The NCAA News - News and Features

March 17, 1997

Legislative assistance

1997 Column No. 11
NCAA Administrative Committee actions

Immediate effective dates

During its March 5, 1997, telephone conference, the NCAA Administrative Committee used its authority per Constitution 5.3.1.1.1 (noncontroversial legislation) to amend to "immediate" the effective dates of those proposals listed below (with the exception of Proposal No. 81 as referenced below):

1. Proposal No. 3 (Recruiting -- complimentary admissions -- conference tournaments). NCAA institutions should note that it is now permissible for conferences approved to host an NCAA YES clinic in conjunction with their conference championship to provide complimentary admissions to YES clinic participants to attend the conference championship.

2. Proposal No. 81 (Amateurism -- basketball draft). NCAA institutions should note that a student-athlete who is drafted by a professional basketball team no longer has remaining eligibility in that sport, with the effective date of this change to be determined by the NCAA Administrative Committee during its March 19, 1997, telephone conference. [The Administrative Committee reviewed this issue during its March 5 telephone conference, and will discuss this matter again during its March 19 telephone conference.] The effective date likely will be moved from August 1, 1997, to a date not later than the middle of April 1997. Accordingly, any student-athlete who submits his name for the 1997 NBA draft prior to the formal notification date to be established by the Administrative Committee on its March 19 telephone conference may use the rule in place prior to the 1997 NCAA Convention. Thus, such a student-athlete would be permitted to be drafted by an NBA team and still retain eligibility in the sport of basketball, provided he meets the remainder of the conditions of NCAA Bylaw 12.2.4.2.1.

Those student-athletes who do not meet the effective date to be established by the Administrative Committee on March 19 will be required to meet the conditions of Proposal No. 81. Accordingly, such a student-athlete in the sport of basketball may enter a professional league's draft one time during his or her collegiate career without jeopardizing eligibility in that sport, provided the student-athlete is not drafted by any team in that league and the student-athlete declares his or her intention to resume intercollegiate participation within 30 days after the draft. The student-athlete's declaration of intent shall be in writing to the institution's director of athletics.

3. Proposal No. 97 (Exceptions to outside competition -- summer basketball -- Division II). NCAA Division II institutions should note that with the adoption of Proposal No. 97, there are no restrictions on the participation of Division II student-athletes in outside basketball competition during the summer [Bylaw 14.7.5.2 - (a) and (b)]. Additionally, there is no limit on the number of student-athletes from the same Division II institution with eligibility remaining who may compete on the same outside team in the sport of basketball (Bylaw 17.5.8.2).

4. Proposal No. 99 (Recruiting -- telephone calls -- Division I-A football). NCAA Division I-A football institutions should note that, effective May 1, it is permissible to make one telephone call to a prospect (or the prospect's relatives or legal guardians) during the month of May of the prospect's junior year in high school. Any additional telephone calls may not be made until September 1 at the beginning of the prospect's senior year in high school. [This action was taken during the Administrative Committee's February 19 meeting.] Please note that this proposal was defeated in the Division I-AA and Divisions II business sessions, respectively.

5. Proposal No. 113 (Visit unrelated to recruitment -- National Student-Athlete Day). NCAA institutions should note that with the adoption of Proposal No. 113, the limitations on providing entertainment to a prospect shall not extend to a visit to the institution's campus for activities related to National Student-Athlete Day.

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.