BOOSTERS, ALUMNI, FACULTY/STAFF OUTSIDE ATHLETICS, FRIENDS AND PARENTS (REPRESENTATIVE OF ATHLETICS INTEREST)
What Boosters, Alumni, Faculty/Staff Outside of Athletics, Friends and Parents (Representative of Athletics Interest) Need to Know about Recruiting Prospective Student-Athletes and Interacting with Current Student-Athletes
As a member of the NCAA, UMHB is responsible for the control, conduct and compliance with all the rules and regulations of NCAA Division III. It is essential for everyone associated with the college to be properly educated on NCAA rules and how they apply to various affiliated groups.
We appreciate your support and involvement with our teams and student-athletes, and we also appreciate your assistance in ensuring that the eligibility of our student-athletes is not jeopardized by inadvertent rules violations. The information below does not outline all scenarios, but they do touch on some of the key issues related to your interaction with prospective and current student-athletes. We encourage you to read through the document below to familiarize yourself with what may or may not be allowable in terms of your contact with and provisions of benefits to prospective and current student-athletes.
As always, if you have additional questions or concerns, please contact the UMHB Compliance Office or the Athletics Department for assistance.
Do NCAA rules apply to me?
You are a representative of UMHB's athletic interests, and therefore governed by NCAA rules, if you have ever:
- Participated or been a member of any group supporting or promoting UMHB Athletics;
- Promoted UMHB Athletics in any manner;
- Provided or helped arrange employment for student-athletes;
- Have made financial contributions to the athletic department or to an athletics booster organization of UMHB Athletics;
- Assisted or requested (by athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective athletes;
- Assisted in providing benefits to enrolled athletes or their families; or
- Have been involved in otherwise promoting UMHB Athletics.
Once you are identified as a representative, you retain that identity indefinitely.
People often have questions about NCAA rules and what they permit alumni and friends of the university to do. The following is a summary of what is permitted and some examples of frequent problem areas.
NAME IMAGE LIKENESS (NIL) INFORMATION
RULES CONCERNING STUDENT-ATHLETES:
The NCAA prohibits the receipt of a benefit by a student-athlete or his/her relatives or friends unless:
- It is authorized by NCAA legislation, or
- The same benefit generally is available to the institutions, students, their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the student body determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability. The "benefit" could be any special arrangement provided by a college employee or booster to a student-athlete or a student-athlete's relative or friends.
Therefore, please be aware of the following:
- A student-athlete may not accept a prohibited benefit from an employee of UMHB or a representative of UMHB’s athletic interests (e.g., use of a car, clothing, gifts, money, tickets for any kind of entertainment, payment of long distance telephone calls).
- A student-athlete may not accept free or reduced cost storage space for personal belongings for the summer months from any UMHB employee or a representative of UMHB’s athletic interests.
- A student-athlete may not accept free or reduced priced merchandise or services from any merchant unless that free or reduced cost item is also available to the general student body.
- Members of the Department of Athletics staff or a representative of UMHB’s athletic interests are not permitted to type reports, papers, letters, etc., for a student-athlete.
- A student-athlete may not receive a special discount, payment arrangement or credit on a purchase (e.g., airline ticket, clothing), or service (e.g., laundry, dry cleaning) from an employee of UMHB or representative of UMHB’s athletic interests.
- A UMHB employee or a representative of UMHB’s athletic interests may not provide a student-athlete with a loan of money, a guarantee of bond, the use of an automobile or the signing or co-signing of a note to arrange a loan.
- A student-athlete may not accept frequent traveler miles for trips that are financed by the Department of Athletics.
The acceptance by a student-athlete of any of the above extra benefits is a violation of NCAA regulations and places the student-athlete's eligibility for intercollegiate competition in immediate jeopardy. These are just a few samples of an “extra benefit”. It is extremely important for everyone involved with UMHB athletics to know and abide by all NCAA regulations, so please contact the UMHB Compliance Office if you have any questions.
A representative of athletics interests MAY:
- Provide an occasional meal to a student-athlete or an entire team any location in the locale of the UMHB. Meals must be infrequent and special occasions. Please consult with the UMHB Compliance Office to determine “in the locale” and what constitutes “infrequent and special occasions.”
- Provide local transportation to a student-athlete for an occasion meal.
- Pay or provide a meal to a student-athlete or entire team outside of the locale of UMHB as long as the meal is in conjunction with, or in route to or from, an away-from-home contest.
- Donate lodging to UMHB, which UMHB may, in turn, provide to a student-athlete or team in conjunction with, or in route to or from, an away-from-home contest.
But, please DO NOT:
- Provide a current student-athlete, their parents or friends with any benefit or special arrangement without prior approval of the UMHB Compliance Office or the Athletic Director.
- Provide, co-sign, or arrange a loan for a student-athlete, the student-athlete’s parents, relatives or friends—no matter the amount.
- Pay for, arrange for payment of, or provide cost-free room, board, or transportation for a student-athlete or their family and friends.
- Provide or arrange for the provision of gifts or free or reduced-cost services of any kind (e.g., restaurant meals, summer storage space, use of laundry facilities, retail discounts, etc.) for a current student-athlete or his or her family members.
- Provide entertainment to student-athletes or their families.
- Provide any award (e.g., financial aid award, most valuable player award, etc.) to student-athletes which are not approved by the UMHB Compliance Office or not provided through the college/university.
- Provide tickets to professional sporting events.
- Make contact (e.g., in-person contact, telephone calls, electronic communication, written correspondence) with the student-athlete of another NCAA or National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) four-year collegiate institution about transferring institutions.
RULES CONCERNING PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES:
RECRUITMENT OF PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES (NCAA Bylaw 13)
- A prospective student-athlete (PSA) is defined by the NCAA as any person who has begun classes in the ninth grade.
- A PSA remains a prospect even after he/she has signed a Celebratory Signing Form or accepts an offer of financial aid to attend UMHB.
- The prospect remains classified as a prospect until he/she reports for the first day of classes for a regular term (fall or spring), or participates in practice (whichever occurs first).
- Only coaches and athletic department staff members can be involved in the recruiting process off campus.
- Representatives of an institution’s athletic interests are prohibited from recruiting a prospective student-athlete.
- In general, all representatives of the institution’s athletics interest who are not employed by UMHB are prohibited from contacting off-campus a prospect or prospect’s family to encourage the prospect to participate in intercollegiate athletics at UMHB.
- A contact is defined as any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect’s parent or legal guardians during which time any dialogue in excess of an exchange of a greeting occurs.
Do’s and Don’ts Regarding Recruitment and Prospective Student-Athletes
Although recruitment of prospective student-athlete is reserved for authorized UMHB staff members,
YOU MAY:
- Write, email, text, or telephone a prospect in an effort to recruit him or her to the university. Contact a prospect's high school coach, principal or counselor for the purpose of recruiting the prospect (e.g., meeting with the counselor, picking up a videotape of the prospect, etc.)
- If permission from UMHB is given, make recruiting contacts and evaluations with prospective student-athletes and four-year college prospective student-athletes.
- Forward information (e.g., via newspaper clippings, internet postings, telephone calls to coaching staff members, etc.) about a prospect to coaching staff members.
- Attend high school, prep school, club events and two-year college athletics events at your own initiative (i.e., not at the direction of a UMHB staff member) provided you do not have contact with the prospect or his/her parents, guardians, relatives, high school/American Athletic Union (AAU) coach, guidance counselor, etc. unless permissible through NCAA recruiting legislation.
- Display normal civility if you "run into" a prospect somewhere other than the prospect's educational institution, practice or competition site. Such contact must be truly incidental and not prearranged by anyone.
- Continue established relationships with friends and neighbors. Contacts with these individuals should not be for recruiting purposes. Any benefits provided should be similar in nature to benefits provided prior to the individual entering ninth grade.
- Prospects may attend luncheons or dinners in their immediate locale which are sponsored by UMHB and are open to all prospective students (not prospective student-athletes only). Contact with prospects at such events is permissible. Notify UMHB coaches about prospects in your area that may be strong additions to our teams.
But, please DO NOT…
- Directly or indirectly make any arrangement for a prospect to receive cash, financial aid of any kind, or loans of any kind (including signing or co-signing for a loan).
- Provide, arrange for or pay for any type of transportation to any location for a prospect.
- Provide a prospect with any cost-free or discounted gifts or services, including tickets to a home or away event, and payment of camp registration fees.
- Provide or arrange employment for a prospect or a prospect's relatives or friends.
- Provide gifts of clothing or equipment, or any tangible item including merchandise.
- Provide free or reduced-cost services, rentals or purchase of any type or free or reduced-cost housing.
- Finance or arrange the use of recruiting aids to publicize the institutions interest in a particular prospect.
- Contact a student from another institution to encourage him or her to transfer.
- Provide anything to a prospect without prior approval from the director of athletics.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Can an athletics representative be involved in any way when a prospect is on an official or unofficial visit to our campus?
A: Yes, in limited circumstances. The Athletics Representative must clear any contact through the Head Coach.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletics representative to provide summer employment for student-athletes?
A: Yes. Please remember that compensation must be paid only for work actually performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services. Refer to the section titled Rules Governing Student-Athlete Employment.
Q: May a student-athlete’s name or picture be used to directly or indirectly advertise, recommend, or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service?
A: No. Such activity would jeopardize the eligibility of the student-athlete. The NCAA membership has always maintained that student-athletes may not be involved in the promotion of a commercial product. Their involvement in the promotion of charitable or non-profit activities or organizations is permissible, however, within stipulated guidelines and limitations.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletics representative to reimburse a coach for expenses incurred in transporting a prospect to visit the campus?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletics representative to pay in whole, or in part, registration fees associated with a prospect’s attendance at sport camps or clinics?
A: No.
Q: Is the rule prohibiting off-campus contact with prospects or their family members applicable to an athletics representative established family, friends, and neighbors?
A: No. However, it must be understood that such contacts may not be made for recruiting purposes and are not initiated by a member of the institution’s coaching staff unless the prospect has completed their sophomore year of high school. If the athletics representative is visiting with the prospect about recruitment, he/she must clear with the Head Coach.
Q: May an athletics representative attend a public event (e.g., high school awards banquet or dinner) at which prospects are in attendance?
A: Yes. Please remember that contact with a prospect may not be prearranged by an athletics department staff member, and no attempt may be made to recruit the prospect.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletics representative to provide enrolled student-athletes a home-cooked meal?
A: Yes, provided it is on an “occasional” basis.
Q: Is UMHB responsible for the acts of support groups?
A: Yes. Support Groups (aka boosters) are governed by the same NCAA and institutional rules and regulations as those placed upon all institutional athletics staff members.
Q: When is a prospective student-athlete considered a student-athlete?
A: A prospective student-athlete is considered a student-athlete when he or she reports for regular squad practice or attends classes in any term at the college as a full-time student.
