LABOR DAY The Big Sky Conference Office will be closed Monday, September 7th in observation of Labor Day.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE POSITIONS DUE! Institutional positions on the 2009-10 NCAA POPL are due September 15, 2009. Remind your Legislative Committee Member!
MEDICAL HARDSHIPS Remember that any medical hardships you'd like reviewed at the Fall Meetings are due no later than September 11, 2009!!!
COMPLIANCE VIDEO Sacramento State has a great video on compliance. Check it out here!
2009-10 PROPOSED LEGISLATION For those of you who were going through legislation withdrawals this summer, enjoy the 2009-10 Legislative Proposals by clicking here. I've only included those proposals that effect the league or institutions in the league... so no lacrosse or FBS legislation for you to muddle through.
CAMPS AND CLINICS
August 27, 2009
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The committee determined that an institution may offer discounted admissions to its camps and clinics based on objective criteria unrelated to athletics abilities (e.g., registration prior to a specific date, online registration, attendance at multiple sessions), provided such discounts are published and available on an equal basis to all who qualify.
CATCHING UP TO TECHNOLOGY... SORTA
August 14, 2009
The academic and membership affairs staff determined it is permissible for an institution to provide prospective student-athletes with a media guide on a digital media storage device (e.g., compact disc, flash drive, memory disk), provided the storage device does not include any content other than an exact reproduction of the media guide. Further, any images or information on the packaging (e.g., label, insert) is limited to a reproduction of the image(s) contained on the cover of the media guide or other identification of the institution (e.g., name, logo) and the media guide (e.g., sport). Finally, storage devices used for this purpose must not exceed the minimum standard capacity necessary to store the media guide (e.g., a media guide of 103 megabytes should be stored on a standard 128 megabyte flash drive).
SAND VOLLEYBALL UPDATE Check out the proposed rules to regulate sand volleyball should it survive the override. Click here.
GUIDE TO FINANCIAL AID Available now, compliments of the Big East. Click here to go to the site. Or download it here.
APR UPDATES The head coaches tab within the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program data collection system will be available the week of July 20 for institutions to provide and to verify existing information regarding individuals employed as head coaches from the 2003-04 academic year to the present.
Institutions should be prepared to name all individuals employed as head coach during this time period, as well as the month and year associated with the beginning and end of their term of employment. Institutions will be required to report this information for only the following sports: football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, and women's indoor and outdoor track and field. In order to assist the membership with this data collection, a question and answer document and technical instructions have been developed and are attached. Later this summer, a webinar will be hosted by the NCAA staff to assist institutions with the new input fields.
Click here for the Head Coaches’ APR Portfolio Question and Answer Document.
Click here for the Head Coaches’ Tab Instructions.
UPDATES TO NCAA MANUAL Check out this link for updates to the 2009-10 NCAA Manual.
BASKETBALL DEAD PERIODS ON THE HORIZON! Don't forget the men's and women's basketball dead periods coming up this month!
TWITTER ED COLUMN
July 14, 2009
NCAA Division I member institutions should note that it is permissible for an institution's Web site or an athletics department staff member's personal Web site (or personal page on any site) to include information related to the institution's athletics program, subject to the restrictions applicable to an institution's athletics Web site. Accordingly, a coach may post general informational content not created for a recruiting purpose such as game scores, team updates, facility updates or generic updates regarding the coaching staff and/or team to the extent they do not mention a specific prospect. These formats may include Web site posts, online personal journals such as blogs and microblogs, which are a form of blogging resulting in a stream of short blog posts that are generally limited by a total number of characters. A current example of a microblog is Twitter.
Microblogs and Publicity.
Institutions should note that in accordance with NCAA Bylaw 13.10.2, before the signing of a prospective student-athlete to a National Letter of Intent or an institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid, a member institution may comment publicly only to the extent of confirming its recruitment of the prospective student-athlete. The institution may not comment generally about the prospective student-athlete's ability or the contribution that the prospective student-athlete might make to the institution's team. Further, the institution is precluded from commenting in any manner as to the likelihood that the prospective student-athlete will sign with that institution.
Therefore, while it is permissible for an institutional staff member to publicly microblog (e.g., Twitter "tweets") about generic information, institutions are reminded they are not permitted to publicize the recruitment of a particular prospective student-athlete in a manner inconsistent with the legislation. For example, it is not permissible for an institution to post names of prospective student-athletes being recruited on a microblog unless it is in response to an inquiry by the media in order to confirm recruitment of a prospective student-athlete. Further, communication with or about a prospective student-athlete in the public's view (e.g., Twitter "@replies" or "mentions") is contrary to the publicity legislation and also constitutes an impermissible form of electronic communication with a prospective student-athlete.
In addition, institutions may not publicize (or arrange for the publicity of) a prospective student-athlete's visit to campus. Further, institutions may photograph a prospective student-athlete during a campus visit but may not use the photograph until the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid and the prospective student-athlete's name or photograph is not used in any promotional items that involve the purchase or receipt of commercial advertising (e.g., season-ticket advertisement in newspapers or on a billboard). Therefore, it is not permissible for an institutional staff member to post a photograph of a prospective student-athlete taken during an institutional camp, for example, to the staff member's microblog, personal Web site or institutional Web site prior to the prospective student-athlete's signing of a National Letter of Intent or the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid.
Microblogs and Electronically Transmitted Correspondence.
Institutions should note that pursuant to Bylaw 13.4.1.2 an institution may send electronically transmitted correspondence to a prospective student-athlete in sports other than men's basketball and ice hockey beginning September 1 at the beginning of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school. In men's basketball and ice hockey, an institution may send electronically transmitted correspondence to a prospective student-athlete beginning June 15 at the conclusion of a prospective student-athlete's sophomore year in high school.
Further, electronically transmitted correspondence that may be sent to a prospective student-athlete is limited to electronic mail (e-mail) and facsimiles until either after the calendar day on which a prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent (or the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid for an institution not using the National Letter of Intent in a particular sport or for a prospective student-athlete who is not eligible to sign a National Letter of Intent), or on or after May 1 of a prospective student-athlete's senior year in high school provided the institution has received the prospective student-athlete's tuition deposit in response to the institution's offer of admission. All other forms of electronically transmitted correspondence (e.g., Instant Messenger, text messaging) are prohibited.
Institutions should note that e-mail communication is not limited to traditional e-mail services provided by an institution, Web site or Internet service provider (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo! Mail). Permissible e-mail communication extends to communication through electronic services and applications comparable to traditional e-mail in which a message is sent directly to another individual. Accordingly, it is permissible for an athletics department staff member to send electronically transmitted correspondence to a prospective student-athlete using a service that permits a private message to be sent between only the sender and recipient in a manner comparable to traditional e-mail (e.g., Twitter "direct message"). However, as previously noted, all other electronically transmitted correspondence through other services or applications remain impermissible, including those that may be directed to a specific individual but are accessible to other users of the service or application (e.g., Twitter "@replies" or "mentions").
Additionally, institutional staff members may not use a service or software to convert e-mail into a text message (or other prohibited form of electronically transmitted correspondence) when received by a prospective student-athlete. Therefore, to the extent an athletics department staff member is aware that a prospective student-athlete is receiving a permissible form of electronic communication in an impermissible format (e.g., receiving e-mail as text messages) such electronic transmission is prohibited. However, if a coach is unaware of how a prospective student-athlete has elected to receive a particular form of communication, the coach is not responsible for sending an impermissible form of electronic correspondence. For example, if a coach is aware that a prospective student-athlete has elected to receive Twitter direct messages as text messages and the coach continues to engage in a direct message conversation as a means to circumvent the restrictions on text messages, the coach has committed a violation. However, if the coach is not aware that the prospective student-athlete has chosen to receive these direct messages as text messages, the coach has not acted contrary to the legislation.
2009-10 RECRUITING CALENDAR An easy reference guide for recruiting in 2009-10. Click here. 2009-10 NLI SIGNING DATES Basketball and All Other Sports Not Listed (Early Period) - Nov. 11-18, 2009
Field Hockey, Soccer, Track/Field, Cross Country, Men's Water Polo - Feb. 3-Aug. 1, 2010
Football (Midyear JC Transfer) - Dec. 16-Jan. 15, 2010
Football (Reg. Period) - Feb. 3-Apr. 1, 2010
Basketball (Reg. Period) - Apr. 14-May 19, 2010
All Other Sports Not Listed (Reg. Period) - April 14-Aug. 1, 2010
SLR WAIVERS
There is now a process to deal with previously approved ARS/SLR waivers, similar to what's in place for incidental-expense waivers. An institution that finds precedent for particular ARS/SLR waivers can self-apply the relief and report it to its conference office quarterly. Click here for further information. The current list is short, but will likely grow.
COACHES RECRUITING TEST
The test for the NCAA Division I Coaches Certification Test is now online! Click here to take the test.
NCAA MANUAL UPDATES Click here for the latest NCAA Manual Updates. Thanks to the Pac-10 for putting this together!
LSDBi UPDATES
July 17, 2009
The academic and membership affairs staff determined it is permissible for a member institution to arrange for media outlets to conduct interviews with a prospective student-athlete during the summer prior to initial full-time enrollment, provided the prospective student-athlete is on campus and permitted to participate in voluntary summer workouts conducted by an institution's strength and conditioning coach.
July 13, 2009
The academic and membership affairs staff determined that if a student-athlete who is certified as a qualifier pursuant to the early academic certification exception is added to an institution's squad list for the first time after the deadline for submission of his or her final transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center (i.e., February 1 of the same academic year if enrollment occurs in the first term or February 1 of the following academic year if enrollment occurs after the first term), the institution shall ensure submission of his or her final high school transcript (official or unofficial) to the Eligibility Center by February 1 of the next academic year.
July 17, 2009
The academic and membership affairs staff determined that it is permissible for a member institution to post the results of a high school athletics event held on a member institution's campus on its institutional Web site or use other media outlets normally used by the institution to publish such results. The staff noted an institution must post complete event results and may not highlight the results of, or provide any commentary on the performance of specific participants and/or teams.
July 13, 2009
The academic and membership affairs staff determined that, in basketball, it is permissible for a four-year college transfer prospective student-athlete to participate in voluntary summer workouts conducted by an institution's strength and conditioning coach, provided the prospective student-athlete has signed the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid.
June 17, 2009
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The committee confirmed that institutions may not arrange for the media, including recruiting or scouting services, to be present at an institutional camp or clinic by inviting members of the media to attend or providing special access (e.g., access to areas not open to the general public) for the media to observe, meet or otherwise interact with prospective student-athletes. Further, the committee determined that members of the media who are present at an institutional camp or clinic may be positioned only in areas open to the general public.
NCAA Division I member institutions should note that NCAA Division I Bylaw 13.11.1 prohibits an institution from conducting (or having conducted on its behalf) any physical activity on its campus or elsewhere at which one or more prospective student-athletes reveal, demonstrate or display their athletics ability in any sport except as permitted under Bylaws 13.11.2 and 13.11.3. Accordingly, it is not permissible for an institutional coaching staff member (including a volunteer coach) to be involved with the coaching or administration of an outside team that includes prospective student-athletes, including summer league and travel teams, unless the involvement is a permissible tryout activity or tryout exception, pursuant to Bylaw 13.11.2 or 13.11.3.
The tryout prohibition is applicable to any individual considered a prospective student-athlete, including high school, two-year college and four-year college prospective student-athletes. The tryout prohibition remains in effect until the prospective student-athlete becomes a student-athlete by:
1. Registering and enrolling full time in a regular academic term at a four-year institution and attending classes; or
2. Participating in regular squad practice or competition at a four-year institution before the beginning of any term.
An institutional coaching staff member may be involved with an outside team that includes student-athletes from other four-year institutions. However, if the coach's institution has received permission to contact a particular student-athlete, then it is not permissible for the coach to be involved with an outside team that includes that student-athlete because NCAA recruiting rules begin to apply once the institution receives permission to contact per Bylaw 13.1.1.3.
Pursuant to Bylaw 13.11.2.3, an institutional coaching staff member in sports other than basketball may be involved in any capacity (e.g., as a participant, administrator or instructional or coaching activities) with a local sports club or organization located in the institution's home community that includes prospective student-athletes, provided all participating prospective student-athletes on the coach's team(s) reside within a 50-mile radius of the institution and there is no institutional sponsorship of the club.
For example, in baseball, it is permissible for an institution's coach to serve as a coach for a summer league team involving student-athletes from other four-year institutions. However, the coach cannot be involved in any capacity (e.g., manager, coach, scout) if the team includes prospective student-athletes, including high school, two-year college or four-year college prospective student athletes, unless the team and its participants satisfy the local sports club legislation (e.g., all participating prospective student-athletes on the coach's team reside within a 50-mile radius of the institution) or another exception to the tryout legislation.
[References: Division I Bylaws 13.02.11 (prospective student-athlete), 13.1.1.3 (four-year college prospective student-athletes), 13.11.1 (prohibited activities), 13.11.2 (permissible activities), 13.11.2.3 (local sports clubs), 13.11.3 (tryout exceptions) and 17.32.2 (outside-team tours)]
NCAA Division I institutions should note that in accordance with NCAA Bylaw 13.4.4.1, an institution may not arrange for advertisements, including athletics camp and clinic advertisements, in facilities or publications related to any competition in which prospective student-athletes participate. Accordingly, it is not permissible to place a banner promoting the institution's athletics camp or clinic at a high school competition.
The prohibition against advertising in conjunction with prospective student-athletes' competition includes not only the purchase of advertising for recruiting purposes, but also the arrangement of advertising for athletics recruiting purposes. Therefore, it is not permissible for an institution to make athletics camp or clinic brochures available at high school athletics competitions even if the institution does not pay a fee for the opportunity to place its materials in the venue.
The academic and membership affairs staff confirmed that for purposes of determining whether a transfer student-athlete from a four-year institution is eligible for athletically related financial aid during his or her first academic year at the certifying institution, the student-athlete must have been academically eligible to compete during the next regular academic term had he or she remained at the previous institution based on a review of all components of academic eligibility (e.g., NCAA progress-toward-degree requirements, conference academic eligibility requirements, good academic standing, suspension/dismissal related to an academic offense). Therefore, a transfer student-athlete from a four-year institution who was suspended or dismissed for the next regular academic term due to an academic offense (e.g., cheating, plagiarism) may not receive athletically related financial aid during his or her first academic year at the certifying institution.
The academic and membership affairs staff determined the following regarding a prospective student-athlete's participation in voluntary workouts while enrolled in an institution's summer term:
a. Football or Basketball. It is permissible for a prospective student-athlete who did not sign a National Letter of Intent (or, in football, for those institutions not using the National Letter of Intent or in the case of a four-year college prospective student-athlete, the prospective student-athlete has not signed the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid) to participate in summer voluntary workouts conducted by the institution's strength and conditioning coach with department-wide duties (or, in championship subdivision football, a countable coach who is a certified strength and conditioning coach) only during the period of an institution's summer term (opening day of classes through last day of final exams) in which he or she is enrolled.
b. Sports Other than Football or Basketball. It is permissible for a prospective student-athlete to participate in summer voluntary workouts conducted by the institution's strength and conditioning coach with department-wide duties only during the period of an institution's summer term (opening day of classes through last day of final exams) in which he or she is enrolled.
