Daily Compliance Item- 10.28.16- 13.4.1, 13.4.1.4- Questionnaires

The men’s basketball coaches at Ocean State University are very interested in Dub L. Dribble, a prospective student-athlete that just began his sophomore year. Since Dub has not yet reached the permissible age to receive recruiting correspondence, is it permissible for the coaches to send him a questionnaire?

Yes with conditions. NCAA Staff Interpretation- 10/27/16- Questionnaires for Prospective Student-Athletes Prior to the Permissible Date to Receive Recruiting Materials (I)- states that the content of questionnaires is left to institutional discretion. However, prior to the first permissible date to receive recruiting materials, questionnaires may not include any recruiting language intended to solicit a prospective student-athlete’s enrollment, including general information about the institution’s athletics programs. An institution, may however, include images of institutional or athletic facilities without any accompanying descriptions at any time. Lastly, there is no restriction on the size of questionnaires; however, at no time may questionnaires include a detachable portion (e.g., poster, postcard).

[References: Bylaws: 13.4.1 (recruiting materials and electronic correspondence — general rule), 13.4.1.1 (exception — men’s basketball), 13.4.1.2 (exception — men’s ice hockey), 13.4.1.4 (printing recruiting materials); and 02/11/1987 staff interpretation (Item No. 2-5(2), 01/27/2016 official interpretation (Item No. 1)]

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

The opinions expressed in the Daily Compliance Item are the author’s and the author’s alone, and are not endorsed by The COLONIAL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION or JumpForward. The Daily Compliance Item is not a substitute for a compliance office, case specific research, or the NCAA Bylaws. Do some homework, ask around, and get it right.

Daily Compliance Item 4/7/14- 13.4- General Correspondence

The baseball coaches at Ocean State University are gathering information to send to recruits.  They would like to send business cards and game programs to several individuals that have not yet been to the campus.  Is this permissible?   Yes with conditions.  NCAA Educational Column- 4/3/14-  Proposal No. 2013-27 Recruiting — Recruiting Materials and Electronic Correspondence (I) – states that  (Editor’s Note: This educational column is reflective of the Question and Answer Document in effect as of the adoption of the proposal January 19, 2014, except for Question Nos. 1 and 5 which have been subsequently clarified to avoid membership confusion. Additionally, Question No. 6 regarding envelopes has been added at the request of the membership.) this document contains questions and answers to assist the NCAA membership in its understanding of Proposal No. 2013-27 (recruiting materials and electronic correspondence).   Question No. 1: Is it permissible for business cards, game programs and pre-enrollment information to be provided to prospective student-athletes as general correspondence or attachments to general correspondence? Answer: Yes, provided they do not exceed the size restriction. Game programs would need to be provided unbound and each page would need to meet the size restriction.   Question No. 2: Does this proposal alter the legislation regarding video or audio material that may be provided to prospective student-athletes? Answer: No.   Question No. 3: Is it permissible for an institution to provide a prospective student-athlete with a digital-media storage device (e.g., CD, flash drive) that contains electronic versions of printed recruiting materials? Answer: No. Bylaw 13.2.1 prohibits institutions from providing any tangible items to prospective student-athletes that are not printed recruiting materials. Electronic versions of printed material and digital media (e.g., video and audio material) may be provided to prospective student-athletes via electronic correspondence.   Question No. 4: Is it permissible for an institution to provide a prospective student-athlete with printed material that produce sounds when opened (e.g., greeting cards that play a fight song or recorded message)? Answer: No. Such items are not considered printed materials. Permissible digital media (e.g., video and audio material) may be provided to prospective student-athletes via electronic correspondence.   Question No. 5: May an institution provide a prospective student-athlete with posters, magnets, bound media guides and other similar items (e.g., Fathead wall graphic)? Answer: No. The proposal specifically limits the permissible printed material that may be provided to prospective student-athletes. In addition, Bylaw 13.2.1 prohibits institutions from providing any tangible items to prospective student-athletes that are not printed recruiting materials, such as magnets and wall graphics. An unbound media guide may be provided as general correspondence or an attachment to general correspondence provided each unbound page meets the size restriction.   Question No. 6: May an institution provide general correspondence in a clear envelope? Answer: Yes. The size restriction is the only restriction regarding envelopes.