The NCAA News - News & Features

Legislative assistance

1996 Column No. 26

NCAA Division I institutions should note that in accordance with Bylaw 13.16.2.4, an institution may pay on-campus expenses (e.g., meals, lodging) for prospective student-athletes to attend institutional orientation sessions conducted for all students. During its January 7, 1995, meeting, the NCAA Council determined that an institution may not provide on-campus expenses to prospective student-athletes to attend orientation sessions for a select group of students, including a group that is determined on bases unrelated to athletics ability, unless the institution is providing expenses on a uniform basis to all members of the select group. Further, during its January 1996 meeting, the Council overturned a previous NCAA Interpretations Committee decision to permit an institution to conduct medical examinations of a prospective student-athlete in conjunction with a visit to the institution's campus to attend general orientation sessions conducted for all prospective students, provided the examination is conducted prior to or subsequent to the orientation sessions and the prospective student-athlete pays for any additional expenses (e.g., meals, loading) incurred that are unrelated to the orientation program.

NCAA Bylaw 13.1.1.3
Four-year college prospects

NCAA institutions should note that in accordance with Bylaw 13.1.1.3, an athletics department staff member or other representative of an institution's athletics interests may not make contact with a student-athlete of another four-year college, directly or indirectly, without first obtaining written permission of the first institution's athletics director (or an athletics administrator designated by the athletics director) to do so, regardless of who makes the initial contact. This regulation applies to transfer students from NAIA institutions as well as all NCAA institutions. If permission is not granted, the second institution may not encourage the transfer and, in Divisions I and II, may not provide financial assistance to the student-athlete until the student-athlete has attended the second institution for one academic year. If permission is granted to contact the student-athlete, all applicable NCAA recruiting rules apply. During its May 25, 1995, telephone conference, the Interpretations Committee determined that once an institution grants permission to a student-athlete to contact another four-year institution regarding a possible transfer, it is not permissible for the institution to revoke such permission. The committee determined that such permission, however, expires at the time the student-athlete re-enrolls at his or her original institution as a full-time student during the subsequent academic year.

1996 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 107
Passing notes

NCAA Divisions I and II institutions should note that during its June 19, 1996, telephone conference, the NCAA Administrative Committee used its authority under Constitution 5.4.1.1.1 (modification of wording consistent with intent) to change the effective date of Bylaw 13.1.8.2 (1996-97 NCAA Manual) (which prohibits an institutional staff member from providing a prospect with a note at a practice or competition site, including summer events, even if the note is delivered by a third party) from August 1, 1996, to July 1, 1996. The effective date of this modification is immediate and affects both the Division I men's and women's basketball evaluation period (which runs July 8-31) and the Division II men's and women's basketball evaluation period (which runs from June 15 through August 1).

This material was provided by the legislative services staff as an aid to member institutions. If an institution has a question or comment regarding this column, such correspondence should be directed to Richard C. Perko, legislative assistant, at the NCAA national office. This information is available on the Collegiate Sports Network.