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Legislative assistance

Satisfactory-progress waiver process

The following information is intended to assist Divisions I and II institutions regarding the satisfactory-progress waiver process conducted by the NCAA Academic Requirements Committee. Member institutions are encouraged to review and apply these reminders and suggestions immediately. Adherence to these policies and procedures will ensure a swifter review of each case by the staff and the subcommittee.

Procedures:

* Contacting the NCAA. Member institutions are encouraged to allow three working days to expire prior to contacting the national office for an update on the status of a case. This time frame will permit the staff to provide an accurate status report on the disposition of the case.

* Staff Responsibilities. The national office staff will notify institutions of any issues that need to be resolved (e.g., additional materials needed) to permit the staff or the committee to properly evaluate the application and its accompanying materials.

* Time Frame. The committee reviews cases on conference calls, which are conducted as often as necessary (usually on a weekly basis during the months of August and September). Cases reviewed by the subcommittee generally will be resolved within two to three weeks of receipt of the proper information.

* Appropriate Signatures. All completed waiver-application forms must include the appropriate signatures before a case can be processed. For cases involving a disability, a properly submitted application will include the following signatures: either the chief executive officer or the faculty athletics representative and either the director of athletics or the senior woman administrator. A case that does not involve a disability may be signed by any appropriate institutional representative.

* Designation of Contact Person. Member institutions are asked to note on the application form a campus contact person for the waiver, along with the individual's title and telephone number. The staff would prefer to work only with the primary contact person in its review of a waiver and suggests that the institution serve as the communications link with the student-athlete's family. (The volume of telephone calls from a student's family combined with the staff working with several administrators from an NCAA institution results in duplication of work effort and slows the review of a particular waiver.)

* New Waiver Application. On September 5, 1996, a memorandum presenting the new waiver application for satisfactory-progress appeals was sent to personnel of Divisions I and II institutions. In this regard, institutions are strongly encouraged to discard any application or review guidelines that currently are in their files, and immediately begin to use the new application form to submit waiver requests. Institutions are also reminded to complete each section of the application before sending it to the national office. A properly completed application form will reduce the processing time and permit a swifter review of the waiver request.

* Applicable Bylaws. Pursuant to NCAA Bylaw 14.4.3.9, the NCAA Academic Requirements Committee has the authority to waive satisfactory-progress requirements based on objective evidence that demonstrates circumstances that warrant the waiver of the normal application of these guidelines. Accordingly, an application may include a waiver request for any of the following regulations:

a. 14.1.6.2.2.1.3 (full-time enrollment for students with disabilities)

b. 14.4.3.1 ("12/24 - hour" rule)

c. 14.4.3.1.3.1 ("75/25")

d. 14.4.3.2.1.3 ("50 percent")

e. 14.4.3.2.2.3 ("25/50/75")

f. 14.4.3.3.1.3 [Division I grade-point average ("90/95")]

g. 14.4.3.3.2 [Division II grade-point average (1.600/
1.800/2.000)]

h. 14.4.3.8 ("12-/24-hour" for students with disabilities)

Please note that the NCAA Administrative Review Panel has jurisdiction for those waivers submitted related to the one-time transfer exception, when a student's only deficiency under that regulation relates to the student's good academic standing and satisfactory-progress status at the institution from which the student is transferring.

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.