UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
COMPLIANCE MANUAL
2015-2016
Vision Statement
As a program of national prominence, the University of Vermont intercollegiate athletics program is built
upon a commitment to excellence and the development of high achieving young men and women studentathletes. Much is demanded from our student-athletes in their roles as scholars, athletes, citizens, and
campus leaders. Through exceptional coaching, challenging competitive activities, outstanding facilities,
high quality academic support services and sport science practices, UVM student-athletes realize their full
personal, academic, and athletic potential.
Through sustained competitive accomplishments and the excitement and festivities accompanying athletic
events, the intercollegiate athletics program builds pride and esprit de corps, uniting our campus, alumni,
friends, and the citizens of the great state of Vermont.
It is a privilege to serve our student-athletes, the University and its community. We honor this privilege
through personal accountability, prudent decision-making, innovative resource acquisition, and vigilant
management. An environment in which a strong work ethic, mutual respect, honesty, integrity, and
teamwork are highly valued and cultivated facilitates the realization of our collective vision and
professional goals. In representing the ideals of educational sport, and in all our affairs, we maintain the
highest ethical standards and steadfastly honor the traditions, values, and mission of the university.
Mission Statement
The intercollegiate athletics program at the University of Vermont facilitates the personal growth and
education of young men and women through their participation in a comprehensive program of NCAA
Division I sports. As an integral part of the university, the intercollegiate athletics program actively
promotes equity and diversity, fosters the pursuit of academic and athletic excellence, and provides
community enrichment.
Compliance Standards
The University of Vermont, the Department of Athletics and the staff members of the department must
comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the NCAA, America East, Hockey East and/or the
institution. The responsibility for compliance involves every staff member, and institutional control must
be maintained. Staff members must develop a working understanding of the rules and regulations
pertaining to intercollegiate athletics. The compliance program operates under the following general
principles:
1)
Education
The Compliance Office informs and educates coaches, department staff and university offices regarding
NCAA rules and regulations by various methods. Each program will receive a printed copy of the NCAA
Manual each year as the ultimate reference book. Additionally, the link to the electronic version of the
manual is available through NCAA.org. Other methods utilized in the education effort include the
scheduling of rules education meetings, messages sent to the entire staff via email; the distribution of
appropriate interpretation messages, and general correspondence and conversations with constituents by
the Compliance Office.
2)
Documentation and Systems
The Compliance Office develops systems to monitor NCAA rules and regulations. The compliance staff
and appropriate department members are responsible for maintaining records and documentation as set
forth in this manual. These policies and procedures exist to enhance the level of institutional control at
the University of Vermont. Staff members affirm compliance on a yearly basis by signing the NCAA
Certification of Compliance for Staff Members form.
3)
Violation Reports
Violations of rules and regulations may happen at the institutional level and/or the NCAA level. The
penalties and disciplinary process associated with a violation vary depending upon the situation. The
institution may impose sanctions against the employee or program, and the NCAA might administer
additional sanctions for violations.
a)
University of Vermont
Staff members must inform their immediate supervisor of violations of rules, regulations, policies,
procedures and guidelines. The appropriate supervisor will gather the information and review the
situation. Depending upon the severity of the issue, the Director of Athletics and/or the Vice
President of Campus & Student Life may be notified and involved in the resolution.
b)
NCAA
Staff members must report suspected and/or known violations of rules and regulations to the
Compliance Office. The appropriate actions of notifying the NCAA and/or conference will be
taken by this office if a violation is confirmed. The Compliance Office may also discuss a
violation with the appropriate supervisor, Director of Athletics, Vice President of Campus &
Student Life, Faculty Athletics Representative and/or the President.
ELIGIBILITY
ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 14 for NCAA regulations governing initial, continuing and transfer eligibility requirements.
All student-athletes must be certified through the appropriate channels prior to representing the University
of Vermont in competitive events.
Initial Eligibility
Head and/or Assistant Coaches recruit prospective student-athletes (PSAs) to the University of Vermont.
During the recruiting process, coaches inform prospects about the NCAA Eligibility Center and the
academic requirements necessary to be a student-athlete at the Division I intercollegiate level. Then, the
individual prospects are responsible for registering with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Coaches submit to the Compliance Office on a regular basis an Institution Request List (IRL). The IRL
provides detailed information on PSAs that allows the Compliance Office to add the individual to the
particular sport’s Eligibility Center list. This list allows coaches and the Compliance Office to monitor
the progress of PSAs in meeting Eligibility Center requirements.
After all the requisite academic records have been submitted to the Eligibility Center, the Eligibility
Center issues the final certification on students by declaring each individual as either a qualifier or
nonqualifier. This final declaration appears on the status reports for each sport. This status is recorded in
the Compliance Assistant program (software associated with the NCAA) within the particular studentathlete’s record by the Compliance Office.
All prospective student-athletes are required by NCAA regulation to complete the NCAA Amateurism
Questionnaire prior to certification. To address the “gap time” between certification of amateurism status
by the Eligibility Center and enrollment on campus, prospective student-athletes who indicate they have
participated in elite outside competition prior to enrollment at the University of Vermont will be required
by the Athletic Department’s Compliance Office to provide additional documentation to verify
amateurism status by using the NCAA’s “Questions to Send a Team to Determine
Professional/Amateurism Status.”
Continuing Eligibility
The continuing eligibility of a student-athlete must be certified at the University of Vermont under the
progress toward degree requirements as stated by the NCAA bylaws. This includes fulfillment of credithour, percentage of degree and grade-point average requirements, designation of degree program, and
full-time enrollment status. The process of certifying continuing eligibility of student-athletes involves
the Registrar’s Office, the Dean’s Offices and the Compliance Office.
The student-athletes that require certification under the continuing eligibility guidelines are submitted to
the Registrar’s Office in order to certify fulfillment of credit-hour and grade-point average requirements.
The Registrar’s Office evaluates the individual academic records of the student-athletes and documents
whether or not the student-athlete meets the evaluated continuing eligibility requirements.
Additionally, the student-athletes that require designation of degree program and percentage of degree
certification under the continuing eligibility guidelines (those starting the third year of enrollment) are
submitted to one of the institution’s seven colleges or schools. The Dean’s Office representative for each
college or school (Agriculture & Life Science, Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Education &
Social Services, Engineering & Mathematical Sciences, Environment & Natural Resources, Nursing &
Health Sciences) certifies designation of degree program and fulfillment of percentage of degree
requirements. The Dean’s Office representative evaluates the individual academic records of the studentathletes and documents whether or not the student-athlete meets the required continuing eligibility
requirements.
After the Registrar’s Office and the Dean’s Offices have applied the continuing eligibility regulations to
the student-athletes, the academic information is recorded in the Compliance Assistant program within the
particular student-athlete’s record. The academic and eligibility information is updated at the end of each
academic year by the Compliance Office and is reflected on the overall team’s Compliance Assistant
eligibility checklist. The Compliance Office sends copies of the Eligibility Checklists to the America
East Conference Office prior to the first competition in each program.
In addition, the full-time enrollment of student-athletes is monitored on a daily basis throughout the
academic year. A query of the institution’s academic information system happens at the end of each day
to identify student-athletes that have dropped below full-time enrollment. This query generates an e-mail
message stating any student-athlete enrolled in less than full-time hours, and this message is received by
the Registrar’s Office, Faculty Athletics Representative, Compliance Coordinator and an Assistant AD.
Transfer Eligibility
A student-athlete at another intercollegiate institution expresses an interest in transferring to the
University of Vermont by either contacting a coaching staff member or sending a release from his/her
current institution. If the former situation occurs, the coaching staff member informs the Compliance
Office to request permission to speak to the student-athlete from the student’s current institution. Then,
the standard recruiting process takes place with the student-athlete.
The verification of eligibility process for a transfer student-athlete continues by the Compliance Office
sending a standard transfer release form to the current institution. This form asks a multitude of questions
regarding the student-athlete’s academic standing and progress, recruited status, participation history,
athletic grant-in-aid record and the institution’s agreement to grant the one-time transfer exception.
If the student-athlete continues his/her interest in the University of Vermont, the individual completes the
appropriate Admissions process. After the student-athlete has been admitted to the institution and added
to the team’s roster for the upcoming academic year, the Compliance Office will request that the Transfer
Affairs Office provide a transfer credit evaluation.
Transfer Affairs completes an academic summary form on the transfer student-athlete. This form requests
information about the student’s previous enrollment(s), including 4 year or 2 year institution, fulltime/part-time semesters, credit hours earned, transfer credits granted, transfer gpa and degree granted.
This information provided by Transfer Affairs states the status of the transfer student in terms of progress
toward degree regulations.
After the requisite NCAA regulations have been applied to the transfer student-athlete, the academic
information is recorded in the Compliance Assistant program within the particular student-athlete’s record
by the Compliance Office. The academic and eligibility information appears on the overall team’s
eligibility checklist.
Transfers -- to another institution
A student-athlete at the University of Vermont may express an interest in transferring to another
institution by notifying either coaching staff member or the Compliance Office. These individual will
direct the student to contact institutions of interest, and in turn, these institutions will request permission
to contact from the University of Vermont. The Compliance Office will complete and return the requisite
forms to the other institution. If permission to contact or a one-time transfer exception is denied by the
University of Vermont, the student will receive written notification of the action and be informed of the
hearing opportunity. The hearing will be conducted under the following policy:
Permission to Contact/One-Time Transfer Exception Appeal Procedures
(NCAA bylaw 13.1.1.3.1 and 14.5.5.2.10)
Upon receiving a written notification of the appeal desire from a student, a committee shall be convened
to review the request. The purpose of this committee will be to review the action and hear statements
from both the student and a representative from the Department of Athletics. The committee shall be
comprised of representatives from the following offices/departments:




Faculty Athletics Representative (Chair)
Athletics Advisory Board Member
Nonathletics Faculty/Staff Representative
Student Representative (selected from the Student-Athlete Advisory Council)
The student participating in the hearing has the right to bring an advisor with them to provide moral
support. The advisor must be a member of the University community (e.g. student, faculty, or staff), may
play no other role in the hearing and cannot speak or otherwise represent their advisees in the hearing.
Students who wish to bring an advisor to the hearing must notify the chair of the committee at least 24
hours in advance of their intent to bring an advisor. Advisors may not be lawyers/attorneys; if the student
brings a lawyer/attorney the hearing will be adjourned and the case forwarded to the University General
Counsel.
The general format of the hearing will be as follows, the student presents their position to the appeal
committee including any relevant documentation. An appropriate Department of Athletics representative
will then present the department's position including any appropriate documentation. The committee will
then ask any relevant questions before moving into closed deliberations.
The committee will make a decision as to whether to uphold or reverse the refusal to grant permission to
contact and/or the one-time transfer exception based upon the information presented by the parties
involved. Three of the members of the committee must be in favor of grant reinstatement for the decision
of the Department of Athletics to be overturned.
Students will receive a written decision as a result of the hearing. The decision letter will include a
summary of the hearing and whatever decision is made by the committee. The decision of the committee
is final.
NCAA INITIAL-ELIGIBILITY
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 14.3 for NCAA regulations governing initial-eligibility. All first year student-athletes must be
certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center in order to be eligible for competition. A recruited studentathlete may practice for no more than 14 days prior to receiving final certification and a non-recruited
student-athlete may practice for a maximum of 45 days prior to final certification.
Eligibility Center Procedures
A coach must do the following:
1. During the recruiting process, inform all prospects about the NCAA initial-eligibility
requirements and the need to register with and be certified by the Eligibility Center.
2. Complete and submit to the Compliance Office an Institution Request List Form (IRL) for
prospects to be added to the Eligibility Center Status Report for their sport.
3. Review the Eligibility Center Status Reports and inform prospects about any missing
documentation.
4. Student-athletes who are deemed to be a non-qualifier may not participate with the team in any
fashion.
5. Complete an IRL for any first year student-athlete on the roster that is not already on the
Eligibility Center Status Report.
6. Monitor the number of practice days for student-athletes who have not been certified by the
Eligibility Center to ensure compliance with the allowable number of practice days prior to
final certification.
7. Inform the Compliance Office of any deletions from the Eligibility Center Status Report list
(i.e., students who quit, decided not to come out for the team, etc.).
ROSTER MANAGEMENT
Roster Management Procedures
A coach must do the following:
1. During the summer, submit a preliminary roster list for the upcoming academic year to the
Compliance Office. Inform the Compliance Office regarding any additions and deletions to
the roster throughout the summer months. The roster drives the entire initial, continuing and
transfer eligibility process.
2. Communicate pertinent health screening/physical information as provided by Athletic
Medicine. Disseminate this information to all student-athletes and instruct them as needed to
be present for the mandatory physical session.
3. After the date of physicals, the coach will receive daily physical status reports showing which
student-athletes have been cleared to begin practicing.
4. For student-athletes that have not yet been cleared physically, the students must visit Athletic
Medicine for specific information.
5. A tryout student has five days to either be added to the roster or cut. An individual not listed
on the official team roster may not participate with the team for more than five days.
6. Notify the Compliance Office immediately with any roster additions. A roster addition
deadline exists each semester, which is at the end of the fourth week of classes. Roster
additions will not be allowed after this date, except under extraordinary circumstances.
7. Notify the Compliance Office immediately if a student-athlete is being deleted from the team
roster. There is no deadline for roster deletions, so these may occur at any time during the
academic year.
8. Review official team rosters carefully throughout the academic year. Official team rosters
must be current at all times.
The Compliance Office will issue updated, and dated, rosters to coaches, the Equipment Room and the
Strength and Conditioning coaches on a daily and/or weekly basis as needed during the first four weeks of
each semester.
FINANCIAL AID
FINANCIAL AID
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 15 for NCAA regulations governing financial aid. The administration of financial aid
throughout a student-athlete’s career may include any or all of the following events: National Letter of
Intent, Renewal/Nonrenewal of Grant-in-Aid, Summer Grants, Voluntary GIA Withdrawal and/or
Student-Athlete Employment. Student Financial Services is responsible for the offering of athletic grantin-aids to prospective student-athletes and student-athletes, the completion of package information for
squad lists, and for conducting appeal hearings in the case of a nonrenewal, reduction or cancellation of
an athletic grant-in-aid. Appeal hearing procedures are available in this section.
Grant-in-Aid Awards
The Department of Athletics establishes a deadline of July 1st for the awarding of athletic grant-in-aid
scholarships to student-athletes. This means that the offer of athletic aid to prospective student-athletes
and to returning student-athletes must be made prior to July 1st. If a program is actively recruiting a
midyear enrollee, the head coach must discuss the potential scholarship award with his/her supervisor
prior to the July 1 deadline.
This institutional deadline closely corresponds to established dates set by the NCAA and the NLI
program. To comply with NCAA regulations, the renewal of institutional financial aid based on athletics
ability shall be made on or before July 1 prior to the academic year it is to be effective. The various
National Letter of Intent signing periods for a given academic year culminate on August 1st prior to the
specified academic year.
In addition, the budget process for the Department of Athletics necessitates an actual dollar figure for
scholarships prior to the start of the academic year. The department is determined to utilize all available
funds to support the entire operation throughout the fiscal year. A firm cost of athletic scholarships is an
integral piece to achieving this goal.
The Associate Director of Athletics responsible for monitoring the financial aid for all student-athletes
will also be responsible for annually submitting the NCAA Squad Lists to the America East Conference
office and monitoring the aid limits for each program. The numbers generated by SFS will be crosschecked by the Associate A.D. for accuracy.
Book Policy
A student-athlete receiving required textbooks as part of an athletic grant-in-aid may order textbooks
through the bookstore website and/or pick up books at the bookstore. The bookstore issues the required
textbooks based on a student-athlete’s current schedule. The bookstore maintains a list of books issued to
each student-athlete, and the student-athlete uses the books throughout the semester.
At the end of the semester, the student-athlete gives the books back by utilizing the outside vendor
buyback hours and the assistance of bookstore employees. The student-athlete must give back books
directly to the bookstore employee during the buyback hours. The bookstore employee records the
textbooks that are given back by each student-athlete and collects the buyback money.
The bookstore provides the athletic department the documentation of which books were returned during
buyback. The athletic department processes the paperwork to bill the student-athlete’s account for any
book that was not given back by the end of the buyback period each semester.
Grant-in-Aid Nonrenewal/Reduction/Cancellation
The institution shall notify each student-athlete in writing of an athletic grant-in-aid
nonrenewal/reduction/cancellation. Also, the student will be notified of a hearing opportunity, and the
hearing will operate under the following protocol:
Athletic Grant Non-Renewal Appeal Procedures
(NCAA bylaw 15.3.2.4)
Upon receiving a written notification of the appeal of an athletic grant non-renewal, reduction or
cancellation, a committee shall be convened to review the request. The purpose of this committee will be
to review the action and hear statements from both the student and a representative from the Department
of Athletics. The committee shall be comprised of representatives from the following
offices/departments:




Student Financial Services (Assistant Director or Associate Director)
Department of Athletics (Assistant Athletic Director or Associate Athletic Director)
Faculty/Staff Representative (2)
Student Representative (selected from the Student-Athlete Advisory Council)
The student participating in the hearing has the right to bring an advisor with them to provide moral
support. The advisor must be a member of the University community (e.g. student, faculty, or staff), may
play no other role in the hearing and cannot speak or otherwise represent their advisees in the hearing.
Students who wish to bring an advisor to the hearing must notify Student Financial Services at least 24
hours in advance of their intent to bring an advisor. Advisors may not be lawyers/attorneys; if the student
brings a lawyer/attorney the hearing will be adjourned and the case forwarded to the University General
Counsel.
The general format of the hearing will be as follows, the student presents their position to the appeal
committee including any relevant documentation. An appropriate Department of Athletics representative
will then present the department's position including any appropriate documentation. The committee will
then ask any relevant questions before moving into closed deliberations.
The committee will make a decision as to whether to uphold or reverse the athletic grant non-renewal,
reduction or cancellation based upon the information presented by the parties involved. Three of the
members of the committee must be in favor of grant reinstatement for the decision of the Department of
Athletics to be overturned.
Students will receive a written decision as a result of the hearing. The decision letter will include a
summary of the hearing and whatever decision is made by the committee. The decision of the committee
is final.
Financial Aid Procedures
A coach must do the following:
1)
National Letter of Intent (NLI)
1. Inform all prospects about the rules and regulations regarding athletic grant-in-aids including,
but not limited to, the aid shall not be awarded in excess of one academic year.
2. Complete the NLI Request Form with appropriate signatures and submit to the Compliance
Office.
3. The Compliance Office collaborates with Student Financial Services to complete the necessary
documentation and mail the offer to the prospective student-athlete. The official offer of aid
happens directly from Student Financial Services based on the recommendation from athletics.
2)
Renewals/Nonrenewals
1. Complete the distributed financial aid award sheet with athletic grant-in-aid information.
2. Request a signature from sport supervisor prior to submission to the Compliance Office.
3. The Compliance Office collaborates with Student Financial Services to complete the renewal
or nonrenewal letter and mail the document to the student-athlete by the July 1st deadline. The
official offer of aid happens directly from Student Financial Services based on the
recommendation from athletics.
3)
Summer School Grants
1. Inform eligible student-athletes about summer school grant-in-aid policies.
2. Distribute Summer Aid Applications in the spring of each year.
3. The Compliance Office evaluates the applications and determines the appropriateness of
athletic grant-in-aid awards based on the availability of funds and NCAA rules.
4)
Voluntary GIA Withdrawal
1. If a student-athlete receiving an athletic grant-in-aid voluntarily quits the team, notify the
Compliance Office immediately.
2. As appropriate, the Compliance Office or coach requests that the student-athlete sign a
Voluntary GIA Withdrawal Form.
5)
Student-Athlete Employment
1. Monitor throughout an academic year the employment status of team members.
2. Ensure that student-athletes are compensated for only work actually performed and at a rate
commensurate with the going rate for similar services.
3. Direct student-athletes to the Compliance Office with specific questions about employment
opportunities. The Compliance Office explains the employment regulations to each studentathlete during initial team meetings.
RECRUITING
RECRUITING
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 13 for NCAA regulations governing recruiting regulations. All coaching staff members and
department personnel at the University of Vermont must develop a working knowledge of recruiting
regulations. The recruitment of prospective student-athletes is of vital importance to the programs at the
University of Vermont, and it’s an area of enormous concentration by the coaching staff members.
The department must establish and enforce specific guidelines to monitor recruiting activities. While
participating in these activities, personnel must act accordingly in overall conduct, maintenance of
recruiting documentation, allocation and utilization of resources and funds, and adherence to recruiting
protocols and procedures.
Off-campus recruiters will be certified on an annual basis by successfully completing the NCAA Coaches
Certification Examination. All recruiting documents should be maintained by coaching staff members for
a period of six years.
The department adopted the following Official Visit Recruiting Policy to aid personnel during recruiting
activities:
OFFICIAL VISIT RECRUITING POLICY
The intercollegiate athletics program at the University of Vermont facilitates the personal growth and
education of young men and women through their participation in a comprehensive program of NCAA
Division I sports. As an integral part of the university, the intercollegiate athletics program actively
promotes equity and diversity, fosters the pursuit of academic and athletic excellence, and provides
community enrichment.
The Department of Athletics is committed to the guiding principles of honesty/integrity, strong work
ethic, respect, ethical conduct and teamwork. These principles apply to each and every action of the
department and its personnel, including, but not limited to, interactions with colleagues, student-athletes,
the community, representatives of athletics interests and/or prospective student-athletes. The University
of Vermont strives to recruit prospective student-athletes that will thrive, academically and athletically, in
an atmosphere that values the aforementioned principles.
This policy, the Official Visit Recruiting Policy, establishes and reinforces protocol by which official
visits must be conducted at the University of Vermont. The official visit protocol was established by
reviewing current department policies and procedures, implementing new systems as needed, and creating
a comprehensive document of standards and expected behavior. The NCAA legislation stated that each
institution must establish written departmental policies related to official visits that apply to prospects,
student hosts, coaches and other athletics staff members. This policy outlines the institution’s internal
expectations regarding official visits, specifies duties of responsible parties and details the process to
report a violation.
Part I
Internal Expectations
An official visit to the University of Vermont by a prospective student-athlete may be financed entirely or
in part by the institution. The visit is an opportunity for a prospective student-athlete to learn about the
academic offerings and the athletic opportunities at the institution. The educational component of the
visit should be apparent to the prospective student-athlete. This may be achieved by the prospect
attending a class, meeting with a professor and/or discussing the admissions process with appropriate
personnel.
The institution expects that staff members, student-athletes and prospective student-athletes will conduct
themselves in a manner that exhibits honor and respect to the department, University and surrounding
community. Individuals involved with an official visit must adhere to the applicable rules and regulations
of state and federal laws, the NCAA (specifically Bylaw 13), the University of Vermont, employment
contracts, the Student-Athlete Code of Conduct and/or the Student Host Agreement Form.
On an official visit, the University of Vermont does not support recruiting practices, activities or conduct
by any staff member, student-athlete and/or prospective student-athlete that are abusive in nature or
illegal. These activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
Part II
Violations of municipal ordinances, State laws, and/or federal laws;
Possessing or consuming alcohol if under the age of 21;
Inappropriate entertainment, such as escorts or exotic dancers;
Excessive meals and transportation;
Possessing or using illegal substances;
Acts of sexual violence (date rape, sexual harassment);
Hate crimes;
Hazing; and/or
Gambling/gaming activities.
Duties of Responsible Parties
In order to maintain compliance with NCAA rules and regulations, a set of internal controls is in place to
monitor an official visit by a prospective student-athlete. These controls include specific responsibilities
designated to staff members, student-athletes and prospective student-athletes. The checks and balances
in the system allow the institution to closely examine an official visit and quickly discover any possible
recruiting violations.
Coaches
a)
Prior to the official visit, the coach must submit an Official Visit Approval Form and attached
academic documentation to the Compliance Office for approval. Once approval is obtained, the
coach must keep this material on file in his/her office for six years.
b)
Prior to the official visit, coaches must communicate with the prospective student-athlete and
parents/legal guardians about the nature of the visit. The coach should describe a typical itinerary
for the prospect, as well as discuss behavioral expectations during unstructured time.
c)
If a student host is being utilized for the official visit, the coach must meet with the host prior to
the visit to discuss rules, policies, procedures and behavioral expectations (including, but not
limited to, the necessity of adhering to all provisions of the Student-Athlete Code of Conduct). At
this time, the coach must have the student host sign a Student Host Form. If entertainment money
is being given to the student host, the amount must be noted on the form, and may not exceed the
maximum allowed under NCAA rules. Immediately upon the conclusion of the visit, the student
host must bring all receipts for monies spent, together with any unused money, back to the coach.
The coach must then indicate the amount refunded on the form, and attach the receipts to the form.
The Student Host Form and attached receipts must be kept on file in the coach’s office for six
years.
Coaches, continued
d)
If complimentary admissions to a campus athletics event are being sought for the official visit, the
coach must submit a Complimentary Admissions Form to the Director of Ticket Operations. The
coach must make a copy of this form and keep it on file in his office for six years.
e)
Upon the prospect’s arrival on campus for an official visit, the coach must meet with the prospect
to discuss rules, policies, procedures and behavioral expectations relative to the visit.
f)
At the conclusion of the official visit, the coach must complete an Official Visit Record Form
detailing all the expenses related to the visit and submitted to the Department of Athletics
Business Office. Any additional documentation relating to the official visit must be attached to
the Official Visit Approval Form along with academic documentation, the Student Host Form and
attached receipts (if applicable), and the Complimentary Admissions Form (if applicable). All of
this material must be kept on file in the coach’s office for six years.
g)
If at any time the coach becomes aware that a violation of any applicable rules, policies,
procedures, laws or ordinances has occurred relative to the official visit, it is the coach’s
responsibility to immediately report such violation to his/her sport supervisor.
Student Hosts
a)
The student host must meet with the coach prior to the official visit to discuss rules, policies,
procedures and behavioral expectations relative to the visit. The student host will then be required
to sign an Official Visit Student Host Form, wherein he/she agrees to abide by the same.
b)
If the student host is given entertainment money by the coach, it shall be spent in accordance with
NCAA rules and accounted for with receipts. Entertainment activities must be in accordance with
the Student-Athlete Code of Conduct and/or the internal expectations of this document. The
student host will return all receipts and any unspent monies to the coach immediately upon the
conclusion of the official visit.
c)
The student host must at all times throughout the official visit, including unstructured time with
the prospect, behave in an appropriate manner. The student host must maintain adherence to team
rules implemented by the coaching staff, including regulations regarding a team curfew. If at any
time during the visit the student host violates any applicable rule, policy, procedure, law or
ordinance, he/she shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the Student-Athlete
Code of Conduct.
d)
If at any time the student host becomes aware that a violation of any applicable rules, policies,
procedures, laws or ordinances has occurred relative to the official visit, it is the student host’s
responsibility to immediately report such violation to the coach.
Prospects
a)
b)
c)
d)
Prior to arrival on campus for an official visit, the prospect must have registered with the NCAA
Eligibility Center.
Upon arriving on campus for an official visit, the prospect must meet with the coach to discuss
rules, policies, procedures and behavioral expectations relative to the visit.
The prospect must at all times throughout the official visit behave in an appropriate manner. The
prospect must adhere to rules implemented by the coaching staff, including regulations regarding a
curfew. If at any time during the visit the prospect violates any applicable rule, policy, procedure,
law or ordinance, he/she may be subject to disciplinary action.
If at any time the prospect becomes aware that a violation of any applicable rules, policies,
procedures, laws or ordinances has occurred relative to the official visit, it is the prospect’s
responsibility to immediately report such violation to the coach.
Athletics Staff
a)
The Director of Athletics shall be responsible for establishing written departmental policies related
to official visits that apply to prospects, student hosts, coaches and other athletics staff members,
and obtaining approval for said policies from the institution’s chief executive officer. The
Director of Athletics shall also be responsible for supplying a copy of said policies to the
conference office, and for having said policies evaluated by an outside entity (e.g., conference
office) once every four years.
b)
The Compliance Coordinator shall be responsible for developing and implementing procedures to
ensure that official visits are in conformance with NCAA rules. The Compliance Coordinator
shall also be responsible for disseminating information to coaches and involved staff members
relative to NCAA rules and department procedures governing official visits.
c)
The Compliance Coordinator shall be responsible for reviewing the Official Visit Approval Forms
and attached academic documentation submitted by the coaches, and giving prior written approval
for all official visits. Once said approval is given, the Compliance Coordinator shall include the
prospect’s name in a computer shared file of approved official visits, which can be accessed by the
Financial Manager and the Ticket Manager.
d)
The Compliance Coordinator shall be responsible for investigating potential NCAA rule
violations relative to official visits, and reporting any such violations in accordance with
established reporting procedures.
e)
The Financial Manager shall be responsible for checking the computer shared file of approved
official visits prior to releasing any monies requested by a coach relative to an official visit. The
Financial Manager shall not disburse any monies for an official visit if the prospect’s name does
not appear on said list.
f)
The Ticket Manager shall be responsible for checking the computer shared file of approved
official visits prior to approving a complimentary admissions request for an official visit. The
Ticket Manager shall not approve a complimentary admissions request for an official visit if the
prospect’s name does not appear on said list.
g)
Sport supervisors shall be responsible for taking immediate and appropriate action when notified
by a coach or other individual that a violation of any applicable rules, policies, procedures, laws or
ordinances has occurred relative to an official visit. This action shall include, but not be limited
to, reporting the situation to the Director of Athletics.
h)
The Director of Athletics shall be responsible for taking immediate and appropriate action when
notified by a sport supervisor or other individual that a violation of any applicable rules, policies,
procedures, laws or ordinances has occurred relative to an official visit.
Part III
Report a Violation
If at any time a staff member, coach, student-athlete or prospective student-athlete becomes aware that a
violation of any applicable rules, policies, procedures, laws or ordinances has occurred relative to the
official visit, it’s the responsibility of the individual to immediately report such violation to the proper
authority. The expectation is that the department’s chain of command will be utilized to report a
violation. Thus, student hosts and prospective student-athletes will report a violation to the coach, a
coach will report a violation to his/her supervisor and a staff member will report a violation to his/her
supervisor.
After a report of a violation has occurred, the Compliance Coordinator shall be responsible for
investigating potential NCAA rule violations relative to official visits, and reporting any such violations
in accordance with established reporting procedures. Violations of the Official Visit Recruiting Policy
outside of NCAA rules, such as a violation of regulations of state and federal laws, the University of
Vermont, employment contracts or the Student-Athlete Code of Conduct, will be investigated and
disciplined appropriately. An annual report of violations of the Official Visit Recruiting Policy will be
submitted to the conference office.
Recruiting Procedures
A coach must do the following:
A)
Official Visits
1. Complete and sign an Official Visit Approval Form with the required academic
documentation attached for the prospect. Submit the documents to the Compliance Office.
2. Make arrangements with the Financial Manager for any approved expenditures.
3. As needed, request meal cards from the Compliance Office. Each meal card must be
completed and signed by the coach.
4. If desired, request a maximum of three complimentary admissions to a campus athletics event
for the prospect and the individuals accompanying the prospect.
5. If a student host will be paired with the prospect, this individual must sign the Student Host
Form. Limitations regarding the maximum amount of money that may be given to the student
host and what it can be used for are listed on the form.
6. At the conclusion of each official visit, complete an Official Visit Record Form and return
with associated receipts to the Athletic Department Business Office.
B)
Unofficial Visits
1. If desired, request a maximum of three complimentary admissions to a campus athletics event
for the prospect and those people accompanying the prospect.
C)
Complimentary Admissions
1. Complete and submit the Complimentary Admissions List to the Ticket Office. The form
must be submitted at least five days prior to the requested contest.
2. For official visits, the prospective student-athlete must be approved through the appropriate
process prior to the approval of complimentary admissions.
3. For both official visits and unofficial visits, a prospect may receive a maximum of three
complimentary admissions to a home athletics event. Such complimentary admissions are for
the exclusive use of the prospect and those persons accompanying the prospect on the visit.
4. The prospect’s host on an official visit may receive a complimentary admission to the event,
provided the admission is utilized to accompany the prospect.
D)
Student Host/Entertainment Expenses
1. If a student host is paired with a prospect on an official visit, this individual must sign the
Student Host Form. Limitations regarding the maximum amount of money that may be
given to the student host and what it can be used for are listed on the form.
2. Receipts must be utilized in the reconciliation process.
E)
Contacts/Evaluations/Telephone Calls
1. Develop a system of recording contacts, evaluations and telephone calls for all prospective
student-athletes. Utilize the Front Rush software to document all contact with prospective
student-athletes.
3. All recruitment documents will be evaluated and/or audited regularly by the Compliance
Office. Recruiting documentation may also be evaluated by an outside entity.
On-Campus Evaluations – Basketball - Bylaw 13.11.2.1
It is permissible for a PSA in the sport of men’s basketball to participate in an on-campus evaluation as
long as the following conditions are met:
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A prospect is allowed only ONE tryout at the University of Vermont per sport.
A tryout may occur during an unofficial or official visit.
Tryouts may not be longer than two-hours in length.
The tryout may include tests to evaluate the PSA’s strength, speed, agility and sport skill.
The tryout may involve competition against the member institution’s team provided it occurs
during the University of Vermont’s academic year and is counted in weekly practice time.
Competition against the team is allowed outside the declared playing season, however, it must be
counted within the weekly hour limitations for out-of-season weight training and conditioning.
An unsigned PSA should never be participating in an open gym, scrimmage, etc. – they can only
participate in a tryout.
The tryout may not be publicized.
The University of Vermont may provide AND retrieve practice apparel and access to the locker
room.
Prior to participating in an on-campus evaluation, a PSA is required to provide the following
documentation:
 Completed On-Campus Evaluation Approval From
 An examination or evaluation by a physician administered within the past six months UNLESS
the PSA is a high school senior AND the physical was completed less than one year ago and is
accepted by their high school for athletics participation during their senior year.
 Completed Medical Questionnaire.
 Documentation of Sickle Cell test or a signed waiver.
 Permission to contact on file (for 4 year transfer only.)
Printed Recruiting Materials: NCAA Regulations
Bylaw 13.4.1 regulates recruiting materials. The list of materials that may be provided to a prospective
student-athlete is extensive, and thus, the actual bylaw and an educational column are provided as a
resource guide. Department personnel must adhere to the stated regulations.
13.4.1 Recruiting Materials and Electronic Correspondence – General Rule. An institution shall not
provide recruiting materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, or send electronic
correspondence to an individual (or his or her parents or legal guardians) until September 1 at the
beginning of his or her junior year in high school. If an individual attends an educational institution that
uses a nontraditional academic calendar (e.g., Southern Hemisphere), an institution shall not provide
recruiting materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, or send electronic
correspondence to the individual (or his or her parents or legal guardians) until the opening day of classes
of his or her junior year in high school.
13.4.1.1 Exception – Men’s Basketball. In men’s basketball, an institution shall not provide recruiting
materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, to an individual (or his parents or legal
guardians) until June 15 at the conclusion of his sophomore year in high school. If an individual attends
an educational institution that uses a nontraditional academic calendar (e.g., Southern Hemisphere), an
institution shall not provide recruiting materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, to
an individual (or his parents or legal guardians) until the day after the conclusion of the individual’s
sophomore year in high school.
13.4.1.2 Exception – Men’s Ice Hockey. In men's ice hockey, an institution shall not provide recruiting
materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, to an individual (or his parents or legal
guardians) until January 1 of his sophomore year in high school.
13.4.1.3 Printed Recruiting Materials. As specified below, an institution may provide only the
following printed materials to a prospective student-athlete, his or her parents or legal guardians, coaches
or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospective studentathlete is involved
(a) General Correspondence. There are no restrictions on the design or content of general
correspondence and attachments, except that the size of the printed material may not exceed 8 ½ by 11
inches when opened in full. There are no restrictions on the design or content of an envelope used to send
general correspondence and attachments, except that the size of the envelope may not exceed 9 by 12
inches.
(b) Camp or Clinic Information. Camp or clinic information may be provided at any time.
(c) Questionnaires. An institution may provide questionnaires at any time.
(d) Nonathletics Institutional Publications. An institution may provide nonathletics institutional
publications available to all students at any time (e.g., official academic, admissions and student-services
publications published by the institution and available to all students).
(e) Educational Material Published by the NCAA. Educational material published by the NCAA
(e.g., NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete) may be provided at any time.
13.4.1.1.1 Express Mail Services. 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.
13.4.1.2 Electronic Transmissions – General Rule. Electronic correspondence (e.g., electronic mail,
Instant Messenger, facsimiles, text messages) may be sent to a prospective student-athlete (or the
prospective student-athlete’s parents or legal guardians). Before a prospective student-athlete has signed a
National Letter of Intent or the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid, or the
institution has received his or her financial deposit in response to its offer of admission, the
correspondence must be sent directly to the prospective student-athlete (or his or her parents or legal
guardians) and must be private between only the sender and recipient (e.g., no use of chat rooms, message
boards or posts to “walls”). (See Bylaws 13.1.6.2 and 13.10.2.) There are no content restrictions on
attachments to electronic correspondence, except that video and audio materials must conform to the
requirements of Bylaw 13.4.1.7, may not be created for recruiting purposes and may not be personalized
to include a prospective student-athlete’s name, picture or likeness.
13.4.1.4.1 Exception – Cross Country/Track and Field, Football and Swimming and Diving. In cross
country/track and field, football and swimming and diving, electronically transmitted correspondence that
may be sent to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete’s parents or legal
guardians) is limited to electronic mail and facsimiles. All other forms of electronically transmitted
correspondence (e.g., Instant Messenger, text messaging) are prohibited.
13.4.1.4.1.1. Exception – Electronic Transmissions After Commitment – Cross Country/Track and
Field, Football and Swimming and Diving. In cross country/track and field, football and swimming and
diving, there shall be no limit on the forms of electronically transmitted correspondence sent to a
prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete’s relatives or legal guardians) after one of
the following events occurs:
(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.
13.4.1.4.2 Exception – Electronic Correspondence Regarding Institutional Camp or Clinic
Logistical Issues – Sports Other than Cross Country/Track and Field, Football and Swimming and
Diving. In sports other than cross country/track and field, football and swimming and diving, electronic
correspondence to an individual (or his or her parents, legal guardians, relatives or coach) that relates
solely to institutional camp or clinic logistical issues (e.g., missing registration information) is not subject
to the restrictions on recruiting materials, provided the correspondence does not contain recruiting
language and no solicitation of particular individuals to attend a camp or clinic occurs.
13.4.1.4.3 Exception – Electronic Mail and Facsimiles Regarding Institutional Camp or Clinic
Logistical Issues – Cross Country/Track and Field, Football and Swimming and Diving. In cross
country/track and field, football and swimming and diving, electronic mail and facsimiles to an individual
(or his or her parents, legal guardians, relatives or coach) that relate solely to institutional camp or clinic
logistical issues (e.g., missing registration information) are not subject to the restrictions on recruiting
materials, provided the correspondence does not contain recruiting language and no solicitation of
particular individuals to attend a camp or clinic occurs.
13.4.1.5 Other Recruiting Materials. An institution may post recruiting materials not listed in Bylaw
13.4.1.3 on its website. General information (e.g., information not created for recruiting purposes) posted
to an institution’s website (e.g., press release, competition schedule) may be sent to a prospective studentathlete via permissible electronic correspondence or such information may be printed and provided to a
prospective student-athlete as an attachment to general correspondence or during any permissible on- or
off-campus contact.
13.4.1.6. Responding to Prospective Student-Athlete’s Request. Institutional staff members (including
athletics staff members) may respond to a prospective student-athlete’s letter or electronic correspondence
requesting information from an institution’s athletics department prior to the permissible date on which an
institution may begin to provide recruiting materials to a prospective student-athlete, provided the written
response does not include information that would initiate the recruitment of the prospective studentathlete or information related to the institution’s athletics program (e.g., the reply contains an explanation
of current NCAA legislation or a referral to the admissions department). An electronic reply must be a
permissible form of electronic correspondence.
13.4.1.7 Video/Audio Materials. An institution may not produce video or audio materials to show to,
play for or provide to a prospective student-athlete except as specified in this section. Permissible video or
audio material may only be provided to a prospective student-athlete via permissible electronic
correspondence, except as provided in Bylaw 13.4.1.7.4.
13.4.1.7.1 Media Available to All Students. Official academic admissions and student-services media
produced by the institution and available to all students may be provided to prospective student-athletes.
13.4.1.7.2 Material Not Created for Recruiting Purposes. An institution may produce video or audio
material to show to, play for or provide to a prospective student-athlete, provided such material includes
only general information related to an institution or its athletics programs and is not created for recruiting
purposes.
13.4.1.7.3. Computer-Generated Recruiting Presentations. An institution may produce a computergenerated recruiting presentation (e.g., using presentation software) to show to, play for or provide to a
prospective student-athlete, subject to the following provisions
(a) The presentation may be posted to the institution's website;
(b) The presentation may include general informational video/audio material that relates to an institution
or its athletics programs and is not created for recruiting purposes;
(c) The presentation may not be personalized to include a prospective student-athlete's name, picture or
likeness; and
(d) The presentation may not be created by an entity outside the institution.
13.4.1.7.4 Pre-enrollment Information. An institution may provide any necessary pre-enrollment
information (that is not otherwise considered to be general information related to an institution or its
athletics programs) regarding orientation, conditioning, academics and practice activities in a video
format (e.g., video playbook, games clips) to a prospective student-athlete, provided he or she has signed
a National Letter of Intent or institutional financial aid agreement, or has been officially accepted for
enrollment. Such information may be provided via a digital media storage device (e.g., DVD, flash
drive).
13.4.2 Conference Restrictions. A member conference is precluded from providing recruiting materials
to prospective student-athletes.
PLAYING SEASONS
PLAYING SEASONS
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 17 for NCAA regulations governing playing and practice season for each sport. Each team’s
designated playing season must be established in accordance with the limitations set forth for the sport,
and officially recognized competitions may only occur during that designated playing season.
Competitions may not occur prior to the first date of competition established for the sport, and the total
number of contests and dates of competition may not exceed the maximum allowed for the sport.
Moreover, the total number of contests must at least equal the minimum number of contests required for
the sport in Bylaw 20.9.3.3.
Playing Seasons Procedures
A coach must do the following:
1. Communicate with the scheduling officer to schedule intercollegiate competitions for the next
academic year. Verify that the dates and number of competitions conform to NCAA
regulations.
2. Prior to each academic year, the Compliance Coordinator will review the playing and practice
season for each program with the head coach. The start and end dates of each segment will be
documented in the NCAA’s Compliance Assistant software. This information establishes the
designated playing season for your team, so the dates must conform to the limitations set forth
in Bylaw 17. Coaches must immediately communicate subsequent changes to the Compliance
Office. The head coach must ensure that no officially recognized practices or competitions
take place outside of the team’s designated playing season.
COUNTABLE ATHLETICALLY
RELATED ACTIVITIES
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 17.1.6 for NCAA regulations governing time limits for athletically related activities. During
the playing season, a student-athlete’s participation in countable athletically related activities, as defined
in Bylaw 17.02.1, is limited to a maximum of 4 hours per day and 20 hours per week, except during
official institution vacation periods. Moreover, during the playing season, the team must be given at least
one day off per week from all countable athletically related activities. Outside of the playing season
during the academic year, a student-athlete’s participation in countable athletically related activities is
limited to a maximum of 8 hours per week, of which not more than 2 hours per week may be spent on
individual skill workouts. Student-athletes must be provided a minimum of two days off per week outside
of the playing season. In addition, a student-athlete may not participate in any countable athletically
related activities outside the playing season during official institution vacation periods.
Countable Athletically Related Activities Procedures
A coach must designate a staff member responsible for maintaining the team’s countable hours of
athletically related activities (CARA). CARA must be recorded on a daily/weekly/monthly basis for all
student-athlete. The Front Rush software includes playing/practice season calendars which should be
used to document CARA and be the mechanism to differentiate the type of activity and must be submitted
to the Compliance Office during the academic year.
PARTICIPATION VERIFICATION
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 14.2 for NCAA regulations governing seasons of competition. A student-athlete must
complete his/her four seasons of intercollegiate competition within five calendar years from the date of
first enrollment at a collegiate institution as a full-time student. A season of competition is used when a
student-athlete participates in a competition against an outside team, even if it is only a scrimmage.
Participation Verification Procedures
A coach must do the following:
1. Keep a written record of which student-athletes participated, including championship and nonchampionship seasons.
2. Complete the Participation Verification Form at the end of each year. Return the completed
and signed form to the Compliance Office.
OUT OF SEASON/OUTSIDE TEAMS
NCAA Regulations
Each sport’s section in Bylaw 17 explains the NCAA regulations governing out of season participation on
outside teams. Summer league participation and the limitations on the number of student-athletes from an
institution’s team who may participate on any one summer league team are included in this section. In
addition, for the sport of basketball, see Bylaw 30.15 for NCAA regulations governing summer basketball
leagues.
Out of season/Outside Teams Procedures
A coach must do the following:
1. For all team sports, inform student-athletes about the limitation on the number of studentathletes permitted to participate on an outside team. The head coach is responsible for
monitoring the summer league participation of all team members, and to ensure that the
applicable NCAA regulations are followed.
2. The Compliance Office will meet with all teams prior to the end of each academic year to
discuss permissible and non-permissible out of season activities.
3. In basketball, inform student-athletes that written permission must be obtained from the
Compliance Office before participating in a summer league.
EMPLOYMENT OF
ATHLETICS
PERSONNEL
EMPLOYMENT OF ATHLETICS PERSONNEL
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 11.7 for NCAA regulations governing limitations on the number and duties of coaches. Once
an individual participates in any manner in the coaching of a team in practice, competitions, or organized
activities directly related to that sport that person must count against the coaching limits set forth in
Bylaw 11.7.4.
In addition, Bylaw 11.2.2 requires all full and part-time athletics department staff members (excluding
secretarial or clerical personnel) to provide a written detailed account annually to the institution’s chief
executive officer for all athletically related income and benefits from sources outside the institution. The
bylaw provides that the approval of all athletically related income and benefits shall be consistent with the
institution’s policy related to outside income and benefits applicable to all full-time or part-time
employees.
Employment of Athletics Personnel Procedures
A coach or staff member must do the following:
1. Conform at all times to the limitations on the number of coaches allowed set forth in Bylaw
11.7.4. It is the head coach’s responsibility in ensure that the coaching staff does not exceed
the NCAA limitations.
2. Prior to each academic year, complete the Designation of Coaches Form. Only coaches
listed on this form may participate in coaching activities with the team and/or coaching staff.
3. Notify the Compliance Office immediately if an individual must be added or deleted from the
coaching staff.
4. Each year, coaches participating in off-campus recruiting activities must pass the NCAA
Coaches Certification Test. The number of coaching staff members who may contact or
evaluate prospects off campus at any one time may not exceed the limit set forth for each team
in Bylaw 11.7.4. The head coach is responsible for ensuring that only properly certified
coaches are participating in off-campus recruiting activities, and that only the allowable
number are doing so at any one time.
5. Complete an Athletically Related Income and Benefits Disclosure Form listing all
athletically related income and benefits received from sources outside the institution.
CAMPS & CLINICS
CAMPS & CLINICS
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 13.12 for NCAA regulations governing sports camps and clinics. The institution supports the
involvement of coaches and staff members with camps and clinics, and the institution will educate and
monitor individuals to ensure that the activities meet the rules of the NCAA and institution.
Institutional summer camp dates must be confirmed with the summer camp administrator prior to the
scheduling of a camp. Any camps or clinics during the academic year must be approved, first and
foremost, by the appropriate sport supervisor. Noninstitutional/privately owned camps must operate
under the rules of the NCAA and conform to institutional requirements.
Camps or Clinic Procedures – Academic Year
Individual sport programs may request to host special camps or clinics using Athletic Department
facilities as a way to either raise money for that program, and/or so members of the coaching staff can
augment their pay.
An individual sport program may conduct a camp, and/or clinic during the academic year; however these
events must be conducted during official vacation periods in the UVM academic calendar. Before any
sport camp and/or clinic can be scheduled during the academic year, prior approval must be obtained from
the sport supervisor, the facilities scheduler and the Compliance Office.
The financial administration of these sports camps and/or clinics will be the same as summer camps, and
coaches would be paid with an extra payment voucher. If a sport camp and/or clinic is conducted during
the academic year for the purpose of raising money for a sport program, the proceeds from the event will
be deposited in the Victory Club restricted account for that sport program.
Noninstitutional/Privately Owned Camp Procedures
In sports other than basketball, an institution’s athletics department personnel may serve in any capacity
in a noninstitutional, privately owned camp or clinic provided the operation is in accordance with NCAA
rules related to institutional camps. The staff member is responsible for confirming that the camp or
clinic operates under the appropriate regulations.
To ensure compliance with NCAA rules and maintain institutional control, a coach or staff member that
privately owns and operates a camp or clinic must communicate the dates of the camp to the appropriate
sport supervisor. The Department of Athletics may request participant rosters, employee and wage files,
and any other pertinent information to maintain compliance with NCAA regulations.
Camp and Clinic Advertisement
Prior to distribution all advertisement and promotion related to both institutional and noninstitutional/privately owned camps must be approved by the Summer Camps and Clinics administrator
and the Compliance Office.
EXTRA BENEFITS
EXTRA BENEFITS
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 16 for NCAA regulations governing extra benefits. All coaching staff members and
department personnel at the University of Vermont must understand the concept of an extra benefit. As
defined by the NCAA, an extra benefit is as follows:
An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a representative of the
institution's athletics interests to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete's relative or friend a
benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Receipt of a benefit by student-athletes or their
relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is
generally available to the institution's students or their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the
student body (e.g., foreign students, minority students) determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability.
AMATEURISM
AMATEURISM
NCAA Regulations
See Bylaw 12 for NCAA regulations governing amateurism. A student-athlete must be an amateur in
order to participate in intercollegiate athletics at the University of Vermont. A clear line of demarcation
must exist between college athletics and professional sports.
Amateurism status will be determined through the NCAA Eligibility Center. Each prospect will be
required to complete the NCAA Amateurism Questionnaire as part of the initial eligibility requirements.
The NCAA provided the following information about the amateurism certification process:
Overview of the Amateurism Certification Process
Why: The amateurism certification process has been created to help address membership concerns about
amateurism issues related to both international and domestic student-athletes.
Who: The process will certify all domestic and international prospects planning to enroll for the first
time at an NCAA Division I or Division II institution. As in the past, prospects planning to attend a
Division III institution do not need to register with the Eligibility Center.
How: Prospects will register online using www.eligibilitycenter.org. Online registration is required. No
hard copies of the registration form are available.
In addition to providing demographic and academic information, a prospect will be required to provide
answers to the amateurism questionnaire about his/her athletics participation, prize money earned,
expense money received and any contact they may have had with agents and/or professional teams.
Depending on the responses to these questions, the prospect may be required to provide additional
information.
Once a prospect answers the questions (and provides additional information if needed), this information
will be reviewed and the prospect will receive a preliminary amateurism status report (certified, certified
with conditions, not certified or pending). This preliminary status report will help Division I and II
institutions determine if they wish to continue recruiting a prospect.
Cost: All prospective student-athletes must pay a registration fee (the fee structure is different for
domestic and international students.) Paying the fee will enable the prospect to receive both an academic
certification and an amateurism certification. As in the past, fee waivers will be available.
Institutional Responsibility: The time period after which the prospect requests final certification and
before the prospect enrolls in an institution is referred as the “gap time.” The institution at which the
prospect enrolls will be responsible for certifying the amateur status of the prospect during the gap time.
Amateurism Procedures
A coach or staff member must do the following:
1. Inform prospects about the amateurism certification process during the recruiting process.
2. According to Bylaw 12.5.1.1, enrolled student-athletes may participate in charitable and nonprofit activities as appropriate. All student-athletes must complete the Promotional Activities
Form prior to institutional, charitable, education or nonprofit promotions. Forms are available
in the Compliance Office. The conditions that must be met for approval are listed on the form
and will be reviewed with all student-athletes during the required bi-annual meetings. Below
are some specific restrictions:
-the student-athlete receives written permission from the Director of Athletics or designee;
-the specific activity in which the student-athlete participates does not involved cosponsorship, advertisement, or promotion by a commercial agency;
-the student-athlete’s name or picture does not appear on a printed promotional item that
includes a reproduction of a commercial entity’s product if that entity’s trademark or logo also
appears on the item;
-the student-athlete does not miss class;
-all the monies derived from the activity will go directly to the charitable/non-profit
organization;
-the student-athletes may only accept legitimate and normal expenses such as meals and travel
from the institution or charitable/non-profit agency, provided the activities occur within the
state or a 100-mile radius of the institution;
-the student-athlete’s name, picture, or appearance is not utilized to promote the commercial
ventures of the agency;
-commercial items the student-athlete participates in are sold only through the institution or
through the charitable or educational organization;
-the student-athlete and a representative of the agency sign a release statement prior to the
activity.