The NCAA News - News and Features

January 6, 1997

Interpretations Committee minutes

Conference No. 12
November 12, 1996

Acting for the NCAA Council, the committee issued the following interpretations:

Test Score/Official Visit

1. Test Score Being Presented Prior to Official Visit (Divisions I and II). It is permissible for an institution to use the applicable testing agency's voice-automated system (as opposed to a written document) to access a prospect's test score in order for the prospect to receive an official visit from the institution. [Reference: NCAA Bylaw 13.7.1.2.3.1 [PSAT, SAT, PLAN (or PSAT plus)] or ACT score].

Partial Qualifier/Institutional
Awards Banquet/Student Host

2. Issues Related to Partial Qualifiers (Divisions I and II). The committee reviewed issues related to activities involving partial qualifiers. Inasmuch as as a partial qualifier may engage in practice sessions on campus or at an institution's regular practice facility, the committee determined the following:

a. An institution may permit a partial qualifier to receive expenses and/or meals in conjunction with an institutional awards banquet; and

b. The committee recommended that the NCAA Council use its authority pursuant to 5.4.1.1.1 to modify 13.7.5.5.2 to permit a partial qualifier to serve as a student host during his or her first academic year in residence.

[References: 13.7.5.5 (student host), 14.3.2.1.1.1 (eligibility for financial aid, practice and competition -- Division I), 14.3.2.1.2.1 (eligibility for aid, practice and competition -- Division II), 16.1.6 (institutional awards banquet) and IC 12/1/93, Item No. 2].

Noninstitutional Publications/Recruiting Materials

3. Institution Purchasing Subscriptions to Noninstitutional Publication (Divisions I and II). The committee recommended that the NCAA Council modify a previous Interpretations Committee decision (reference: November 10, 1994, telephone conference, Item No. 2-c) to clarify that the prohibition against financially subsidizing a noninstitutional publication does not preclude an institution from purchasing subscriptions to give to members of its athletics booster club or organization [References: 13.4.1-(g) [Divisions I and II -- recruiting materials -- publications (athletics)] and IC 11/10/94, Item No. 2-c].