NCAA Compliance Information
NCAA Rules and Regulations Every Alumnus and Friend of Jacksonville State University Should Know
Jacksonville State University, as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, is responsible for ensuring that its coaches, student-athletes, faculty and staff, alumni, donors, boosters and friends abide by conference and NCAA regulations. Under those rules, alumni, donors, boosters and friends are categorized as “representatives of athletics interests” of Jacksonville State University. A “representative of Jacksonville State’s athletic interest” is thereby bound by the same rules and regulations as coaches and other athletics administrators and staff members. When violations occur, whether intentional or unintentional, Jacksonville State is responsible for these actions and ignorance of the rules cannot be used as an excuse. This publication provides a brief overview of the vast NCAA regulations and how inappropriate contact or inadvertent action may jeopardize the eligibility of the institution’s enrolled or prospective student-athletes. Should you have any questions about what you, as a representative of Jacksonville State’s athletics interest, can and cannot do, please contact the compliance office. Your cooperation and support is greatly appreciated to help further the institution’s commitment to academic excellence and a competitive athletics program that complies with NCAA rules.
Definitions
A "REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INSTITUTION’S ATHLETICS INTERESTS” or “BOOSTER” is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution’s executive or athletics administration to:
(a) Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program;
(b) Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;
(c) Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospects;
(d) Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
(e) Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution’s athletics program.
Once an individual, independent agency, corporate entity or other organization is identified as such a representative, the person, independent agency, corporate entity or other organization retains that identity indefinitely.
A Prospective Student-Athlete (“PROSPECT”) is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. A student who has not started ninth grade becomes a prospect if the institution provides such an individual (or the individual’s relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally. It is recommended that all athletes be treated as prospects.
Actions by athletics staff members or athletics representatives that cause a prospective student-athlete to become a prospect are:
• Providing the prospect with an expense paid visit to an institution;
• Having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospect or the prospect’s parents or legal guardians; or
• Initiating or arranging a telephone contact with the prospect, family member, or guardian for the purpose of recruitment.
A CONTACT is any face-to-face encounter between a prospect, or the prospect’s parents, relatives, or legal guardian, and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which a dialogue occurs in excess of a greeting.
A STUDENT-ATHLETE is a student whose enrollment was solicited by a member of the athletics staff or other representative of athletics interests with a view toward the student’s ultimate participation in the intercollegiate athletics program.
RECRUITING is any solicitation of a prospect or a prospect’s family member (or guardian) by an institutional staff member who has passed an NCAA Recruiting Test, for the purpose of securing the prospect’s enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program.
An EXTRA BENEFIT is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or an athletics representative to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete’s relatives or friends with a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.
Important Rules You Should Know
Rule #1
Only coaches and athletics department staff members can be involved in the recruiting process. All “athletics representatives” who are not employed by the school are prohibited from contacting a prospect or members of the prospect’s family by telephone, letter or in person on or off campus for the purpose of encouraging participation in Jacksonville State University’s athletic programs.
Rule #2
Jacksonville State University representatives cannot provide an “extra benefit” or special arrangement to a prospect OR an enrolled student-athlete. Specific applications as they apply to the NCAA extra benefit rule to prospects and enrolled student-athletes, their relatives or friends state that:
YOU MAY NOT:
• Give them cash or loans (or co-sign for a loan) in any amount.
• Employ relatives or friends of a prospect as an inducement for the enrollment of the prospect at Jacksonville State University.
• Give them gifts of any kind (i.e. birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day) or free services (i.e. clothing, airline tickets, laundry, car repair, haircuts, meals in restaurants).
• Provide special discounts for goods or services.
• Provide them hospitality in your home other than on an occasional basis.
• Provide them transportation within or outside of the campus area (i.e. from campus to your home, from the airport to campus, to summer job, etc.)
• Entertain or contact a prospect or prospect’s family on or off campus.
• Provide rent free or reduced rent housing.
• Provide a benefit connected with on or off campus housing (i.e. individual television sets or stereo equipment, specialized recreational facilities, etc.).
• Provide promise of financial aid for post-graduate education.
• Provide promise to a prospect of employment after college graduation.
Rule #3
As an athletic representative, you are not precluded from continuing friendships with families who have prospective or enrolled student-athletes. You simply cannot encourage a prospect’s participation in Jacksonville State University’s athletic programs or provide benefits to the student-athlete that you were not providing before he or she became a prospect or enrolled student-athlete.
Rule #4
NCAA Bylaw 13.15.1 (Use of Recruiting Funds – Institutional Control). All funds for the recruiting of prospects shall be deposited with the member institution, which shall be exclusively and entirely responsible for the manner in which such funds are expended.
NCAA Rules Regarding Contacts With High School and Community College Prospects
DO
• Feel free to attend high school and community college athletic events. You simply cannot have any contact with the prospective student-athletes or relatives. Should you find yourself seated next to parents of a prospect, DO NOT initiate conversation with the relatives. If conversation is initiated with you, respond in a civil manner but DO NOT discuss Jacksonville State University’s athletic program with them. If they raise questions about the program, remind them that the NCAA prohibits you from discussing the program with them. Direct their questions to JSU’s Athletic Department.
• Continue longtime established family relationships with friends and neighbors. Contacts with sons and daughters of these families are permitted as long as they are not made for recruiting purposes and are not initiated by a JSU coaching staff member.
• Feel free to attend a public event (i.e. a high school awards banquet or dinner) at which prospects are in attendance. No attempt should be made to recruit the prospect.
• Send the JSU coaching staff any newspaper clippings or other information about prospects that you think would be of interest and let the coaching staff make the appropriate contact with the prospect.
DO NOT
• Become directly or indirectly involved in making arrangements for a prospect, the prospect’s family or friends to receive money or financial aid of any kind.
• Provide anything to or for a prospect, relatives or friends, without first checking with Athletics Department administration.
• Make any contact with a prospect or the prospect’s family on or off campus. If a coach has a recruit at an athletic event, you should not approach the coach until the prospect and family have gone elsewhere. If the prospect approaches you off campus regarding the athletic program, explain that NCAA rules do not allow you to discuss the program. Suggest that the prospect contact the head coach of the sport for more information.
• Transport, pay for or arrange for payment of transportation costs for a prospect, relatives or friends to visit campus or elsewhere. While it is permissible for a friend or neighbor to transport a high school or community college student who is NOT an athlete to campus, NCAA regulations prohibit that activity for a prospective student-athlete.
• Provide room and/or board, transportation of any kind or any other benefit to a recruited student-athlete during the summer prior to enrollment for fall classes at Jacksonville State University.
• Entertain high school, prep school or community college coaches at any location.
• Provide tickets or transportation for high school, prep school or community college coaches at any location. Only the Athletics Department of Jacksonville State University can provide complimentary admissions and only to home athletic events for those coaches.
• Entertain or providing tickets at no or reduced cost to Jacksonville State University’s home or away athletic or non-athletic events for prospects, their relatives or friends. Only Jacksonville State University’s Athletics Department can provide complimentary admissions to prospects and only for home athletics events.
• Contact an enrolled student-athlete at another institution for the purpose of encouraging transfer to Jacksonville State University and for participation in Jacksonville State University’s athletic program.
• Pay for or offer to pay the registration fees for summer sports camps for a prospect.
• Contact the prospects coach, principal or counselor for the purpose of evaluating the prospect. You are not permitted to pick up films or transcripts from the prospect’s educational institution.
• Invite only selected junior or senior high school or community college prospective student-athletes to alumni events. NCAA rules prohibit contact between prospects and alumni at both on-campus and off-campus sites.
NCAA Rules Regarding Contacts With Currently Enrolled Student-Athletes
DO NOT
• Provide a student-athlete any benefit or special arrangement. The NCAA considers these as an “extra benefit” and they are specifically prohibited.
• Provide room and/or board or any type of transportation during the summer for a student-athlete with remaining eligibility.
• Provide room, board or transportation costs incurred by friends or family of an enrolled student-athlete to visit campus or attend any away contest.
• Expend funds to entertain student-athletes, their friends or relatives. You are not even permitted to buy a soft drink or cup of coffee for them.
• Use the name or picture of an enrolled student-athlete to directly advertise, recommend or promote sales or use of a commercial product or service of any kind. The sale of a picture of an enrolled student-athlete will jeopardize eligibility.
• Provide any payment of expense or loan of any automobile for a student-athlete to return home or to any other location for any reason.
• Provide awards or gifts to a student-athlete for their athletic performance. All awards must conform to NCAA regulations and must be approved by Jacksonville State University and the Ohio Valley Conference.
• Provide an honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement. Only necessary travel expenses can be given when speaking to educational or charitable groups. All speaking engagements must be approved in advance by the Jacksonville State University Athletics Department.
• Allow a student-athlete, their friends or relatives to use your telephone to make free long distance calls.
Employment of Prospects and Enrolled Student-Athletes
DO NOT
• Employ or arrange for the employment of a prospect or enrolled student-athlete without checking first with the athletics department.
• Provide transportation for prospects or student-athletes whom you employ unless transportation is provided for all other employees.
• Provide student-athletes employment during the academic year without contacting the athletics department.
DO
• Pay student-athletes employed by you only for work actually performed and at the same rate for similar services in the community and your own business.
• Notify the athletics department of employment possibilities for student-athletes
If you have knowledge of any improprieties, intentional or unintentional, please let the Athletic Department know immediately, so that we can take corrective actions.
JSU is proud to have the loyal support of and the continued interest in its athletic programs by our alumni and friends. As we strive for excellence, we must always seek the highest standard of ethical conduct. With your assistance and cooperation we believe we can accomplish both goals.
WHOM DO I CONTACT?
JSU Athletic Compliance Office
Athletic Department @ Kennamer Hall
700 Pelham Road North
Jacksonville, AL 36265-1602
(256) 782-5970