Date Published: November 20, 2009
NCAA Division I institutions should note that in accordance with NCAA Bylaws 17.1.6.2.2, 17.1.6.2.3 and 17.3.3.1-(a), an institution may not publicize skill-related instruction that occurs outside the playing season in all sports other than football, or informal practice scrimmages in basketball. Also, an institution may not conduct skill-related instruction sessions in view of a general public audience. Informal practice scrimmages in basketball must be held in complete privacy.
The following questions and answers are designed to assist member institutions in applying the legislation regarding the viewing of skill-related instruction that is permissible outside the playing season in all sports other than football and informal practice scrimmages in basketball:
1. Question: May prospective student-athletes view skill-related instruction while on official or unofficial visits?
Answer: Yes, it is permissible for a prospective student-athlete to view skill-related instruction during official or unofficial visits, provided the skill-instruction has not been publicized and is not held in view of a general public audience.
2. Question: May individuals accompanying prospective student-athletes on official or unofficial visits (e.g., parent, sibling, coach) view skill-related instruction?
Answer: Yes, it is permissible for individuals accompanying prospective student-athletes on official or unofficial visits to view skill-related instruction, provided the skill-instruction has not been publicized and is not held in view of a general public audience.
3. Question: May an institution invite individuals (e.g., boosters, high school coaches) to watch a team's skill-related instruction or in basketball, an informal practice scrimmage?
Answer: No, if an institution were to invite an individual or individuals to a skill-related instruction session or an informal practice scrimmage it would be considered publicizing the activity, which is prohibited by the legislation.
4. Question: May a member of the general public walk into a facility and watch skill-related instruction?
Answer: Yes, a member of the general public could walk into a facility where a team is involved in skill-related instruction on his or her own without the instruction being considered in view of a general public audience. However, an institution could not arrange to conduct skill-related instruction in a facility or at a time in which the institution had reason to believe that the skill instruction session would be conducted in view of a general public audience. For example, it would not be permissible for an institution to conduct skill instruction for its basketball team on the football field immediately following a home football game. This situation would constitute conducting skill-related instruction in view of a general public audience.
5. Question: May prospective student-athletes in basketball view an informal practice scrimmage while on official or unofficial visits?
Answer: Basketball prospective student-athletes (and those individuals accompanying the prospective student-athlete) are permitted to view informal practice scrimmages while on an official visit. However, prospective student-athletes (and those individuals accompanying the prospective student-athlete) are not permitted to view an informal practice scrimmage in basketball during an unofficial visit.
6. Question: What is the difference between the standards of "conducted in privacy" and "conducted in view of a general public audience"?
Answer: Informal practice scrimmages in basketball must be conducted in privacy. To satisfy this standard, an institution must ensure that no one from the general public can view the scrimmages. The facility where the scrimmage is occurring must be closed to the general public and the department of athletics must keep anyone from the general public from entering the gym. Further, the legislation specifically requires an institution to ensure that no one other than department of athletics staff members and those individuals necessary to conduct the practice scrimmage are present.
In contrast, the legislation regulating skill-related instruction specifies that skill related instruction sessions shall not be conducted in view of a general public audience. The intent of the legislation is to prohibit institutions from creating special activities or events in conjunction with skill-instruction sessions as a way of creating the appearance of full-fledged practice outside of the playing season or creating a celebrity atmosphere during prospective student-athletes' campus visits.
The legislation does not require complete privacy during skill-related instruction; however, it requires that institutions do not schedule or conduct the sessions in a way in which they become spectator events.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Official Interpretation -- Recruiting -- Men's Basketball Recruiting Issues
The NCAA Division I Board of Directors used its authority set forth in NCAA Constitution 5.4.1.1 to issue the following interpretations related to men's basketball:
1. The definition of an "individual associated with a prospect" is 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 the prospective student-athlete's:
a. Athletic skills and abilities; or
b. Recruitment by or enrollment in an NCAA institution.
This definition includes, but is not limited to, parents, legal guardians, handlers, personal trainers and coaches. An individual who meets the definition of an individual associated with a prospect retains that status during the enrollment of that prospect at that institution.
2. It is not permissible for an institution or men's basketball staff member to employ (i.e., volunteer or paid) an individual associated with a recruited prospective student-athlete at the institution's or men's basketball staff member's camp or clinic.
3. It is not permissible for an institutional or men's basketball staff member's basketball camp to offer a different participation, registration procedure, fee structure, advertisement and/or logistical experience (e.g., lodging, meals, transportation or awards/mementos) than the other men's/boys' basketball camps operated by the institution or men's basketball staff.
4. It is not permissible for an institution or a men's basketball staff member to provide money to a nonprofit foundation that expends funds for the benefit of a nonscholastic team, prospective student-athlete(s) or an individual associated with a prospective student-athlete. A violation would occur even if the foundation provides funding to or services for both prospective student-athletes and individuals younger than prospect age.
5. It is not permissible for an institution or a men's basketball staff member to provide a consulting fee to an individual associated with a prospective student-athlete or to a consulting firm in which an individual associated with a prospective student-athlete has a proprietary or financial interest.
6. It is not permissible for a men's basketball staff member to place a telephone call to a 1-900 number connected to a prospect or an individual associated with a prospect.
7. It is not permissible for a men's basketball staff member or a representative of the institution's athletics interests is involved in any way in the operation or planning of a men's basketball nonscholastic event on its campus. [Note: Contracts signed by boosters before October 29, 2009, may be honored.]
1. The definition of an "individual associated with a prospect" is 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 the prospective student-athlete's:
a. Athletic skills and abilities; or
b. Recruitment by or enrollment in an NCAA institution.
This definition includes, but is not limited to, parents, legal guardians, handlers, personal trainers and coaches. An individual who meets the definition of an individual associated with a prospect retains that status during the enrollment of that prospect at that institution.
2. It is not permissible for an institution or men's basketball staff member to employ (i.e., volunteer or paid) an individual associated with a recruited prospective student-athlete at the institution's or men's basketball staff member's camp or clinic.
3. It is not permissible for an institutional or men's basketball staff member's basketball camp to offer a different participation, registration procedure, fee structure, advertisement and/or logistical experience (e.g., lodging, meals, transportation or awards/mementos) than the other men's/boys' basketball camps operated by the institution or men's basketball staff.
4. It is not permissible for an institution or a men's basketball staff member to provide money to a nonprofit foundation that expends funds for the benefit of a nonscholastic team, prospective student-athlete(s) or an individual associated with a prospective student-athlete. A violation would occur even if the foundation provides funding to or services for both prospective student-athletes and individuals younger than prospect age.
5. It is not permissible for an institution or a men's basketball staff member to provide a consulting fee to an individual associated with a prospective student-athlete or to a consulting firm in which an individual associated with a prospective student-athlete has a proprietary or financial interest.
6. It is not permissible for a men's basketball staff member to place a telephone call to a 1-900 number connected to a prospect or an individual associated with a prospect.
7. It is not permissible for a men's basketball staff member or a representative of the institution's athletics interests is involved in any way in the operation or planning of a men's basketball nonscholastic event on its campus. [Note: Contracts signed by boosters before October 29, 2009, may be honored.]
Educational Column --Transfers -- Two-Year College Transfer Requirements, Not a Qualifier
NCAA Division I institutions should note that pursuant to NCAA Bylaw 14.5.4.2, a two-year college transfer student-athlete who was not a qualifier and who first enrolled full time in a collegiate institution before August 1, 2009, is immediately eligible for financial aid, practice and competition only if the student-athlete:
1. Graduated from the two-year college;
2. Completed satisfactorily a minimum of 48 semester or 72 quarter hours of transferable degree credit acceptable toward any baccalaureate degree program at the certifying institution;
3. Attended a two-year college as a full-time student for at least three semesters or four quarters (excluding summer terms); and
4. Achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 2.000.
A two-year college transfer student-athlete who was not a qualifier and who first enrolled full time in a collegiate institution August 1, 2009, or later is immediately eligible for financial aid, practice and competition only if the student-athlete:
1. Graduated from the two-year college;
2. Completed satisfactorily a minimum of 48 semester or 72 quarter hours of transferable degree credit acceptable toward any baccalaureate degree program at the certifying institution, including six semester or eight quarter hours of transferrable English credit and three semester or four quarter hours of transferable math credit;
3. Attended a two-year college as a full-time student for at least three semesters or four quarters (excluding summer terms); and
4. Achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 2.000.
For example, if a student-athlete who was not a qualifier first enrolled full time at a two-year institution in the fall of 2008 and transferred to a Division I institution in the fall of 2009, the student-athlete is not required to have completed the transferrable English and math credits. However, if a student-athlete who was not a qualifier first enrolls full time at a two-year institution in the fall of 2009 and transfers to a Division I institution in the spring of 2011, the student-athlete is required to have satisfactorily completed six semester or eight quarter hours of transferrable English credit and three semester or four quarter hours of transferrable math credit.
In addition, in order to satisfy the transferrable English and math credit-hour requirement, the credits earned at the two-year institution must transfer to the certifying institution as specific English or math credit, regardless of how the courses are identified on the two-year transcript. For example, if a student-athlete who was not a qualifier completed an English course at a two-year institution, but the course transferred to the Division I institution as humanities credit, the course may not be used to meet the transferrable English credit-hours requirement.
[References: NCAA Bylaws 14.5.4.1 (qualifier), 14.5.4.2 (not a qualifier) (applicable to student-athletes who first enrolled full time in a collegiate institution before August 1, 2009) and 14.5.4.2 (not a qualifier) (applicable to student-athletes who first enroll full time in a collegiate institution on or after August 1, 2009) and staff interpretation (3/19/09, Item No. b)]
1. Graduated from the two-year college;
2. Completed satisfactorily a minimum of 48 semester or 72 quarter hours of transferable degree credit acceptable toward any baccalaureate degree program at the certifying institution;
3. Attended a two-year college as a full-time student for at least three semesters or four quarters (excluding summer terms); and
4. Achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 2.000.
A two-year college transfer student-athlete who was not a qualifier and who first enrolled full time in a collegiate institution August 1, 2009, or later is immediately eligible for financial aid, practice and competition only if the student-athlete:
1. Graduated from the two-year college;
2. Completed satisfactorily a minimum of 48 semester or 72 quarter hours of transferable degree credit acceptable toward any baccalaureate degree program at the certifying institution, including six semester or eight quarter hours of transferrable English credit and three semester or four quarter hours of transferable math credit;
3. Attended a two-year college as a full-time student for at least three semesters or four quarters (excluding summer terms); and
4. Achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 2.000.
For example, if a student-athlete who was not a qualifier first enrolled full time at a two-year institution in the fall of 2008 and transferred to a Division I institution in the fall of 2009, the student-athlete is not required to have completed the transferrable English and math credits. However, if a student-athlete who was not a qualifier first enrolls full time at a two-year institution in the fall of 2009 and transfers to a Division I institution in the spring of 2011, the student-athlete is required to have satisfactorily completed six semester or eight quarter hours of transferrable English credit and three semester or four quarter hours of transferrable math credit.
In addition, in order to satisfy the transferrable English and math credit-hour requirement, the credits earned at the two-year institution must transfer to the certifying institution as specific English or math credit, regardless of how the courses are identified on the two-year transcript. For example, if a student-athlete who was not a qualifier completed an English course at a two-year institution, but the course transferred to the Division I institution as humanities credit, the course may not be used to meet the transferrable English credit-hours requirement.
[References: NCAA Bylaws 14.5.4.1 (qualifier), 14.5.4.2 (not a qualifier) (applicable to student-athletes who first enrolled full time in a collegiate institution before August 1, 2009) and 14.5.4.2 (not a qualifier) (applicable to student-athletes who first enroll full time in a collegiate institution on or after August 1, 2009) and staff interpretation (3/19/09, Item No. b)]
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