December - 12 Newsletter.pub
Volume 4, Issue 4 December, 2012
Compliance Matters Official Newsletter of the Southeast Athletic Compliance office
Recruiting Rundown Baseball Quiet Period: December 1-31 Football Contact Period: December 1-15 Quiet Period: December 16 Dead Period: December 17-31 Gymnastics Contact Period: December 1-31 Men’s Basketball Contact Period: December 1-23; 27-31 Dead Period: December 24-26 Women’s Basketball Evaluation Period: December 1-23; 27-31 Dead Period: December 24-26 Soccer Contact Period: December 1-31 Softball Dead Period: December 1 Quiet Period: December 2-31 Tennis Contact Period: December 1-31 Track & Field Contact Period: December 1-9 Quiet Period: December 10-16; 21-31 Dead Period: December 17-20 Volleyball Contact Period: December 1-2 Quiet Period: December 3-11 Dead Period: December 12-31
Seasons of Competition: Five-Year Rule A student-athlete shall not engage in more than four seasons of intercollegiate competition in any one sport (Bylaws 14.02.7 and 14.3.3). A student-athlete shall complete his or her seasons of participation within five calendar years from the beginning of the semester or quarter in which the student-athlete first registered for a minimum full-time program of studies in a collegiate institution (14.2.1). Time spent in the armed services, on official religious missions or with recognized foreign aid services of the U.S. government is excepted from the application of the five-year rule (14.2.1.2). Waiver Criteria A waiver of the five-year period is designed to provide a student-athlete with the opportunity to participate in four seasons of intercollegiate competition within a five-year period. The waiver may be granted, based upon objective evidence, for reasons that are beyond the control of the student-athlete or institution (14.2.1.5.1). Circumstances Beyond Control: Situations clearly supported by contemporaneous medical documentation. Life-threatening or incapacitating injury or illness suffered by member of immediate family member, which is supported by contemporaneous medical documentation. Natural disasters. Extreme financial difficulties as a result of specific event (e.g., layoff, death in family). Circumstances Within Control: Student-athlete’s decision to attend an institution that does not sponsor his/her sport. Failure to meet institutional/conference or NCAA academic requirements. Reliance by a student athlete upon misinformation from a coaching staff member. Redshirt year. Inability to participate as a result of a transfer year.
Medical Hardship Waivers A student-athlete may be granted an additional year of competition by the conference or the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement for reasons of “hardship.” Hardship is defined as an incapacity resulting from an injury or illness that has occurred under all the following conditions:
The incapacitating injury or illness occurs in one of the four seasons of intercollegiate competition at any two-year or fouryear collegiate institution or occurs after the first day of classes in the student-athlete’s senior year in high school.
The injury or illness occurs prior to the first competition of the second half of the playing season that concludes with the NCAA championship in the sport and results in incapacity to compete for the remainder of that playing season.
In team sports, the injury occurs when the student-athlete has not participated in more than three contests or dates of competition (whichever is applicable to that sport) or 30 percent (whichever the number is greater) of the institution’s scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition in his/her sport.
In individual sports, the injury or illness occurs when the student-athlete has not participated in more than three dates of competition or 30 percent (whichever number is greater) of the maximum permissible number of dates of competition as set forth in Bylaw 17 plus one date for a conference championship, regardless of whether the team participates in the conference championship.
Volume 4, Issue 4
Page 2
Information Pertaining to Nonqualifiers A nonqualifier is a student who has not graduated from high school or who, at the time specified in the regulation, has not successfully completed the required core-curriculum or has not presented the required minimum core-curriculum gradepoint average and/or the corresponding SAT/ACT score required for a qualifier. Nonqualifiers may NOT: Practice or compete on an outside team, including a national team, during the academic year of residence, which includes practice or competition during an institution's term-time official vacation periods (e.g., mid-term break, Labor Day weekend) and during the academic year between terms when classes are not in session (e.g., winter break). Receive athletically related financial aid during his/her initial year of enrollment at a four-year institution. Practice or compete during his/her initial year of enrollment at a four-year institution. Attend any practice sessions in any capacity, nor may the student attend any meeting characterized as practice. Receive four complimentary admissions (home/away) in the student-athlete’s sport. Serve as a student host. Serve as a team manager. Attend institutional awards (banquets). Nonqualifiers MAY: Participate in the institution's intramural program (provided the intramural team is not coached by a member of the institution's athletics department staff), but during the first year of enrollment, such an individual is not permitted to practice or compete on an institutional club team or on an outside sports team. Utilize institution’s academic/tutoring services. Receive one complimentary admission for oneself to all regular-season home athletics events. Receive an occasional home meal.
Violators in the News Eastern Michigan University A majority of the violations in this case concern the staff of the women's basketball program (i) requiring women's basketball studentathletes to participate in countable athletically related activities which exceeded practice hour limitations over a three year period and (ii) arranging for prospective student-athletes to participate in open gym sessions in violation of NCAA tryout legislation. The then head women's basketball coach was cited for a failure to promote an atmosphere for compliance within the program. Finally, the institution's athletics department failed to monitor the women's basketball program to ensure compliance with time limits for countable athletically related activities. These violations were ongoing and took place during the 2007-08 through 2009-10 academic years and the intervening summers of 2007 through 2010. The committee has emphasized that the limitations on playing and practice hours exist to safeguard student-athlete well-being and pro-
hibit unfair competitive advantages from occurring. Excessive participation in athletically related activities detracts from time that can be devoted to academic work and, in extreme cases, can lead to any number of dangerous medical conditions. The committee was particularly troubled by comments in the record. For example, the former head coach told student-athletes who complained about excessive practices or sought to leave early to study that they were "soft," and that they had "the rest of [their lives] to retake a class.” As another example, a nonscholastic coach told a student-athlete late for practice that practice was more important than going to class. The nonscholastic assistant coach also refused a request by student-athletes that they leave practice early as they had a six-hour drive home. [Note: These practices violated NCAA bylaws. See Finding B-2 of this report.] Instead, he had them stay until 7 p.m. Student-athletes feared reprisals from their head coach and, as a consequence,
lied to compliance staff when questioned about whether summer workouts were voluntary. In February 2010, two student-athletes told a professor/faculty compliance associate that they were exhausted from excessive practices. Penalties
Public reprimand and censure.
Two years of probation from October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2014.
Two years of probation from October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2014.
Beginning with the date of the release of this report, during the time period outside the women's basketball 2012-13 playing season, the team shall be limited to a maximum of four hours per week of countable athletically related activities.
During the playing season, the women's basketball team shall not exceed three hours per day in countable .
Show cause placed on former Head Coach.
Compliance Matters Official Newsletter of the Southeast Athletic Compliance office
Recruiting Rundown Baseball Quiet Period: December 1-31 Football Contact Period: December 1-15 Quiet Period: December 16 Dead Period: December 17-31 Gymnastics Contact Period: December 1-31 Men’s Basketball Contact Period: December 1-23; 27-31 Dead Period: December 24-26 Women’s Basketball Evaluation Period: December 1-23; 27-31 Dead Period: December 24-26 Soccer Contact Period: December 1-31 Softball Dead Period: December 1 Quiet Period: December 2-31 Tennis Contact Period: December 1-31 Track & Field Contact Period: December 1-9 Quiet Period: December 10-16; 21-31 Dead Period: December 17-20 Volleyball Contact Period: December 1-2 Quiet Period: December 3-11 Dead Period: December 12-31
Seasons of Competition: Five-Year Rule A student-athlete shall not engage in more than four seasons of intercollegiate competition in any one sport (Bylaws 14.02.7 and 14.3.3). A student-athlete shall complete his or her seasons of participation within five calendar years from the beginning of the semester or quarter in which the student-athlete first registered for a minimum full-time program of studies in a collegiate institution (14.2.1). Time spent in the armed services, on official religious missions or with recognized foreign aid services of the U.S. government is excepted from the application of the five-year rule (14.2.1.2). Waiver Criteria A waiver of the five-year period is designed to provide a student-athlete with the opportunity to participate in four seasons of intercollegiate competition within a five-year period. The waiver may be granted, based upon objective evidence, for reasons that are beyond the control of the student-athlete or institution (14.2.1.5.1). Circumstances Beyond Control: Situations clearly supported by contemporaneous medical documentation. Life-threatening or incapacitating injury or illness suffered by member of immediate family member, which is supported by contemporaneous medical documentation. Natural disasters. Extreme financial difficulties as a result of specific event (e.g., layoff, death in family). Circumstances Within Control: Student-athlete’s decision to attend an institution that does not sponsor his/her sport. Failure to meet institutional/conference or NCAA academic requirements. Reliance by a student athlete upon misinformation from a coaching staff member. Redshirt year. Inability to participate as a result of a transfer year.
Medical Hardship Waivers A student-athlete may be granted an additional year of competition by the conference or the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement for reasons of “hardship.” Hardship is defined as an incapacity resulting from an injury or illness that has occurred under all the following conditions:
The incapacitating injury or illness occurs in one of the four seasons of intercollegiate competition at any two-year or fouryear collegiate institution or occurs after the first day of classes in the student-athlete’s senior year in high school.
The injury or illness occurs prior to the first competition of the second half of the playing season that concludes with the NCAA championship in the sport and results in incapacity to compete for the remainder of that playing season.
In team sports, the injury occurs when the student-athlete has not participated in more than three contests or dates of competition (whichever is applicable to that sport) or 30 percent (whichever the number is greater) of the institution’s scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition in his/her sport.
In individual sports, the injury or illness occurs when the student-athlete has not participated in more than three dates of competition or 30 percent (whichever number is greater) of the maximum permissible number of dates of competition as set forth in Bylaw 17 plus one date for a conference championship, regardless of whether the team participates in the conference championship.
Volume 4, Issue 4
Page 2
Information Pertaining to Nonqualifiers A nonqualifier is a student who has not graduated from high school or who, at the time specified in the regulation, has not successfully completed the required core-curriculum or has not presented the required minimum core-curriculum gradepoint average and/or the corresponding SAT/ACT score required for a qualifier. Nonqualifiers may NOT: Practice or compete on an outside team, including a national team, during the academic year of residence, which includes practice or competition during an institution's term-time official vacation periods (e.g., mid-term break, Labor Day weekend) and during the academic year between terms when classes are not in session (e.g., winter break). Receive athletically related financial aid during his/her initial year of enrollment at a four-year institution. Practice or compete during his/her initial year of enrollment at a four-year institution. Attend any practice sessions in any capacity, nor may the student attend any meeting characterized as practice. Receive four complimentary admissions (home/away) in the student-athlete’s sport. Serve as a student host. Serve as a team manager. Attend institutional awards (banquets). Nonqualifiers MAY: Participate in the institution's intramural program (provided the intramural team is not coached by a member of the institution's athletics department staff), but during the first year of enrollment, such an individual is not permitted to practice or compete on an institutional club team or on an outside sports team. Utilize institution’s academic/tutoring services. Receive one complimentary admission for oneself to all regular-season home athletics events. Receive an occasional home meal.
Violators in the News Eastern Michigan University A majority of the violations in this case concern the staff of the women's basketball program (i) requiring women's basketball studentathletes to participate in countable athletically related activities which exceeded practice hour limitations over a three year period and (ii) arranging for prospective student-athletes to participate in open gym sessions in violation of NCAA tryout legislation. The then head women's basketball coach was cited for a failure to promote an atmosphere for compliance within the program. Finally, the institution's athletics department failed to monitor the women's basketball program to ensure compliance with time limits for countable athletically related activities. These violations were ongoing and took place during the 2007-08 through 2009-10 academic years and the intervening summers of 2007 through 2010. The committee has emphasized that the limitations on playing and practice hours exist to safeguard student-athlete well-being and pro-
hibit unfair competitive advantages from occurring. Excessive participation in athletically related activities detracts from time that can be devoted to academic work and, in extreme cases, can lead to any number of dangerous medical conditions. The committee was particularly troubled by comments in the record. For example, the former head coach told student-athletes who complained about excessive practices or sought to leave early to study that they were "soft," and that they had "the rest of [their lives] to retake a class.” As another example, a nonscholastic coach told a student-athlete late for practice that practice was more important than going to class. The nonscholastic assistant coach also refused a request by student-athletes that they leave practice early as they had a six-hour drive home. [Note: These practices violated NCAA bylaws. See Finding B-2 of this report.] Instead, he had them stay until 7 p.m. Student-athletes feared reprisals from their head coach and, as a consequence,
lied to compliance staff when questioned about whether summer workouts were voluntary. In February 2010, two student-athletes told a professor/faculty compliance associate that they were exhausted from excessive practices. Penalties
Public reprimand and censure.
Two years of probation from October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2014.
Two years of probation from October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2014.
Beginning with the date of the release of this report, during the time period outside the women's basketball 2012-13 playing season, the team shall be limited to a maximum of four hours per week of countable athletically related activities.
During the playing season, the women's basketball team shall not exceed three hours per day in countable .
Show cause placed on former Head Coach.
