Help Protect the Nest
Help Protect the Nest An Informational Guide for Fans & Supporters
Summer 2014
Providing Student-Athletes with Benefits after Exhausting Eligibility Representatives with an athletics interest or institutional staff members cannot provide former student-athletes with extra benefits any time they want. It is only permissible for former student-athletes to receive an extra benefit of nominal value ( e.g., a ride, meal, lodging) on an occasional basis. We consider occasional to be once or twice a month. This is true only if the institution is not recruiting any relative of the former student-athlete. As a representative with athletics interest, it is important that you make sure that you are not providing impermissible benefits to current student-athletes and former student-athletes because it can impact eligibility and the institution. Always ASK BEFORE YOU ACT! Remember if you have any questions about what is permissible, please contact the FGCU Compliance Office (239)-590-7573 or at [email protected].
Contacting Prospects through Social Media Representatives with an athletics interest are not permitted to contact prospective student-athletes or their parents or guardians through any social media site (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat, etc.). Only institutional staff members may contact prospective student-athletes and their family members during the permissible time periods. This includes commenting publicly about the recruitment of a prospect, posting on their wall, re-tweeting a prospect, sending the prospect photos or using any other form of social media to contact them. Please be sure to contact the Compliance office with any questions.
Summer Employment
Alex Massé Director of Compliance [email protected] Andrea Miller Compliance Coordinator [email protected]
If you plan on hiring student-athletes to work for you or your business during over the summer months there are a few things that you need to remember. A student-athlete can work for you as long as they are only being paid for work that is actually being performed. In other words, you cannot hire a student-athlete to sit around to eat and drink all day. They must actually be working. You must pay a student-athlete the going rate for the work that they are performing. You cannot pay a student $1,000 for cutting your grass one time. If you do employ a student-athlete please make sure to keep proper documentation of all payments and hours worked. Also, please make sure that the student-athlete completes the Student-Athlete Employment form prior to their first day of work. This helps protect the institution and the student-athletes eligibility. If you have any questions contact the Compliance Office prior to hiring a student-athlete!
Recent News
Howard University’s former head cross country/track & field coach openly admitted to violating NCAA ethical conduct rules. Over a 3 year period, there was more than $11,500 provided in inducements and extra benefits to prospects and current student-athletes, athletic scholarship money was misused, the institution failed to monitor eligibility, and impermissible recruiting contacts were made. Howard University was also penalized for a lack of institutional control and self-imposed most of the penalties in this case. Read More.
In the April legislative meeting, the board voted and approved allowing institutions to provide meals and snacks for student-athletes in conjunction with practice and competition. This is in addition to now permitting an institution to provide the maximum meal plan available to the student body to student-athletes. This is in an attempt to meet all student-athletes nutritional needs and to make sure no student-athlete goes to sleep hungry! This has caused a lot of controversy in college athletics. Institutions are still deliberating on the proper way to handle providing meals to student-athletes without it impacting their financial aid. Read More
10501 FGCU Blvd S Fort Myers, FL 33965 239.590.7573 phone 239.590.7014 fax www.fgcuathletics.com
Summer 2014
Providing Student-Athletes with Benefits after Exhausting Eligibility Representatives with an athletics interest or institutional staff members cannot provide former student-athletes with extra benefits any time they want. It is only permissible for former student-athletes to receive an extra benefit of nominal value ( e.g., a ride, meal, lodging) on an occasional basis. We consider occasional to be once or twice a month. This is true only if the institution is not recruiting any relative of the former student-athlete. As a representative with athletics interest, it is important that you make sure that you are not providing impermissible benefits to current student-athletes and former student-athletes because it can impact eligibility and the institution. Always ASK BEFORE YOU ACT! Remember if you have any questions about what is permissible, please contact the FGCU Compliance Office (239)-590-7573 or at [email protected].
Contacting Prospects through Social Media Representatives with an athletics interest are not permitted to contact prospective student-athletes or their parents or guardians through any social media site (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat, etc.). Only institutional staff members may contact prospective student-athletes and their family members during the permissible time periods. This includes commenting publicly about the recruitment of a prospect, posting on their wall, re-tweeting a prospect, sending the prospect photos or using any other form of social media to contact them. Please be sure to contact the Compliance office with any questions.
Summer Employment
Alex Massé Director of Compliance [email protected] Andrea Miller Compliance Coordinator [email protected]
If you plan on hiring student-athletes to work for you or your business during over the summer months there are a few things that you need to remember. A student-athlete can work for you as long as they are only being paid for work that is actually being performed. In other words, you cannot hire a student-athlete to sit around to eat and drink all day. They must actually be working. You must pay a student-athlete the going rate for the work that they are performing. You cannot pay a student $1,000 for cutting your grass one time. If you do employ a student-athlete please make sure to keep proper documentation of all payments and hours worked. Also, please make sure that the student-athlete completes the Student-Athlete Employment form prior to their first day of work. This helps protect the institution and the student-athletes eligibility. If you have any questions contact the Compliance Office prior to hiring a student-athlete!
Recent News
Howard University’s former head cross country/track & field coach openly admitted to violating NCAA ethical conduct rules. Over a 3 year period, there was more than $11,500 provided in inducements and extra benefits to prospects and current student-athletes, athletic scholarship money was misused, the institution failed to monitor eligibility, and impermissible recruiting contacts were made. Howard University was also penalized for a lack of institutional control and self-imposed most of the penalties in this case. Read More.
In the April legislative meeting, the board voted and approved allowing institutions to provide meals and snacks for student-athletes in conjunction with practice and competition. This is in addition to now permitting an institution to provide the maximum meal plan available to the student body to student-athletes. This is in an attempt to meet all student-athletes nutritional needs and to make sure no student-athlete goes to sleep hungry! This has caused a lot of controversy in college athletics. Institutions are still deliberating on the proper way to handle providing meals to student-athletes without it impacting their financial aid. Read More
10501 FGCU Blvd S Fort Myers, FL 33965 239.590.7573 phone 239.590.7014 fax www.fgcuathletics.com
