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April basketball events online

April basketball events online

The Ivy League has launched its website listing nonscholastic boys basketball events that have been approved, sanctioned, sponsored, or conducted by high school, prep school, or JC associations which are scheduled during the April contact period.

EdCol--Aid for kids for former student-athletes

LSDBi has the details about scholarship programs available only to kids of former student-athletes. There are ways to do this, but it's not easy.

ARS waiver for Special Olympics basketball game

ARS has granted a blanket waiver to permit selected men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes to engage in a scrimmage involving Special Olympians at the April 5, 2008, YES Clinics held in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Final Four.

You can view the full list of ARS blanket waivers. 

NLI dead period reminder

Pick up a reminder about the upcoming dead period that surrounds the initial NLI signing day in all sports except football, basketball, soccer, men's water polo, cross country, track and field, and field hockey.

Other reminders can be found on our Dead Period Reminders page.

New governance materials

You can get the agenda for the April Management Council meeting as well as the report of the February meeting of the Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.

Final Four dead period reminders

Final Four dead period reminders

There are basketball recruiting dead periods coming up. You can pick up reminders for both the men's basketball and women's basketball.

EdCol--Thank you ads

LSDBi has the details today covering the rules about student-athletes and/or their parents taking out ads thanking commercial entities. Looks like it might be a problem in equestrian.

Pac-10 Handbook Update 2

Pac-10 Handbook Update 2

You can pick up revised pages--Update 2--for the Pac-10 Handbook (or the whole book--version 1.2--including the latest revisions) at our Handbook page. The latest changes include officiating fees and expenses for 2008-09 and replacement of the term "Management Council" with "Legislative Council" and/or "Leadership Council" to reflect and accommodate changes to the NCAA governance structure.

Blanket ARS waiver for long-course swimming events

Blanket ARS waiver for long-course swimming events

Following Division III's lead, the Division I ARS issued a blanket waiver to permit men's and women's swimming student-athletes participating in the 2008 NCAA Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Championships to swim in the long-course events scheduled the day after the conclusion of the NCAA championships [i.e., March 23, 2008, at Ohio State University (site of the NCAA women's championship) and March 30, 2008, at the University of Washington (site of the NCAA men's championship)]. More details are on the ARS blanket waiver page.

Surprise--no overrides

The latest batch of NCAA proposals has completed safe passage through the governance process without being overridden. For the record, those adopted proposals are: 2006-1212007-0022007-0182007-019*, 2007-021*, 2007-022*, 2007-027*, 2007-0292007-032* (FBS), 2007-033-A*, 2007-040 (FBS), 2007-042*, 2007-044*, 2007-045*, 2007-047*, 2007-048*, 2007-0492007-051*, 2007-053-B*, 2007-054-A2007-056*, 2007-059*, 2007-062*, 2007-0632007-0652007-0712007-0742007-0752007-076*, 2007-077*, 2007-0822007-0872007-0892007-091*, 2007-0932007-094*, 2007-0952007-0962007-098*, 2007-0992007-102*, 2007-1042007-105*, 2007-110*, 2007-1172008-001*, 2008-002*.

You can get the NCAA's PDF copy of the adopted proposals in long form or table form.

Next up is consideration of what's left at the April Management Council meeting: Proposals 2007-016-B2007-0172007-030-B2007-030-C2007-031-B2007-0352007-0392007-0402007-050-A2007-050-B2007-0522007-0582007-0612007-066, 2007-066-12007-067, 2007-067-12007-0682007-0782007-0792007-0802007-0812007-0832007-0922007-1002007-103.

You can pick up the NCAA's PDF copy of the proposals in the comment period in long form or table form. (Note that Proposals 2007-066-1 and 2007-067-1, which set an effective date of 8/1/09 for Proposals 2007-066 and 2007-067, respectively, aren't included.)

EdCol--Incompletes replaced with letter grades

LSDBi has the details about what to do when a grade for an incomplete class is replaced with a letter grade.

A new example of sports wagering

Thinking of buying then selling options on tickets for a future sporting event and making a profit? Think again.

A slew of editorial revisions

With nothing but spare time on our hands, we've lengthened our Manual Updates page to include editorial revisions to the NCAA Manual that occurred beginning July 27, 2007, and didn't make it into the publication of the tome. The revisions are in the online Manual, however.

No mulligans here

No mulligans here

LSDBi has an EdCol today about counting team competitions in golf. Among the parameters:

• Varsity and sub-varsity teams
• How often student-athletes compete on those various teams
• How many student-athletes compete on those various teams on a given date
• Classifying and reclassifying student-athletes as varsity or sub-varsity participants on an on-going basis
• Bylaw 17 vs. Bylaw 20 scheduling issues

If you ever needed an example of overly complex NCAA rules, then this one is for you. The head spins.

We need something simpler here. But as long as we continue to count a team date of competition when one golfer competes on behalf of the institution, there might not be a simpler solution.

MSi

MSi

The NCAA membership services will use Membership Services Interactive ("MSi") in 2008 to focus on a combination of basic rules educational topics as well as hot issues relating to NCAA legislation and other regulatory issues.

Regional rules seminar registration opens today

And guess what...the registration server crashed.

"At this time, the server is down and registration is closed.  Please check back at a later time.  Sorry for any inconvenience."

Not to be deterred, I clicked the link and registered anyway.

A new dead period approaches

A new dead period approaches

Remember, thanks to the new-this-year recruiting calendar, there's a dead period for track and field and cross country that occurs on the days of the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. We post dead period reminders in the Tools area, but you can get this one directly.

A late February LRIC interp

Just posted on LSDBi:

Academic Expenses or Services to Complete Initial or Transfer Eligibility Requirements (I)

Date Issued: Feb 20, 2008
Type: Official

The committee confirmed that an institution may not provide any academic expenses or services (e.g., tutoring, test preparation) to assist a prospective or enrolled student-athlete in completing any initial-eligibility or transfer-eligibility requirements or in improving his or her academic profile in the preparation of a request for a waiver of such requirements.

[References:  NCAA Division I Bylaws 13.15.1 (prohibited expenses) and 16.3.1.1 (academic counseling/support services) and a staff interpretation (9/20/89, item c), which has been archived.]

EdCol--What about nontraditional classes?

LSDBi has the details about nontraditional classes, transfers, continuing students, and credit hour requirements, and progress toward degree requirements. Whew.

CC Cabinet report is available

The report of the February meeting of the Championships/Competition Cabinet is out.

New for 2008

New for 2008

Our fourth quiz is available: New for 2008, covering new NCAA rules adopted in January.

Remember--2007-042 is effective now

From LSDBi:

Date Issued: Jan 28, 2008
Type: Ed. Column

NCAA Division I institutions should note that recently adopted NCAA Division I Proposal No. 2007-42 has an immediate effective date. All evaluations, including evaluations that occur during the 2008 spring evaluation period, are limited to regularly scheduled high school, preparatory school and two-year college contests and practices and regular scholastic activities involving prospective student-athletes enrolled at the institution at which the regular scholastic activities occur.  Therefore, evaluations may not occur at nonscholastic events, including, but not limited to, camps, combines and all-star games.

[References:  NCAA Proposal No. 2007-42 (contacts and evaluations -- football evaluations  -- scholastic activities) and NCAA Bylaw 13.1.8.9.4 (scholastic and nonscholastic activities)]

Reports and agendas have surfaced

We've finally tracked down weblinks for the January Management Council and Board meeting report, as well as agendas for the February meetings of the Championships/Competition Cabinet and Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.

NLI dead period is approaching

NLI dead period is approaching

And we've got reminders for football and soccer, men’s water polo, cross country, track & field, and field hockey in our Tools area.

What happened?

The Convention meetings have ended, the smoke has cleared, and here's what happened. Read more...

NCAA website refresh

NCAA website refresh

New year, new look.

The NCAA has updated its home page, and launched NCAA Direct. Kudos to the NCAA for adding a Division I RSS feed (we've added it to the bottom of our sidebar at left), but what happened to the search box?

EdCol--Impermissible expenses for outside competition

LSDBi has an EdCol today about receipt of expenses for outside competition. The EdCol has several examples and makes a point of referencing the sport of golf.

Gearing up

Agendas for the January meetings of the Management Council and Board of Directors are now online.

Another step forward

An insignificant number of override requests were received by December 31 for the latest batch of proposals. So Proposals 2007-037*, 2007-0902007-097*, 2007-106*, 2007-111*, 2007-112*, 2007-113*, 2007-114*, and 2007-116 have finished their journey through the process and are considered final. (Asterisked proposals are effective immediately; more details are on our Manual Updates page.)

Think about it. Look around.

Think about it. Look around.

What does Shakespeare know about recruiting coordination? Turns out, quite a bit.

If there's a coaches convention...

If there's a coaches convention...

...then there must be a dead period. Our Tools area has reminders about a pair of January dead periods in baseball and football.

New quiz--NLI

New quiz--NLI

There's a new quiz today, all about the NLI.

EdCol--Job placement services

LSDBi has the details about potential pitfalls for student-athletes who want to use job placement services.

Following suit

The NLI office will be closed for the holidays at 3:30 p.m., Friday, December 21 until it re-opens on January 2.

Two staff confirmations

Staff confirmations are starting to show up on LSDBi. Here are two more:

Scouting of Opponents in Conjunction with Team Travel (I)
Date Issued: Dec 12, 2007
The membership services staff confirmed that in sports in which an institution may not provide expenses to scout opponents, a coaching staff member who receives any expenses from the institution related to team travel may not scout an institution's opponent in conjunction with such travel. [References:  Bylaw 11.6.2 (sports other than basketball, football and women's volleyball) and official interpretation (2/24/93, Item No. 7)]

Contact with Prospective Student-Athletes at Home Contest at a Site Other than Regular Home Facility (I)
Date Issued: Dec 12, 2007
The membership services staff confirmed that it is not permissible for institutional staff members to have recruiting contact outside of a contact period with prospective student-athletes who receive complimentary admissions to a home contest conducted at a site other than the institution's home facility.  Any permissible contact during a contact period must be counted as an off-campus contact. [References:  NCAA Bylaws 13.01.3 (off-campus recruiting), 13.02.4.1 (contact period), 13.1.4 (recruiting calendars) and 13.7.2.2 (home games at site other than regular home facility) and official interpretation (4/28/94, Item No. 4)]

NCAA News Direct launches January 7

NCAA News Direct launches January 7

With the phase-out of the NCAA News, its successor is about to appear. NCAA News Direct will provide daily and weekly updates to subscribers via email. You can join the list online. It will be interesting to see how this project develops, but I for one would sure like to see more use of RSS by the NCAA.

EdCol about outside financial aid

EdCol about outside financial aid

LSDBi has an EdCol about financial aid from outside sources, with pointers about when to certify such aid especially in cases of nonrecruited students who try out for various teams.

Basketball dead period reminder

There's a basketball dead period coming that surrounds Christmas Day. You can pick up a reminder.

NCAA office holiday hours

LSDBi has the details on holiday office hours at the NCAA.

NCAA Eligibility Center holiday hours

The NCAA Eligibility Center will close for the holidays at 3:30 p.m., Friday, December 21 and will reopen on Wednesday, January 2, 2008.

2007 NCAA legislation FAQ

LSDBi has a FAQ for legislation that will be considered by the Management Council in January as well as a separate FAQ for Proposal 2007-110, which would preclude financial aid from being increased, decreased or cancelled during the period of its award because of an injury, illness or medical condition.

Quizzes

Quizzes

New in Tools: Quizzes.

Football dead period reminder

Football dead period reminder

A football dead period is coming. Get the reminder, courtesy of our Tools area.

Staff interp about multi-sport competition

This staff confirmation showed up on LSDBi today:

Date Issued: Oct 31, 2007
The membership services staff confirmed that all competition and any associated athletically related activities in multiple sports on a single day of competition shall count as three hours toward the daily and weekly hour limitations of a multisport participant.  [Reference(s):  NCAA Bylaws 17.1.6.3.2 (competition day) and 17.1.6.3.8 (multisport participant)]

Dead period reminder for track & cross country

A dead period approaches, so it's time for a reminder. The upcoming dead period surrounds the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national convention. 

EdCol--Tennis and swimming and diving eligibility

LSDBi has the latest EdCol about proper application of NCAA 14.2.3.2 when a prospect has a mid-year high school graduation date.

Baseball FAQ

Baseball FAQ

LSDBi has a new EdCol with frequently asked questions about the baseball academic reform legislation.

LRIC speaks

Two new November interps from LRIC:

Providing Financial Aid to the Children of Former Student-Athletes (I)
Date Issued: Nov 14, 2007
The committee determined that it is not permissible to award financial aid through a scholarship program available only to children of former student-athletes, even if participation on a team coached by a former coach or membership in a club (e.g., letterman’s club) that includes individuals other than former student-athletes is required. However, if an institution meets the demonstrated financial need for all students through the use of institutional scholarships or grants, it would be permissible to award financial aid through a scholarship program available to children of former student-athletes as one of its sources of aid.  [References: NCAA Division I Bylaws 13.2.1 (general regulation), 15.02.4.1 (institutional financial aid), 16.02.3 (extra benefit) and 16.11.2.1 (general rule)]

Purchase of Video from a Prospective Student-Athlete's Educational Institution (I)
Date Issued: Nov 07, 2007
The committee confirmed that it is not permissible for an institution to purchase film or video (e.g., game film that includes prospective student-athletes) from a prospective student-athlete's educational institution at a cost that exceeds the value of a blank videotape or DVD (or other medium) and the cost of postage to receive the video. [References: Division I Bylaws 13.14.3.1 (published recruiting services), 13.14.3.2 (video services) and 13.15.1 (prohibited expenses)]

Pac-10 Handbook Update 1

Pac-10 Handbook Update 1

We've updated the Pac-10 Handbook to include changes adopted by the CEO Group and Council through November 2007.

Women's volleyball dead period reminder

Women's volleyball dead period reminder

There's a dead period coming up in women's volleyball. You can pick up a reminder.

Take the yellow train to Pleasant Hill

Take the yellow train to Pleasant Hill

If you're coming to Walnut Creek for the Pac-10 Compliance Seminar in early December and you plan to take BART to the meeting, you can find a handy trip planner and a system map at BART's website.

Upcoming softball dead period

You can pick up a reminder in our Tools area about the upcoming softball dead period that surrounds the national coaches' convention.

2008 Official Notice is out

The 2008 Official Notice is in the mail from the mothership. You can pick up a PDF copy now via the webpage the NCAA has set up.

EdCol--Scouting and awards at QRSMTEs

There's an EdCol today about scouting and awards at Qualifying Regular-Season Multiple-Team Events. (We like to call these "extraordinary events" and you can watch our video about them.)

A new dead period

As a result of the new cross country/track and field recruiting calendar, we have several new dead periods in those sports. The first one is next Monday, the day of the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. You can pick up a reminder.

Field hockey dead period

Pick up a reminder about the field hockey dead period that surrounds the upcoming Division I championship.

October Board report is out

The October Board report is out. Highlights:

• Nine proposals were adopted as (many as non-controversial items); asterisked items are effective immediately): 2007-037*, 2007-090, 2007-097*, 2007-106*, 2007-111*, 2007-112*, 2007-113*, 2007-114*, 2007-116. The Override period for these closes on January 1, 2008, unless the NCAA moves it by a day or two to get off New Year's Day.

• The Board did not change its stance on Proposal 2007-009 (which sets a minimum amount of financial aid that must be awarded to baseball S-As). So that item will be added to the list of proposals to be voted upon at the 2008 NCAA Convention via the override process.

• The Board put Proposals 2007-110 and 2007-117 into the current legislative cycle, the former as recommended by the Management Council.

• The Division I restructuring plan was adopted. Changes will go into effect in September 2008; lots of committee staffing and meeting planning will have to be done before then.

Now with new and improved headstones

Now with new and improved headstones

Our first dead period reminder is out, and it applies to the initial NLI signing date in all sports except football, soccer, field hockey, men's water polo, track & field, and cross country. This and future reminders can be found in our Tools area.

Staff interp about credit-by-examination courses

LSDBi has the details about a staff confirmation that credit earned only by examination shall not be used to satisfy the requirement of completing the minimum core curriculum for initial-eligibility purposes.

Non-Division I basketball games

A new ARS blanket waiver permits Division I men's and women's basketball teams, during the 2007-08 academic year only, to not include contests scheduled in accordance with Bylaw 17.5.5.3-(g through j) (e.g., exhibition contests and practice scrimmages) against the limitation on the number of contests against non-NCAA Division I opponents (per Bylaws 20.9.6.1 and 20.9.6.3). It was discovered that several Division I institutions were not aware of the correct application of the rule. This time period will allow the staff to provide education to the membership regarding the correct application of the legislation. This blanket waiver does not provide relief for any previous seasons in which a Division I men's or women's basketball program exceeded the limit on the number of non-Division I opponents (i.e., four-game limit).

One report, one agenda up, and a few details

The report of the October 2007 meeting of the Management Council is out. So, too, is the agenda for this week's meeting of the Board of Directors.

A bit more on that ManCo meeting:

Several proposals were sent to the Board for action this week as non-controversial legislation. The asterisked items below, if adopted, would be effective immediately:

2007-037*--Collect and toll-free phone calls by women's basketball prospects.

2007-090--Changes date of first field hockey contest.

2007-097*--Student-athletes who test positive for use of banned drugs are ineligible for 365 days from the date of the test.

2007-106*--Deletes evaluation of event held at men's Final Four.

2007-111*--Prohibits summer evaluations at non-institutional, non-organized events, such as pick-up games.

2007-112*--Adds additional criteria pertaining to agents and medical care for certification of summer men's and women's basketball leagues and events.

2007-113*--Increases number of overall members and Division I members on the NCAA Wrestling Committee by two.

2007-114*--Increases the Honors Committee from eight to nine members, with one member being a current or former president or chancellor.

Proposal 2007-110 (which specifies that financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability may not be increased, decreased, or cancelled during the period of its award because of an injury, illness, or medical condition) won't be considered as emergency or noncontroversial legislation. Instead, the Management Council has asked the Board to consider placing it into the 2007-08 legislative cycle.

The Management Council issued one modification of wording (M-2007-3) to clarify how institutions shall declare and monitor the 35 baseball student-athletes who will be eligible for varsity play in Spring 2009.

And back up

The NCAA Eligibility Center Web site is fully functional as of October 29, 2007. Use www.ncaaclearinghouse.net to check the status of student-athletes and to add prospective student-athletes to Institutional Request Lists for official visits.
 
Transcript evaluations and the processing of certifications will begin November 1, 2007.

NCAA Clearinghouse website down 

The NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse Web site went under construction at 4 p.m. Eastern time today for the transition to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

This Web site will be under construction from October 24 to October 31 during the transition from the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse, which was located in Iowa City, Iowa to the new NCAA Eligibility Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.
 
The eligibility center will process academic and amateurism certifications for NCAA Divisions I and II college-bound student-athletes beginning November 1, 2007.
 
During the transition, staff will be able to answer only those questions of a general nature and will not have access to student records. For assistance with the following issues, call 877/622-2321:
 
1. Assistance with amateurism certification issues; or
2. Fee-related issues or problems.

Monday is LRICday

LSDBI has the details on--count 'em--seven new interps from October 3, 2007:







September CC Cabinet report is online

The report from the September meeting of the Championships/Competition Cabinet is out.

October override period closes

The override period for proposals adopted and defeated in August has closed. LSDBi's final tally:

2007-009: 56 override requests received. The Board will reconsider it at its November 1 meeting.
2007-010: 3 override requests received. This proposal was adopted, is final, and has an immediate effective date.
2007-011: 1 override request received. This proposal was adopted is final, and has an immediate effective date.
2007-17-B: 2 override requests received. This proposal was defeated and is final.

About that transition plan

LSDBi has the details about the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse/NCAA Eligibility Center transition plan in its October newsletter, along with a timeline.

Filling a potential pothole

Just added to the NCAA's list of ARS blanket waivers is this one, posted today:

The NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse will be transitioning all duties to the NCAA Eligibility Center from October 21 through November 1.  During the transition period, access to some of the eligibility center resources will not be available (e.g., online registration, updating IRLS, etc). Please visit the NCAA Web site for more information regarding the transition plan.  

In response to the pending transition, the NCAA Division I Management Council Administrative Review Subcommittee approved a blanket waiver to permit institutions, from October 25-28, 2007, only, to provide an official visit to a prospective student-athlete who has not yet registered with the eligibility center and/or has not been added to the institution's IRL.  Prospective student-athletes who participate in an official visit during this time period must still comply with Bylaw 13.6.3-(a) and 13.6.3-(b).  In addition, the subcommittee approved a blanket waiver to permit institutional compliance coordinators and/or academic staff, from October 21-28, 2007, only, to initiate and/or return telephone calls to prospective student-athletes who have inquiries specifically related to the transition period, even if this call exceeds the maximum permissible number of calls for the week.  The subcommittee noted a blanket waiver was appropriate to provide institutions the utmost flexibility with regard to scheduling official visits and communicating with prospective student-athletes during the transition period.  

Baseball fall practice

Baseball fall practice

LSDBi has an EdCol today that covers some of the details pertaining to the 45-day fall period for baseball practice, competition, skill instruction, and conditioning.

September 2007 AEC Cabinet report is out

And you can pick up a copy now.

One less dead period, too

With the shift in NLI signing windows in track and field and cross country, the dead periods that surround the old initial signing dates in the fall and spring no longer apply. There will be a track and field dead period (Mon., Feb. 4-Thu., Feb. 7, 2008) surrounding the sole initial NLI signing date (Wed., Feb. 6, 2008). 

Also, the dead period on the day of the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships (Nov. 19, 2007) remains intact.

October 2007 ManCo Agenda

The agenda for the Management Council's October 2007 meeting is out.

0-for-2

Proposal 2007-009 will get a third look.

The NCAA has received the 30 necessary override requests to require the Division I Board of Directors to review its August action to amend legislation regarding financial aid packages for baseball student-athletes. The Board next meets November 1 in Indianapolis.

LSDBi has the details.

Expenses count for something

The following Staff confirmation has shown up on LSDBi:

Date Issued: Sep 06, 2007
Type: Staff Interpretation
Item Ref: 1

Football Student-Athletes Receiving Preseason Expenses Included in Preseason Participant Limits (I)

The membership services staff confirmed that any football student-athlete receiving preseason expenses must be included in the maximum squad-size limitation for preseason practice activities even if the student-athlete is not participating in practice activities (e.g., only participating in injury rehabilitation activities). [Reference(s): NCAA Bylaws 17.11.2.1.2 (limit on number of participants -- bowl subdivision); 17.11.2.1.3 (limit on number of participants -- championship subdivision); 17.11.2.1.3.1 (exception -- limited preseason-practice units)]

No more false starts

At its meeting last week, the CCA realigned the NLI signing periods for track and field. The early (November 14-21, 2007) and late (April 9-August 1, 2008) periods have been eliminated in favor of the February 6-August 1, 2008, period that currently applies to football, field hockey, soccer, and men's water polo.

Staff confirmations highlighted on LSDBi

Not sure if we've seen this before, but staff confirmations are now appearing on the announcements page of LSDBi.

Three were posted on August 28:

Nonqualifiers receiving occasional meals during their first year of residence

Conditions for cancellation or reduction of athletically related aid during the period of the award