Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Eligibility Committee - Compassionate Appeal Hearing – July 8, 2015
Participants
IN THE MATTER of an appeal on eligibility pursuant to Rule 40.10.3.3.4
By Jenna McNamara, student-athlete at York University
Ms. Gillian McCullough, Manager – Interuniversity Sport, York University
Mr. Dan Church, women’s ice hockey Head Coach, York University
Ms. Cindy Hughes, Manager – Sport Injury Clinic, York University
Ms. Jenna McNamara, student-athlete, York University
Issue
Jenna McNamara (Jenna) seeks relief of CIS regulations on compassionate grounds, specifically:
CIS Eligibility Policy 40.10.3.3.4 (academic standing)
Any student-athlete who is ineligible to compete in CIS competition because the athlete is no longer a student in good standing, must successfully complete within an academic year; three full courses, or six half courses, or eighteen semester hours at a recognized post-secondary institution where courses are recognized for credit at the member institution registering the CIS athlete. The student-athlete is eligible for participation immediately upon successful completion of the above academic requirements.
Details

Jenna attended York University for the 2014-15 academic year where she competed for the women’s hockey team.

Jenna was granted a season-ending injury appeal due to a concussion suffered on
September 19 th , 2014.

The concussion negatively affected Jenna’s ability to successfully complete her courses. o She missed nearly the entire month of October and when she returned, 3 of her 4 professors suggested she withdraw from their courses, as her chances of being successful after missing so much content were low. She was able to withdraw with no academic penalty. o In the Winter term, she attempted to complete the full year course she began in the
Fall term, as well as 3 other courses. o Due to her concussion symptoms, she was only able to complete 12 credit hours.
 Jenna is not able to complete 6 credit hours during the Summer term because she needs to return home to Nova Scotia to work full-time in order to be able to afford to continue her studies. Her return home was delayed by the labour disruption at York, resulting in less time to earn money.
 Jenna considered courses at a local university as well as online courses, but between her work schedule, finding one that would be recognized in her York program, and balancing her ongoing struggles to recover from her injury, this did not seem possible.
CANADIAN INTERUNIVERSITY SPORT ~ SPORT INTERUNIVERSITAIRE CANADIEN
801 King Edward, Suite N205 Ottawa ON Canada K1N 6N5
TEL 613 562 5670 ~ FAX 613 562 5669 www.universitysport.ca ~ www.sportuniversitaire.ca

 Jenna is not cleared to participate, but is actively recovering from her injury and hopes to be cleared in time to participate this fall.
 On the basis of the severity of her injury and its impact on her academics, Jenna requests relief of rule 40.10.3.3.4 and hopes to become immediately eligible for the York University hockey team for the 2015-2016 season.
Decision & Rationale
Based upon a review of the documentation submitted and verbal presentations received, the
Committee considers a waiver of the applicable regulation to be warranted in this instance, subject to all other regulations.
The committee took into consideration that the institution recommended the withdrawal from courses, and that the student-athlete did everything in her power and worked with the institution to ensure her future academic success in making this decision.
The appeal is supported.
Sandy Slavin (Chairperson)
Patrick Nearing (AUS)
Joey Sabo (RSEQ)
Chuck Mathies (OUA)
Ken Olynyk (CWUAA)
Decision rendered July 2015
Written reasons rendered July 2015