Is it permissible for Slam to play in all three all-star competitions?

Currently, Bylaw 14.6 states that a student-athlete shall be denied the first year of intercollegiate athletics competition if, following completion of high school eligibility in the student-athlete’s sport and prior to the student-athlete’s high school graduation, the student-athlete competes in more than two all-star football contests or two all-star basketball contests.

WITH THE ADOPTION OF RWG-14-1, the legislation governing all-star games was eliminated.  Consequently there is no longer a two game limit for prospects, so in this scenario it would be permissible for Slam to participate in all three games.

This piece of legislation is effective August 1, 2013, so it will apply to all prospects that enroll at your institution on or after that date.  

Daily Compliance Item- 4/22/13- 13.1.6.2, 13.12.1.5- Conversations During Camp

Lock Down Corner is a junior football prospect that is interested in enrolling at Ocean State University (OSU) for the fall 2014 term.  Lock has not yet had an opportunity to visit campus and has only had limited conversations with the coaching staff.  Lock is going to attend one of OSU’s football camps this summer and would really like to spend some time during the camp speaking with the coaching staff and getting a tour of the whole campus. Is this permissible?

 No.  NCAA Official Interpretation- 4/19/13-  Recruiting Conversations at Camps and Clinics (I) – states that  a camp or clinic is considered an athletics competition or athletics event. Therefore, a host institution’s coaching staff member may not engage in recruiting activities (e.g., campus tours for recruiting purposes, meetings 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.

 [References: NCAA Division I Bylaws 13.1.6.2 (practice or competition site); 13.12.1.5 (recruiting calendar exceptions); and staff interpretations (10/02/92, Item No. b) and (03/25/13, Item No. a), which have been archived]

Daily Compliance Item- 4/19/13- Current Event

A little positive note on an otherwise volatile news day…

UMass football’s gesture to those impacted by Marathon blasts

USAToday.com

UMass is offering runners who participated in but were unable to finish Monday’s Boston Marathon the chance to “cross the finish line” during Saturday’s spring game as a way to honor those who were impacted by the blasts that occurred roughly 90 miles from the university’s campus.

Marathon runners will be able to run a lap around the football field at McGuirk Alumni Stadium and cross a “finish line” set up at the 50-yard line. Each runner’s name will be shown on the school’s video board as they take their lap around the field. The football program will also present each runner a gift on behalf of the university.

“Competing in the Boston Marathon is a lifetime achievement and something to be celebrated,” UMass coach Charley Molnar, an avid runner, said in a university release. “These runners deserve to finish what they started and we hope we can provide that for them. We want them to have that feeling of coming down the home stretch to the sound of applause and to have their friends and families greet them as they cross the line.”

In addition, the Minutemen will wear commemorative Boston Marathon stickers on the back of their helmets to recognize “those lost and injured in the bombing, the first responders at the scene and the marathon runners.”

The university issued a statement Monday regarding the bombings: “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were at the Boston Marathon and those who worked to help people in need in the aftermath of this terrible event.”

Daily Compliance Item- 4/18/13- 17.1.6.2- Final Exams

The Field Hockey coaches at Ocean State University are finalizing their conditioning and skill instruction  schedules for the remainder of the spring semester.  If none of the student-athletes have final exams on tuesday of exam week, is it permissible to conduct skill instruction sessions on that day?

No.  NCAA Bylaw 17.1.6.2 states that  in

(a) Sports Other Than Football.  Outside of the playing season, from the institution’s first day of classes of the academic year or September 15, whichever occurs earlier, to one week prior to the beginning of the institution’s final examination period at the conclusion of the academic year, only a student-athlete’s participation in required weight training, conditioning and skill-related instruction shall be permitted.  A student-athlete’s participation in such activities per Bylaw 17.02.1 shall be limited to a maximum of eight hours per week with not more than two hours per week spent on skill-related workouts.  All countable related activities outside the playing season are prohibited one week prior to the beginning of the final examination period for the applicable academic term through the conclusion of each student-athlete’s final exams.  (Revised:  4/27/06 effective 8/1/06, 9/22/06) (b) Bowl Subdivision Football.  [FBS]  Activities between the institution’s last contest and January 1 are limited to required weight training, conditioning and the review of game film.  A student-athlete’s participation in such activities shall be limited to a maximum of eight hours per week, of which not more than two hours per week may be spent on the viewing of film.  All activities beginning January 1 and outside the playing season shall be conducted pursuant to Bylaw 17.9.6.  (Revised:  12/15/06) (c) Championship Subdivision Football.  [FCS]  Activities between the institution’s last contest and the start of summer conditioning are limited to required weight training, conditioning and the review of game film.  A student-athlete’s participation in such activities shall be limited to a maximum of eight hours per week, of which not more than two hours per week may be spent on the viewing of film.  All activities beginning with the start of summer conditioning and outside the playing season shall be conducted pursuant to Bylaws 17.9.6.2 and 17.9.6.4.  (Revised:  12/15/06)

Daily Compliance Item- 4/17/18- 14.7.3.1- Editorial Revision

ER-2013-1

ELIGIBILITY — OUTSIDE COMPETITION, EFFECTS ON ELIGIBILITY — EXCEPTION IN ALL SPORTS — NATIONAL-TEAM CRITERIA

Status: Adopted – Final
Bylaws: Amend 14.7.3, as follows:

14.7.3 Exceptions — All Sports. The following exceptions to the outside-competition regulations are permitted:

[14.7.3-(a) through 14.7.3-(f) unchanged.]

14.7.3.1 National-Team Criteria. In applying the regulation permitting exceptions for student-athletes to participate during the institution’s intercollegiate season in international competition involving national teams represented in the competition, a national team is defined as one that meets the following criteria:

(a) It is selected, organized and sponsored by the appropriate Group A member of designated by the U.S. Olympic Committee, national governing body or other organizations recognized by the U. S. Olympic Committee (or, for student-athletes representing another nation, the equivalent organization of that nation, or, for student-athletes competing in a non-Olympic sport, the equivalent organization in that sport);

[14.7.3.1-(b) through 14.7.3.1-(c) unchanged.]

Source: NCAA Staff

Effective Date: Immediate

Proposal Category: Editorial

Topical Area: Eligibility

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History

Feb 26, 2013:	Submit; Submitted for consideration.
Apr 12, 2013:	Adopted; This revision updates the current language to reflect the current practice of selecting teams for national team competition.