Compliance Corner

LSDBi has an EdCol today about the rules pertaining to competition by prospects that is conducted on a college campus, and sweeps up a couple of recent interps about publicizing the event both before and after it occurs.

Normally we wouldn't call out the availability of a cabinet's meeting materials. But the first set of them (for the Awards, Benefits, Expenses, and Financial Aid Cabinet) is available for the September round of meetings.

If you clicked on the above link, you might have noticed that for the first time (certainly in recent memory, and maybe ever) for a Division I governance meeting the entire set of meeting materials is available in one easy-to-view-or-download PDF file.

I don't know who is responsible for this, but take a bow. And take the rest of the day off.

Calculation of Equivalencies for Lump Sum Financial Aid Awards (I)

Date Published: August 20, 2009 

Type: Staff Interpretation 

The academic and membership affairs staff determined that an institution that awards financial aid in terms of dollars that is not assigned to any element (i.e., lump sum amount), rather than units of aid or a fraction that represents an element of a full grant, may use the amount received by the student-athlete (numerator) and either the actual or the average cost of a student-athlete's full grant-in-aid (denominator) in calculating that student-athlete's equivalency.  However, the staff determined that an institution whose policies require payment in a specific order (e.g., hierarchy of elements) for dollar awards is considered to be awarding aid assigned to an element(s) and, therefore, must use the same cost (i.e., actual or average) in both the numerator and denominator. [References:  NCAA Division I Bylaw 15.5.3.2 (equivalency computations) and an official interpretation (4/23/08, Item No. 4)]

I wonder how prevalent this is.

One from the staff, one official, both binding:

Provision of Electronic Media Guides to Prospective Student-Athletes (I)
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 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). [References:  NCAA Division I Bylaws 13.2.1 (general regulations) and 13.4.1.1 (printed recruiting materials)]

Video Materials Shown to a Prospective Student-Athlete (I)
The committee determined that an institution is not permitted to show or display a videogame (e.g., simulation of institutional contest) for a prospective student-athlete in any location (e.g., on its scoreboard), at any time (e.g., during a visit to campus). [References:  NCAA Division I Bylaws 13.4.2 (video/audio materials), 13.4.2.1 (highlight film/videotape/audio tape), 13.4.2.2 [videotapes/audio tapes/electronically produced information (nonathletics) available to all students] and 13.4.2.4 (computer recruiting presentations); and a staff interpretation (04/02/03, Item No. 1-a)]

From the report of last week's Board of Directors meeting:

News regarding a men’s basketball enforcement initiative.  

a. Learned from the NCAA Vice President of Enforcement and a member of his staff, that given the complexity of concerns surrounding men’s basketball recruiting practices, they have taken a multi-faceted approach to seek to improve the overall environment surrounding the game.   

b. Heard that the staff has spent a great deal of time reviewing recruiting practices in men’s basketball and that by talking with coaches there appears to be a common perception that current bylaws cannot be enforced regarding hiring practices and remuneration schemes designed to limit access to recruits.  

c. Were informed that the enforcement and AMA staffs are working together to review interpretations of the current legislation and identify boundaries, with the ultimate goal of establishing a clear and unambiguous line regarding violations, thereby putting the membership on notice of a new direction by the enforcement staff.  

[Note: The Board of Directors will receive a final series of recommendations from the enforcement staff during at its October 29, 2009, meeting, which may include both interpretative and suggested bylaw changes. The Board will be asked to support an initiative to directly address abuses and the NABC Board and CCA members will be asked to provide support as well.]

The NCAA staff will host a teleconference from 1 to 2 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday, September 8 to introduce and answer questions regarding data input for the head coaches' section of the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program portal. After a short introduction to the process, staff will be available for questions. If you want to take part RSVP ksullivan@ncaa.org by Tuesday, September 1.