Central Michigan University Athletics Department
Compliance
Meeting
February 11, 2009
Updated Recruiting Calendar
Recruiting Calendar—February / March
Baseball: Month of February = Quiet Period
March 1 = Begin Contact Period
Men’s Basketball: Entire month of February – March 15 =
Evaluation Period / March 16-22 =Contact Period
Women’s Basketball: Entire month of February = Evaluation Period
/ March 1 – April 2 = Contact Period
Football: Feb 6 – Apr. 14 = Quiet Period
Softball: February/March – Contact Period
Volleyball: February/March – Contact Period
Track / CC: February/March – Contact Period except for March
13 – 15 = DEAD PERIOD
Financial Aid Update
All SA’s need to communicate with their advisor/you regarding
withdrawing / adding courses
Summer Financial Aid applications are now available with Academic
Services
- Phase I registration: February 23 – April 24th
- First session : May 18 – June 25th
- Second session: June 29 – August 6th
5th year financial aid (exhausted eligibility) applications are now
available with Academic Services
- 5th year SA’s may receive up to tuition/books for credits required for
graduation)
University of Albany
2009 University of Albany - Major Infractions Case
Involves impermissible text messages to over 100 recruits
On 36 occasions during the 2007 fall semester, several (5 total) assistant
football coaches sent impermissible text messages to prospective studentathletes… The majority of the text messages were sent using a recruiting
software program that enabled a coach to type a single message and
send it to several prospects at once. As a result, the 36 occasions when
football coaches sent text messages resulted in 331 messages sent and
220 prospects contacted.
During the summer of 2008, the head baseball coach sent 56
impermissible text messages
University of Albany
The violations occurred because the coaches misunderstood the textmessaging ban and essentially believed a text message would be
treated like a phone call under the legislation. The coaches interpreted
the ban to mean that the sending of an unlimited amount of text
messages was banned, but they thought that one text message per
week could be sent to a high school senior prospect in lieu of the usual
weekly phone call. In these circumstances, NCAA legislation permits
one weekly telephone call during the fall semester of a prospect's
senior year between September 1 and the beginning of the contact
period in late November.� Further, as noted in this finding and
detailed in Finding B-2, the institution failed to adequately monitor text
messaging during the 2007 fall semester, which allowed the coaches
to begin sending text messages in September and continue until
December.�
Penalties: Scholarship reduction in baseball, official visit
reduction in football, off-campus recruiting restricted, suspended
recruitment of prospects that were sent text messages,
suspended recruiting activities of coaches for up to 48 weeks!
Recruiting Records
Recruiting Records
•
Recruiting Record Policy– Make sure you and your staff record all
contacts / evaluations / phone calls /
ALWAYS RECORD MESSAGE CALLS (fresno state, oklahoma)
•
Each coaching staff member should be clearly marked on
records for calls / evaluations / contacts
•
Final Audit -- Is currently being reviewed by Internal audit!
•
We do audit both office and cell phone records AND data bills (text
messages) If you call from your home phone, you must provide us
with access to the records!
•
Warning: Expense Vouchers & Mileage Reimbursement
Requests that claim “recruiting expenses” should have supporting
contact or evaluation records – WE DO AUDIT THESE RECORDS!
TCU – International SA’s
Assistant Coach B provided $100/ month to two international SA’s because
they weren’t aware that 14% of their athl. aid would be deducted for taxes.
The head coach and assistant coaches provided $$$$ to SA’s to help
with: rent ($500, bus ticket ($100), plane ticket for Kenyan SA to enroll ($1000)
All International sa’s that receive any scholarship above (60%)
tuition/books (room/board) are taxed. For a full scholarship, sa, this
comes out to around $700 per semester!!
The situations of international student-athletes require particular vigilance; as
they are unable to work in this country and as they have 14 percent of their
scholarship funds withheld to pay taxes, international students often face
financial shortfalls while attending college in this country. When those
international students participate in athletics, it is the responsibility of the
institutions to monitor the manner in which their expenses are being
covered.
Medical history information may be required for future int’l SA’s before issuing
NLI
Int’l students are eligible to apply for the NCAA Special Assistance Fund –
must complete FAFSA (available in Financial Aid Office)
NEW Camp/Clinic Interpretation
NCAA 1/15/09: an institution may advertise or promote an institutional
camp or clinic in any way, provided any camp or clinic advertisement
or promotion (e.g., camp brochure, Web site, newspaper or magazine
advertisement) stipulates that the camp or clinic is open to any and all
entrants (limited only by number, age, grade level and/or gender).
STILL NOT permitted to use current SA’s on publication materials
Recent Questions
A prospect just signed an NLI with CMU and I want to send them a
strength and conditioning program – do I have to send it within a body
of an e-mail or letter?
NO! (13.4.1.1.j) Necessary pre-enrollment information regarding
orientation, conditioning, academics and practice activities, may be
provided 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.
If they have signed an NLI or have paid their orientation fee, you can
mail (including express mail) pre-enrollment info (not recruiting
materials)
Recent Questions
What does a prospect have to pay to stay in a dorm with one of our
current SA’s on an unofficial visit (old rate was $56)?
Answer: CMU Athletics has established a rate of $18/night for all
unofficial visits arranged by CMU. You must provide Compliance with
the $$ and information on the prospect at the completion of the visit,
and Josh will forward to Residence Life.
Why $18? $18 is a prorated daily rated based upon the room
charges for the semester ($1917) for 2008-2009.
This will fluctuate each academic year!
$56 is the current guest room rate on campus if a prospect wants to
have their own room…
New Legislation – Recruiting Materials
General information (e.g., information not created for recruiting
purposes) posted to an institution's Web site (e.g., press release,
competition schedule) may be sent to a prospective student-athlete via
electronic mail as an attachment or a hyperlink or such information may be
printed on plain white paper with black ink and provided to a prospective
student-athlete as an attachment to general correspondence, via facsimile
or during any permissible on- or off-campus contact.
New Legislation – Skill Related Instruction
In sports other than football, to specify that skill-related instruction shall
not be publicized and shall not be conducted in view of a general public
audience.
Rationale: Current legislation permits student-athletes (in sports other
than football) outside the playing season to engage in eight hours of
required conditioning and skill-related instruction, with no more than two of
those hours being devoted to skill-related instruction activities. After
September 15 and prior to April 15th, there are no limitations on the number
of student-athletes who may be involved in such activities at any one time.
Skill-related instruction is not designed to be used as a recruiting tool to
permit institutions to schedule activities that give the appearance of fullfledged practice prior to the first permissible in-season practice date (e.g.,
midnight madness) and create a celebrity atmosphere during campus visits
by prospective student-athletes. This proposal will ensure that out-ofseason activities will focus on their true intent by prohibiting institutions
from conducting such activities before a public audience.
Skill related instruction question: Does film count towards the 2 hr.
skill instruction limitation? YES! Required conditioning and weight training
are the only other activities permitted during the 8 hr. block
New Legislation – Skill Related Instruction
In basketball, to specify that an institution shall not employ
(either on a salaried or a volunteer basis) an individual who
is involved in coaching PSAs or is associated with a PSA
as a result of the PSA's participation in basketball as a
speaker or presenter at any athletically related events or
activities (e.g., camps or clinics, booster club functions, as
outside consultant).
Still permissible to employ high school coaches, however
they cannot speak other than in a skill instruction capacity
New Legislation – Skill Related Instruction
In men's basketball, for purposes of the tryout rule and
the regulations related to camps and clinics, to specify
that a PSA is an individual who has started classes for
the seventh grade.
Not permissible to work any non-CMU camps/clinics
involving 7th graders + above
Financial Aid Review
Financial Aid Review for Institutional Scholarships
FA
New Legislation – Prospect
An individual shall no longer be considered a prospect for purposes of
the contact limitations in Bylaw 13 and shall be considered a SA for
purposes of Bylaw 16 at the point in which he or she officially registers and
enrolls and attends classes in an institution's summer term prior to initial
full-time enrollment.
Allowed to utilize Academic Center, training room, occasional
meals, unlimited contacts…
Recruiting after signing NLI
After PSA Signs NLI (13.1.6.8)
•
No limits on contacts – except for DEAD PERIODS
(MFB & MBK – Limited to contact period when at PSA’s
educational institution & no more than one visit per week)
•
***Multi-sport athletes – one visit per week by institution
•
Contact Before Event/Competitions – No contact with the
prospect at the site of competition until the competition has
ended and the prospect has left the locker room. However,
contact with the prospect’s relatives during the competition
is permitted – must be in contact period for FB and MBK.
•
No limit on evaluations– Still limited to evaluation
restrictions: Observation of team = evaluation for whole team
•
No limit on phone calls – (ONLY for those who signed an
NLI) - walk-ons are still limited to once per week)
Remember, no calls for a prospect once they report on call
for a competition!
NLI and Electronic Communication
Electronic communication – after signing NLI ALL SPORTS
(13.4.1.2.1) After a prospect signs a NLI (or for those who are
ineligible to sign NLI (4-year prospect) who sign financial aid
agreement), there is no limit on the forms of electronic transmitted
correspondence an institution may send to a prospect or their
parents.
This means that you can text and instant message prospects
after they have signed an NLI much as you want EXCEPT for when a
prospect is on-call at a competition site – still no communication when
they are on call!
Walk-ons who pay their orientation fee do not fall within this exception
– you cannot text, IM these prospects after they have paid their
orientation fee! after May 1 of a PSA's senior year in high school,
there shall be no limit on the forms of electronically transmitted
correspondence that may be sent by an institution to the PSA,
provided the institution has received his or her room or tuition deposit
in response to the institution's offer of admission.
Recruiting after signing NLI
Question: A prospect that has signed an NLI with CMU is attending
our away competition and we would like to talk to him/her after our game.
This is ok right?
Yes, you can have contact with the prospect, because you do have
an unlimited number of contacts now that the prospect has signed
an NLI. Because you are off-campus only permissible recruiters can
have contact with the prospect. Anyone not designated as a
recruiter cannot have contact with the prospect, and only the
permissible number of recruiters that are allowed off campus at any
one time may contact the prospect. In basketball, recruiting person
days still count for nli signees!
Evaluation/recruiting person days still count for volleyball, softball
and basketball for all NLI signees you evaluate!
Promotional Activities
Remember that anytime student-athletes are appearing on behalf of CMU at a
charitable, educational, or institutional event (e.g., visit to local hospital, school, or
Chamber of Commerce luncheon), a promotional activities form must be submitted
to the Compliance Office (available on intranet)
SA’s name, picture, or status as an athlete cannot be used to promote a
commercial product! (e.g., CD’s, local businesses, yo-yo man)
This also includes providing memorabilia to local businesses with studentathlete signatures/pictures. (local golf course conducting auction to raise $$$
for course – only coaches can contribute autographs!)
Autographs of individual sa’s should never distributed unless personalized!
Request for memorabilia donations must be cleared by compliance!
Case Study: A softball student-athlete (SA) provided a commercial entity with a
quote endorsing the commercial entity. Specifically, during the off season, the SA
occasionally goes to a training facility near her hometown to workout. In an effort to
promote the facility, the facility administrators have included quotes from various
professional and Olympic athletics on their Web site. The SA provided the facility
with an endorsement quote. The SA was not compensated for her comments nor did
she receive any other type of benefits. SA declared ineligible for competition.
Playing Season - Travel Issues
An eligible student-athlete may receive actual and necessary travel
expenses to represent the institution in athletics competition, provided the
student-athlete departs for the competition no earlier than 48 hours prior to
the start of the actual competition and remains no more than 36 hours
following the conclusion of the actual competition even if the student-athlete
does not return with the team.
Exceptions:
travel during institution’s vacation period
NCAA Championships
17.1.6.6.1 No Class Time Missed for Practice Activities: No class time
shall be missed for practice activities except when a team is traveling to an
away-from-home contest and the practice is in conjunction with the contest
(exception to missed class is practice on day of departure).
Practice before departing for road trip is ok, however keep in mind times on
travel letters for missed class!!
Equipment Issues
All equipment / apparel that is received by a CMU staff member or student-athlete
must be received, distributed, and inventoried by Equipment Operations no matter if
they are receiving it as personal items (coaching benefit) or as team items. Please
note that personal items are considered “outside income” and must be pre-approved if
the benefit is > $1000.
Negotiated rates: Negotiated “CMU rates” that CMU receives from vendors are a
concern in terms of extra benefits. Even if CMU is not contributing $1 for an item
(e.g., sunglasses, jackets), the items are still the property of CMU and must be
received, distributed, and inventoried as any other equipment / apparel item. The only
time in which a student-athlete can take advantage of a negotiated rate is if the items
are required for practice / competition. Student-athletes are NOT permitted to
purchase additional apparel / equipment (additional sunglasses, clothing) at a reduced
rate.
Such an arrangement constitutes an extra benefit if arranged by the
institution or its staff members, or preferential treatment if provided by the
equipment manufacturer unless the opportunity to purchase items in this
manner is available to the general student body.
Equipment Issues
At the end of the year, equipment must be turned in and inventoried unless
student-athletes are allowed to keep certain pieces of equipment over the
summer months (gloves, bats, sunglasses, etc.).
Equipment retention in final season of eligibility: Student-athletes in their final
season of eligibility may not retain equipment at the end of their career without CMU
assigning a cost value to the equipment and charging the student-athlete the market
value for the item.
If the market value is greater than what the student-athlete initially paid for the
item, then they must pay the additional cost.
If the market value is less than what the student-athlete initially paid for the
item, student-athletes are not required to provide any additional funds to retain
the item.
Documentation of the above is essential to ensure compliance. Obviously with
more personal items (sunglasses), there is a good chance that they will go through
significant depreciation during the season, so in most cases, they probably would
depreciate below the market value; however we still must certify each piece of
equipment using this process!
THE END