Daily Compliance Item- 1.31.17- 13.15.2.1- Expenses for Initial Eligibility Paperwork

The Ocean State University (OSU) academic advisors within the athletic department want to make sure all the new football signees are on track with meeting NCAA initial eligibility standards. They would like to review the signees’ transcripts and test scores, so they ask the guidance counselors at each of the prospects’ high schools for this information. So there is not a delay in receiving these documents, is it permissible for OSU pay for express delivery charges for the high schools?

Yes with conditions. NCAA Bylaw 13.15.2.1 states that an institution may pay fees or provide expenses in the following situations related to a prospective student-athlete’s academic evaluation or test scores: (Adopted: 1/10/90, Revised: 10/20/14)
(a) A fee required by the appropriate testing agency to obtain a prospective student-athlete’s official ACT or SAT scores

(b) Expenses (e.g., document fees, express delivery charges) to obtain information or receive documents that are necessary to certify or evaluate the academic standing of a prospective student-athlete (e.g., transcripts, translation of transcripts); or

(c) Expenses (e.g., transcript fee, express delivery charges) for a prospective student-athlete’s institution to send his or her academic transcript to the Eligibility Center or for his or her ACT or SAT score to be sent from the testing agency to the Eligibility Center, provided the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution has received his or her financial deposit in response to its offer of admission.

Jennifer M. Condaras
Deputy Commissioner, NCAA Relations & Administration
Colonial Athletic Association

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