THE CITADEL – The Military
College of South Carolina
The Citadel Department of Athletics Compliance
KNOW
THE RULES!
This has been created to help supporters of The Citadel Athletics aware of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules and regulations. All alumni and friends of The Citadel’s athletic programs are considered by the NCAA to be “representatives of athletics’ interests” and are bound by the same rules and regulations as athletic departments’ coaches, administrators and staff members. To be safe, we want all of our alumni and friends to assume that NCAA rules are applicable to them. This covers many situations that may be encountered by our alumni and friends, but will not include all related provisions. The most common situations and NCAA rules regarding those situations will be covered, but if you have any additional questions, “ask before you act” and contact Associate Athletic Director of Compliance and Academics, Todd Lair at (843) 953-4806.
Any questions about
appropriate activity on your part as it relates to contact with or employment
of enrolled or prospective student-athletes, please contact Todd Lair.
We need your
help to make sure that the eligibility of our student-athletes is not
endangered by inadvertent rules violations.
The Citadel is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct as
well as excellence in athletic performance.
YOU ARE THE CITADEL!
Les Robinson – Director of Athletics
The Citadel
Department of Athletics Compliance
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. The Citadel Department of Athletics Compliance Statement
II. Glossary of Definitions
III. Are you an Athletics Representative?
IV. Activities of Athletics Representatives
A. Prospective Student Athletes
1. Recruiting
2. Offers and Inducements
3. Material Benefits
4. Alumni Groups
B. Currently Enrolled Student-Athletes
1. Do’s and Don’t’s
V. Employment
The Citadel
Department of Athletics Compliance
THE
CITADEL COMPLIANCE POLICY STATEMENT
Commitment to Rules:
The Citadel is
committed and obligated to the principle of institutional control in operating
its athletics program in a manner that is consistent with the letter and the
spirit of the NCAA, the Southern Conference and school rules and regulations.
Institutional
Control:
The commitment and
obligation to operate the intercollegiate athletics program in adherence to the
principle of institutional control is both the responsibility of the
institution and the individual. The school’s commitment is to maintain control
of its athletics programs through responsible administrators, faculty and
institutional bodies; to educate coaches, staff, student athletes and other
individuals involved with the athletics program in their institutional
responsibilities under the rules; to develop operating systems within the
athletics department and the college that provide guidance in how to work
within the rules; and to discover and report any violations of the rules that
occur. Each individual involved in intercollegiate athletics is obligated to
maintain competency with respect to knowledge of the rules; to act within his
or her realm of responsibility in full compliance with the governing
legislation; and to report any violation of NCAA, Southern Conference and/or
institutional rules of which he or she is aware.
Self-Reporting Policy:
It is the college’s
policy that no violation is so minor that it need not be reported. In
responding to rule violations, the school will look at such factors, as whether
the violation is intentional, whether any advantage is gained (e.g., recruiting,
a competitive edge, or if a student athlete was involved, etc.), whether a
student athlete’s eligibility is affected and whether violations are in
recruiting exclusively. The college’s goals in responding will be to encourage
communication, to seek consistency and accountability and, above all, to send a
strong message that The Citadel is unequivocally committed to compliance rules.
The Citadel
Department of Athletics Compliance
GLOSSARY OF DEFINITIONS
PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE: A "prospect" is a
student who has begun classes for the 9th grade. A student who has not started
classes for the 9th grade becomes a "prospect" if the institution
provides the individual (or the individual's relatives or friends) any
financial assistance or benefit not generally provided to prospective students.
CONTACT: Any face-to-face encounter which is more than a
greeting, between a prospect or their parents, relatives or legal guardian(s)
and an institutional staff member or an athletics representative. A meeting
that is prearranged or takes place at the prospect's school, competition site
or practice site is considered a contact regardless of the conversation that
occurs.
EVALUATION: Any off-campus activity that assesses the
academic qualifications or the athletic ability of a prospect. It includes any
visit to a prospect's school (during which no contact with prospect occurs) or
watching a practice or competition at any site where the prospect participates.
CONTACT PERIOD: Period of time when it is permissible for
authorized athletics department staff to make in-person, off-campus recruiting
contacts and evaluations of a prospect.
EVALUATION PERIOD: Period of time when authorized athletics
department staff may be involved in off-campus activities designed to assess
the academic qualifications and athletic ability of prospects. No in-person,
off-campus recruiting contacts shall be made with the prospect during an
evaluation period.
QUIET PERIOD: Period of time when it is permissible to make
in-person recruiting contacts only on the institution's campus. No in-person,
off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during the quiet
period.
DEAD PERIOD: Period of time when it is not permissible to
make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off campus. In
addition, there can be no official or unofficial visits to the campus by a
prospect. However, it is permissible for a staff member to write or phone a
prospect during this period.
EXTRA BENEFIT: Any special arrangement by either an institution
or its representatives to provide a student-athlete, their friend, or their
relative with any benefits not expressly authorized by the NCAA. A benefit is
not considered a violation if it is one that is generally available to the
students determined on a basis unrelated to athletic ability.
FULL-TIME PROGRAM: A student-athlete must be enrolled in not
less than 12 semester hours during the time of competition. There are limited
exceptions to this rule.
RECRUITING:
DEFINITION: Any solicitation of a prospect or his family by a staff
member or by a representative of the institution's athletics interests for the
purpose of securing the prospect's enrollment and participation in the
institution's athletics program.
ACTIVITIES: Activities Constituting Recruitment - NCAA bylaw 13.02.11.1.
Some of the activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- providing transportation to
the prospect to visit the campus
- entertaining the prospect in
any way on campus. However, the institution may provide a complimentary
admission to an on-campus athletic contest when the prospect is visiting
as a member of a group tour that is unrelated to athletic recruitment
- initiating or arranging telephone contact with the prospect or his family on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruitment
- an arranged, off-campus
encounter with a prospect or any members of their family for the purpose
of recruitment
- entertaining the family
members of a prospect on campus
- sending correspondence to a
prospect, other than a generic letter that requests general information
- the arrangement of meals, housing, transportation or academic interviews during an unofficial visit.
CAMPUS VISITS:
1. OFFICIAL VISIT: A
visit that is financed in whole or in part by the institution.
2. UNOFFICIAL VISIT:
A visit made at the prospect's own expense. The institution may provide only
limited benefits to the prospect during his visit. These benefits include
complimentary admissions to an on-campus athletics event in which the institution's
team competes and transportation to view off-campus practice or competition
sites within a 30-mile radius of the institution's campus when accompanied by a
staff member. The provision of any other expenses or entertainment shall
require the visit to become an official visit.
The Citadel
Department of Athletics Compliance
ARE YOU AN ATHLETICS REPRRESENTATIVE?
According to NCAA Bylaw 13.02.12, a representative of the
institution's athletics interests (Booster) is an individual who is known (or should
have been known) by a member of the institution's executive or athletics
administration to:
- Have participated in or are
currently a member in any of the various agencies or organizations that
promote the institutions intercollegiate athletics programs;
- Have made financial
contributions to the athletic department or an athletics booster
organization of that institution;
- Be assisting or to have been
requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment
of a prospect;
- Be assisting or to have
assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their
families;
- Have been involved or are currently involved in promoting the institutions athletics program in any way.
**** It is also
important to note that once an individual is identified as a booster or as an
athletics representative, he or she retains that identity indefinitely.
The Citadel
Department of Athletics Compliance
ACTIVITIES OF ATHLETIC
REPRESENTATIVES
Prospective Student-Athletes
1. Recruiting
- As a general rule, NCAA
legislation prohibits a booster from making a face-to-face, on or
off-campus recruiting contact with a prospective student-athlete and his
or her parent(s)/guardian(s). A booster should also be mindful of restrictions
regarding telephone conversations with a prospective student-athlete,
observing a prospects athletic contest, contacting staff members of a
prospect's institution, visiting a prospect's institution and incidental
contact with prospects.
- Telephone Conversations -- An athletics representative of a Division I member institution may speak to a prospective student-athlete via the telephone only if the prospect initiates the telephone conversation AND the call is not for recruiting purposes. The athletics representative must refer questions about the institution's athletics program to the athletics department staff.
- Observing Prospect's Athletic Contest-- An athletics representative may observe a prospect's athletics contest on his or her own initiative, provided that no face-to-face contact takes place.
- Unavoidable Incidental Contact -- Unavoidable, incidental contact made with a prospect is not prohibited. Contact is considered unavoidable and/or incidental only when:
- it is not
prearranged by the athletics representative or an athletics department
staff member
- it does not take
place on the grounds of the prospect's educational institution or at the
site of organized practice or competition involving the prospect or the
prospect's team
- it is not made for
the purpose of recruiting the prospect
- it involves only
normal civility.
- Contacting Staff Members of a Prospect’s Institution -- An athletics representative may not contact a prospect's coach, principal or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospect.
- Visiting Prospect's Institution -- An athletics
representative may not visit a prospect's institution to pick up
film/videotape or transcripts pertaining to the evaluation of the
prospect's academic or athletic ability.
- Assisting Coaches -- An athletics representative may assist a coach who is recruiting in the representative's area, such as providing the coach with transportation or suggesting people to contact for information on a prospect
2. Offers and Inducements
An institution's staff member or any representative of its athletics interests shall not be involved, directly or indirectly, in making arrangements for, giving or offering to give any financial aid and/or benefits to a prospect or their relatives or friends, other than as expressly permitted by NCAA rules. This rule applies regardless of whether similar financial aid, benefits, or arrangements are available to prospective students in general (13.2.1).
Improper inducements
include, but are not limited to (13.2.2a-j):
- Employment arrangements for prospect's relatives
- Gifts of clothing or equipment
- Co-signing of loans
- Providing loans to prospect's relatives or friends
- Cash or like items
- Any tangible items, including merchandise
- Free or reduced-cost services, rentals or purchases of any type
- Free or reduced-cost housing
- Use of institutional athletics equipment
- Sponsorship of or arrangement for an awards banquet for prospects by the UI, representatives of its athletics interests, or its alumni or booster clubs
- Awards to a prospect for outstanding athletics accomplishments (except as permitted by 13.2.3c).
ELIGIBILITY
RAMIFICATIONS:
Restitution for
Receipt of Improper Benefits: for violation of 13.2.2 in which the value of the
offer is $25.00 or less, the eligibility of the prospect shall not be affected
conditioned upon the individual repaying the value of the benefit to a charity
of his or her choice. However, the individual will remain ineligible from the
time the institution has knowledge of the receipt of the impermissible benefit
until the individual repays the benefit.
EXCEPTIONS:
- Arrangement of Employment -- The arrangement of employment by an institution for a prospect shall be permitted, provided the employment does not begin prior to the completion of the prospect's senior year in high school (13.2.4.1).
- Transportation to a Summer Job -- An institution or its representatives shall not provide transportation to and from a summer job unless the employer's policy is to transport everyone to and from the job site (13.2.4.2).
- Educational Loan -- The arrangement of educational loans by an institution for a prospect shall be permitted, provided the loan is not made prior to the completion of the prospect's senior year in high school. In addition, the educational loan must be from a regular lending agency, based on a regular repayment schedule (13.2.5).
- Academic Support Services/Use of Training Room Facilities -- A prospect who has signed a National Letter of Intent and is enrolled in the institution's summer term prior to the student's initial, full-time collegiate enrollment may be provided academic support services by the institution and may utilize the institution's training room facilities (13.2.7).
3. Material Benefits
Arrangements that
involves a material benefit to a prospect's coach or an individual responsible
for teaching or directing activity in which the prospect is involved is
prohibited (13.9.2).
Prohibited benefits
include, but are not limited to, the following (13.9.1. and 13.9.2):
- Provision of any tangible item bearing the institution's insignia or logo;
- Payment of a portion of a coach's or other individual's personal expenses;
- Compensation based on the number of campers sent to an institution's camp;
- Arrangement to provide transportation for a coach or other individual
- Gifts to high school, prep school or two-year college coaches in conjunction with an institution's coaching clinic or other events. (Note: Materials [e.g., clipboards or file folders] may be provided to each person attending the clinic, provided that the items are included in the registration fee);
- Entertainment of high school, prep school or two-year college coaches, except providing a maximum of two complimentary admissions issued through a pass list to the institution's home athletics contests. However, additional admissions may not be reserved;
- Transportation reimbursement to a coach who transports a prospect to campus.
- Alumni Groups
Prospects attending
luncheons, teas or dinners hosted by bona fide alumni organizations: a bona
fide alumni organization may host a luncheon, tea or dinner at which
prospective students (athlete and non-athletes) of that immediate locale are
guests, provided:
a. The primary purpose of the function does not relate to the
institution’s athletics program;
b. There is no athletics recruiting presentation made in
conjunction with the function; and
c. Alumni do not have any direct contact with any prospect
regarding his or her interest in attending the institution to participate in
intercollegiate athletics.
Currently Enrolled Student-Athletes
- A List of Do's and Don't’s for Boosters
DO'S
- Do provide employment at regular rates of pay for similarly situated employees during the summer or during times specified by NCAA rules as permissible employment periods.
- Do feel free to call a Citadel administrator, coach or athletic director to ask questions regarding the permissibility of any activity involving a student-athlete.
- Do feel free to invite a team to meet with alumni or friends in a city where they play. Student-athletes may participate in events and are allowed to receive benefits as a team which individual student-athletes may not, provided certain NCAA rules and regulations are met.
DON'T’S
- Do not provide employment to a student-athlete during the regular academic year unless you have checked with the Athletics Department regarding his or her financial status. The NCAA does not permit a scholarship athlete to work during the regular semesters he or she is enrolled except without approval (exception: Christmas break). To be safe, it is better to check first than risk loss of a student-athlete's eligibility.
- Do not provide "extra benefits" to student-athletes. The NCAA considers extra benefits to be: taking a student-athlete out to dinner, providing any gift of material value (including cash loans, free use of an automobile, Christmas presents or co-signing a loan), not charging for professional services that other students have to pay for (haircuts, dental work, etc.) or any other benefit not available to non-athlete students on the same basis.
- Do not buy any athletic event tickets from student-athletes. The NCAA prohibits a student-athlete from receiving and selling game tickets.
The Citadel
Department of Athletics Compliance
EMPLOYMENT
Criteria
Governing the Employment of Prospects (13.2.4):
1. The arrangement of employment by an institution for a
prospect shall be permitted, provided the employment does not begin prior to
the completion of the prospect's senior year of high school.
2. An institution or its representatives shall not provide a
prospect free transportation to and from a summer job unless it is the
employee’s established policy to transport all employees to and from the job
site.
Criteria Governing
Compensation to Student-Athletes (12.4):
All compensation receives by a student-athlete must be
consistent with the limitations on financial aide set forth in Bylaw 15 of the
NCAA manual, which refers to the general principles of institutional financial
aide permitted. Compensation may be paid to a student-athlete:
- only for work actually performed
- at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services
General Rules for Student-Athlete Employment:
1. Use of the Athletic
Reputation of a Student-Athlete: Student-athletes may not receive compensation
for the value or utility of their reputation, fame, or publicity resulting from
their athletic ability by an employer.
2. Camp/Clinic
Employment: A student-athlete may be employed by their institution, by another
institution, or by a private organization to work a camp or a clinic as a
counselor, unless otherwise restricted by NCAA legislation.
3. Employment on a
Commissions Basis: An employer, other than the student-athlete's institution,
may employ a student-athlete on a commission basis only if:
- the cost of any preliminary training programs are paid for by the student-athlete
- the personnel of the company consists of both student-athletes and non athletes
- the employment of student-athletes by a company does not result in the company's use of athletics representation of the student-athlete to promote the company's products
- the company is able to document that employees who are non athletes receive earnings from sales commissions at a rate generally equivalent to the commission rate received by the student-athlete employed by the company
4. Athletic Equipment Sales: A student-athlete may not be employed to sell equipment related to the student-athletes sport if his or her name, picture, or athletic reputation is used to advertise or promote the product, the job, or the employer. However, if the student-athletes name, picture, or athletic reputation is not used for advertising or promotion purposes, the student-athlete may be employed in a sales position.
Do's and Don’t’s
for Boosters Regarding Student-Athlete Employment:
Boosters May:
Provide employment at
regular rates for similarly situated employees during the summer or during
times specified by NCAA rules as permissible work periods (i.e. Christmas
break, semester break and Spring break).
Boosters May Not:
Provide employment to a student-athlete during the regular academic year unless first checked by the Athletic Department of the institution regarding the student-athletes financial status. The NCAA does not allow full scholarship athletes to work during the regular semesters they are enrolled in except for Christmas break, semester break and Spring break.