Daily Compliance Item- 12.5.13- 13.02.5.2.2- Dead Period Contact

Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Ocean State University (OSU) will be staying at his brother’s house for Christmas.  One of OSU’s NLI signees lives in the same town as the coach’s brother.  Is it permissible for the coach to go see the signee at the signee’s house on Christmas Eve to say hello and happy holidays?

Please Note:  Men’s Basketball is in a dead period from December 24-26.

Yes.  NCAA Bylaw 13.02.5.2.2 states that a prospective student-athlete is no longer subject to the application of a dead period after one of the following events occurs:  (Adopted: 1/16/10 effective 8/1/10, Revised: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11, 1/19/13 effective 8/1/13, 11/25/13)

(a) The prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent (NLI) or the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid; or

(b) The institution receives a financial deposit in response to the institution’s offer of admission.

Daily Compliance Item- 12/4/13- 14.1.7.1.1.1- Prospect Reviewing Film

Lay Up is a senior in high school and has been recruited by Ocean State University (OSU) to play basketball next year.  Lay lives in the locale of the campus and would like to attend a few of OSU’s practices in two weeks as they begin preparations for its upcoming holiday tournament.  Lay is eager to learn OSU’s offensive system, so he contacted one of the coaches and asked if he could review film with him after one of the practices.

Is it permissible for the coach to review film with Lay?

No.  NCAA Bylaw 14.1.7.1.1.1 states that a prospective student-athlete shall not engage in any practice activities (e.g., review of playbook, chalk talk, film review) with a coaching staff member prior to his or her enrollment. A prospective student-athlete who has signed a National Letter of Intent or the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid, or has submitted a financial deposit to the institution in response to the institution’s offer of admission shall not observe an institution’s off-field or off-court practice session (e.g., meeting, film review) that is closed to the general public. A prospective student-athlete may observe an institution’s on-field or on-court practice session (including a session that is closed to the general public), regardless of whether he or she has signed a National Letter of Intent or the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid, or has submitted a financial deposit to the institution in response to the institution’s offer of admission.  (Adopted: 12/12/06, Revised: 3/3/11, 5/30/13)

Daily Compliance Item- 12/2/13- 16.11.2.2- Cyber Monday

Back Door, a women’s basketball student-athlete at Ocean State University, wants to take advantage of a “Cyber Monday” sale.  Her team is playing on the road tonight, and she does not have her credit cards with her to make the purchase.  The sport administrator traveling with the team offers to let Back use her credit card to take advantage of the sale, and Back will pay her tomorrow.

Is it permissible for the sport administrator to allow the student-athlete to use her credit card to make the purchase since she will be reimbursed tomorrow?

No.  NCAA Bylaw 16.11.2.2 states that an institutional employee or representative of the institution’s athletics interests may not provide a student-athlete with extra benefits or services, including, but not limited to: [R]

(a) A loan of money;

(b) A guarantee of bond;

(c) An automobile or the use of an automobile;

(d) Transportation (e.g., a ride home with a coach), except as permitted in Bylaw 16.9.1, even if the student-athlete reimburses the institution or the staff member for the appropriate amount of the gas or expense; or

(e)  Signing or co-signing a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan.

Daily Compliance Item- 11/26/13- 16.12.1- Lodging Expenses for an International Student-Athlete

Ocean State University (OSU) men’s basketball student-athletes have the following schedule during the upcoming Christmas vacation period:

Required to remain on campus for practice until December 15th.

Permitted to go home from December 15th – December 22nd.

Return to campus December 23rd for holiday tournament

There are two international student-athletes on the team that are unable to go home during the break, and the dorms will be closed during that time.  Can OSU provide expenses for the international student-athletes to stay in a hotel from December 15th – 22nd while the team is not required to remain on campus?

Yes.  An 11/21/2000 previously approved incidental expense waiver allowed an an institution to provide expenses for meals and lodging for international student-athletes from December 15 to December 22.  There were no members of the men’s basketball team who resided within driving distance of the university and who could host the student-athlete during that time period.

Daily Compliance Item- 11/25/13- 14.4.3.1.2- Credit Hours for Transfers

Kukka Burra is a field hockey student-athlete at Bay State College.  Kukka will be transferring to Ocean State University in January, making her a 4-4 transfer.  She attended Bay State College for a total of 3 full-time semesters.  How many hours will Kukka need to have completed when she enrolls at Ocean State University in January?

1. 6 hours
2. 24 hours
3. 30 hours
4. There are no credit hour requirements for transfers

The answer is 3.  NCAA Bylaw 14.4.3.1.2 states that to be eligible for competition, a transfer student-athlete must meet the following credit-hour requirements based on attendance at the previous institution(s) for the specified time and may use any hours of academic credit earned at any collegiate institution: (Adopted: 10/31/02 effective 8/1/03 for those student-athletes first entering a collegiate institution full time on or after 8/1/03, Revised: 5/12/05)

(a) Equivalent of one semester/one quarter:  six-semester or six-quarter hours of academic credit;

(b) Equivalent of one academic year (e.g., two semesters/ three quarters):  24-semester or 36-quarter hours of academic credit;

(c) Equivalent of three semesters/four quarters:  30-semester or 42-quarter hours of academic credit; or

(d) Equivalent of four semesters/six quarters and thereafter:  six-semester or six-quarter hours of academic credit during the previous term of full-time enrollment, if applicable (see Bylaw 14.4.3.1.2.1).

This legislation is specific to Division I.  For Division II, NCAA Bylaw 14.4.3.1 states that eligibility for competition shall be based on the following requirements:  (Revised: 1/10/92)

(a) Satisfactory completion of six-semester or six-quarter hours of academic credit the preceding regular academic term in which the student-athlete has been enrolled full time at any collegiate institution; and  (Adopted: 1/12/04 effective immediately following the institution’s 2005 fall term; thus, applicable to hours earned during the 2005 fall term)

(b) For a midyear transfer student-athlete, for a student-athlete following the student-athlete’s first academic year in residence or after the student-athlete has used one season of eligibility in any sport at the certifying institution, the certification shall be determined by the student-athlete’s academic record in existence at the beginning of the fall term or at the beginning of any other regular term of that academic year, based on:

(1) Satisfactory completion before each fall term of a cumulative total of academic semester or quarter hours equivalent to an average of at least 12-semester or quarter hours during each of the previous academic terms in academic years in which the student-athlete has been enrolled in a term or terms; or

(2) Satisfactory completion of 24-semester or 36-quarter hours of academic credit since the beginning of the previous fall term or since the beginning of the certifying institution’s preceding regular two semesters or three quarters.

Daily Compliance Item- 11/21/13- 13.14.3- Subscription to a Scouting Service

Which of the following is true with regard to a scouting/recruiting service?

A.  Institution has subscribed to a scouting/recruiting service when a staff members registers to access information only available to paid subscribers.

B.  Institution has subscribed to a scouting/recruiting service when a staff member registers to access information only available to a select group of individuals– regardless if there is a cost.

C.  Institution has subscribed to a scouting/recruiting service when a staff member registers to access information even if the same information is available to the general public at no cost.

D.  Both A & B are true.

 

 

The answer is D.  NCAA Staff Interpretation- 11/14/13- Subscribing to a Recruiting or Scouting Service (I) – states that  an institution is considered to have subscribed to a recruiting or scouting service when a staff member registers to access information provided by the service only to paid subscribers or registers to access information available only to a select group of individuals (e.g., coaches), regardless of whether a charge is associated with accessing the information. However, an institution is not considered to have subscribed to a recruiting or scouting service if a staff member registers to access information about prospective student-athletes from a service that provides the same information to the general public at no cost.

 

References: NCAA Division I Bylaws 13.14.3 (recruiting or scouting services); 13.14.3.1 (basketball and football); 13.14.3.2 (sports other than basketball and football); 13.14.3.3 (subscription limited to approved services – basketball and football); and staff interpretation (04/01/11, Item No. a)]

Daily Compliance Item- 11/18/13- 16.8- Travel Expenses for Competition

Ocean State University (OSU)  travel coordinator has begun researching travel options for the football, men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes that will be traveling to and from campus during the Christmas vacation period due to participation in competitions.  If some of the student-athletes choose to go home after the competition instead of returning to campus, can OSU pay those expeneses?

With the adoption of RWG-16-7, an institution may use its discretion to determine if actual and necessary expenses are incidental to a student-athlete’s participation in practice and competition activities, including travel expenses for a student-athlete that does not use team transportation.  NCAA Educational Column- 11/14/13-  Travel Expenses for Practice and Competition (I) – states that  NCAA Division I member institutions should note that, with the adoption of NCAA Division I Proposal No. RWG-16-7, an institution may provide actual and necessary expenses to a student-athlete to represent the institution in practice and competition, including travel expenses incidental to practice or competition. This provides member institutions flexibility when determining which travel expenses may be reasonably considered incidental to practice or competition, including expenses for student-athletes who do not travel with the team to or from competition during vacation periods (e.g., travel from the competition site to home prior to returning to campus) and travel to the institution for purposes of engaging in required practice activities after the student-athlete’s initial arrival on campus for the academic year. Institutions should note the following specific limitations when applying the legislation governing travel for practice or competition:

1. To receive competition-related expenses, the student-athlete must be eligible for the away-from-home competition, even if practice activities will also be associated with the travel.

2. An institution may provide travel expenses only if the student-athlete actually incurs such expenses.

3. Travel expenses must be based on the transportation actually used by the student-athlete.

4. An institution may not provide expenses for a prospective student-athlete’s initial arrival at the institution except for transportation from the nearest bus or train station or major airport to the campus. A continuing student-athlete may not receive expenses for his or her initial arrival at the institution for each academic year.

5. In bowl subdivision football, an institution may not provide expenses to a student-athlete who is a midyear enrollee (freshman or transfer) for participation in a postseason bowl game that occurs before or during the student-athlete’s initial term of full-time enrollment at the institution.

Finally, an institution may not provide a student-athlete cash for anticipated travel expenses unless the amount provided does not exceed the student-athlete’s actual travel costs and institutional policies and procedures applicable to all student-athletes permit providing cash for travel expenses prior to the student-athlete incurring the expense.

 

[References: NCAA Division I Bylaws 13.5.4 (transportation to enroll or to attend required orientation), 16.8 (expenses provided by the institution for practice and competition), 16.8.1 (permissible), 16.8.1.1 (incidental expenses at NCAA championships, national governing body championships in emerging sports and postseason bowl games), 16.8.2 (nonpermissible), 16.8.2.1 (expenses for participation in postseason bowl games – midyear enrollee – bowl subdivision football) and 16.11.2.2 (other prohibited benefits)]

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.

Daily Compliance Item- 11/14/13- 11.6.1, 17.5.5.1.1- Scouting at Qualifying Multi-Team Event

The Ocean State University women’s basketball team is participating in a qualifying multi-team event this month in Las Vegas.  While they are not playing, they would like to scout the other teams.  Is this permissible?

Yes with conditions.  NCAA Edcuational Column- 11/16/07- Qualifying Regular-Season Multiple-Team Events — Scouting Limitations and Participation Awards (I)- states that in basketball, off-campus, in-person scouting of opponents is prohibited, except as provided in NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1.1, which states that an institution may pay the expenses for a member of its basketball coaching staff to attend a regular-season or postseason tournament, or a double-header event in which the institution’s team is a participant.  Under such circumstances, the individual may scout future opponents also participating in the same tournament or double-header event at the same site without being subject to the scouting prohibition in Bylaw 11.6.1.

NCAA Division I institutions should note that members of the coaching staff are permitted to scout a future opponent competing in the same qualifying regular-season multiple-team event at the same site as their institution’s team even if the qualifying regular-season multiple-team event is not conducted in a traditional tournament format (e.g., single-elimination format in which a winner is declared at the conclusion of the event).  However, a member of the institution’s coaching staff, would not be permitted to travel to a different site that is hosting competition for the same qualifying regular-season multiple-team event in which the coach’s team is participating in order scout future opponents (even if none of the teams participating at the other site are on the institution’s schedule at the time of the event).

Lastly, it is permissible to provide special-event participation awards to student-athletes participating in a qualifying regular-season multiple-team event.  Such awards must be provided by either the institution or the management of the qualifying regular-season multiple-team event and must be limited to a $350 value.

[References: NCAA Bylaws 11.6 (limitations on scouting of opponents), 11.6.1.1 (regular-season tournaments, double-header events or postseason tournaments), 16.1.4.1 (participation awards) and 17.5.5.1.1 (qualifying regular-season multiple-team event)]

Daily Compliance Item- 11/13/13- 16.6.1.6- Institutional Awards Banquet

Ocean State University will be hosting its annual end of the year women’s soccer banquet in December.  Corn R. Kick, a sophomore student-athlete on the team, will be receiving the offensive player of the year award, so her parents and grandparents would like to attend the event.

Is it permisible for Corn’s parents and grandparents to receive complimentary admissions to attend the institutional banquet?

Yes.  With the adoption of RWG-16-5, complimentary admissions may be provided to family members prior to the student-athlete’s final year of eligibility.

NCAA Bylaw 16.02.4 states that for purposes of Bylaw 16, a family member is an individual with any of the following relationships to a student-athlete: spouse, parent or legal guardian, child, sibling, grandparent, domestic partner or any individual whose close association with the student-athlete is the practical equivalent of a family relationship. (Adopted: 1/19/13 effective 8/1/13)

NCAA Bylaw 16.6.1.6 states that an institution may provide complimentary admissions to an institutional awards banquet for the family members of any student-athlete being honored at the banquet. [R] (Adopted: 11/1/00, Revised: 1/19/13 effective 8/1/13)

Daily Compliance Item- 11/12/13- 13.4.1.1.1, 13.9.2.1- Mailing NLIs

The women’s basketball staff at Ocean State University is preparing its National Letter of Intent (NLI) packets to be sent out today via federal express.  Included in this mailing is the NLI, NLI instructions, institutional financial aid agreement and a sports information questionnaire.

Are all of these items permitted to be in this packet?

 

 

No.  It is not permissible to send a questionnaire using express mail services.  NCAA Bylaw 13.4.1.1.1 states that an institution is not permitted to use express mail delivery services and may only use first-class mail or a lesser rate of service (e.g., parcel post) with no extra services (e.g., certified mail, delivery confirmation) to provide permissible printed recruiting materials to prospective student-athletes, their parents or legal guardians, their coaches or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospective student-athlete is involved, who resides within the 50 United States, other than the National Letter of Intent or other written admissions and/or financial aid commitment to attend the institution and necessary pre-enrollment information per Bylaw 13.4.1.1-(h).  [D] (Adopted: 4/28/05 effective 8/1/05,  Revised:  5/12/05, 1/14/08, 4/15/08)

NCAA Bylaw 13.9.2.1 states that an institutional or conference financial aid form may be included in the normal mailing of the National Letter of Intent, but none of the forms enclosed in the mailing may be signed by the prospective student-athlete prior to the initial signing date in that sport in the National Letter of Intent program. [D] (8/5/04)

 

PLEASE NOTE:  This is an actual fact pattern of a Division I secondary rules violation posted on LSDBi.