Monday, December 9, 2013
Compliance Tip of the Week – Permissible Recruiters
Relatives or Legal Guardians of Enrolled Student-Athletes
 On-Campus Contact: On-campus contact between a prospect and his/her relatives (traditional
or nontraditional) or legal guardians and the relatives or legal guardians of an enrolled studentathlete is permissible. Off-campus contact is not permissible.
 Telephone Calls: Parents of prospects may telephone parents of current student-athletes,
provided any communication is not done at the direction of a coaching staff member. Parents
of enrolled student-athletes may become a representative of MSU’s athletics interests (booster)
if they assist in the recruitment of prospects.
Spouse of Staff Member
 On-Campus: A spouse of an institutional staff member may have on-campus contact with a
prospect during the prospect’s visit to campus.
 Off-Campus: During an official visit, the spouse of a staff member may have contact with a
prospect within a 30-mile radius of campus.
 Dependent Children: Dependent children of athletics department staff members are permitted
to have off-campus contact with prospects during an official visit within a 30-mile radius of the
institution's campus.
 General Correspondence: The spouse of a coaching staff member would be prohibited from
sending a letter or e-mail to a prospect or their relatives.
Representatives of MSU’s Athletics Interests (Boosters)
 A booster is defined as any individual, independent agency, corporate entity or other
organization who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of MSU’s executive
or athletics administration to:
o Have participated in or to be a member of an agency promoting MSU’s athletics
program;
o Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster
organization;
o Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in
the recruitment of prospects;
o Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or
their families;
o Have been involved otherwise in promoting MSU’s athletics program.
 Boosters MAY NOT:
o Communicate with a prospect via the telephone, e-mail, social media, etc.
 A booster may accept a telephone call from a prospect, provided the call is not
for recruiting purposes. The booster must refer questions about MSU’s athletics
program to the athletics department staff.
o Visit a prospect’s school to pick up video or transcripts.
o Have on- or off-campus contact with a prospect.
 Once a prospect signs a National Letter of Intent or MSU’s written offer of admission and/or
financial aid or after MSU has received the prospect’s financial deposit in response to its offer of
admission, boosters may:
o Have in-person contact with a prospect.
o Make telephone calls to a prospect.
o Extra benefit restrictions continues to apply.
Current Student-Athletes
 Off-Campus Contact: Off-campus in-person contact between an enrolled student-athlete and a
prospect is permissible, provided the contact does not occur at the direction of an institutional
staff member.
 Transportation and Expenses: MSU may not provide a current student-athlete with
transportation or expenses to recruit a prospect except for those instances in which the studentathlete services as a host during the prospect’s official visit to campus.
 Written Correspondence: It is permissible for a current student-athlete to engage in written
correspondence with a prospect, provided it is not done at the direction or expense of MSU.
 Telephone Calls: Current student-athletes may not make or participate in telephone calls to
prospects at the direction of a coaching staff member or financed by MSU or a booster.
Student-athletes may receive telephone calls from a prospect at any time, provided there is no
direct or indirect involvement by athletics department staff.