The NCAA News - News and Features

May 5, 1997

Legislative assistance

1997 Column No. 181997 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 62

(as amended by 62-1)

Financial aid -- Division I employment earnings

NCAA Division I institutions should note that during its April 14-15 meeting, the NCAA Council reviewed several issues related to the application of 1997 Convention Proposal No. 62 (as amended by 62-1) and took the following actions:

1. Employment Earnings: Modified a previous Council-approved pre-Convention interpretation to indicate that employment in the athletics department or employment for which athletics interests intercede on behalf of the student-athlete is considered institutional financial aid (up to the value of a full grant) and, thus, must be included in the institution's team limitations in the applicable sport. The following example illustrates the application of the legislation:

Institution X -- Value of Full Grant = $10,000
Cost of Attendance = $12,000

Student-Athlete's Financial Work Sheet During Freshman Year

Athletics grant = $6,000
Employment (in the athletics dept. or = $3,000
for which athletics interests intercede on behalf of the student-athlete)

If the student-athlete is participating in a head-count sport, the student-athlete is considered one of the counters in that sport. If the student-athlete is participating in an equivalency sport, the student-athlete's equivalency value is:

$6,000 (institutional athletics grant)
+
$3,000 (employment in athletics dept.) = $ 9,000 = .9
$10,000 (value of full grant) $10,000

Student-Athlete's Financial Work Sheet During Sophomore Year
(Student-athlete is eligible for competition)

Athletics grant = $6,000
Employment (in the athletics dept. or = $5,000
for which athletics interests intercede on behalf of the student-athlete)

If the student-athlete is participating in a head-count sport, the student-athlete is considered one of the counters in that sport. If the student-athlete is participating in an equivalency sport, the student-athlete's equivalency value is:

$7,000 (institutional athletics grant)
+
$3,000 (employment in athletics dept.) = $10,000 = 1
$10,000 (value of full grant) $10,000

The employment in the athletics department or for which athletics interests intercede on behalf of the student-athlete is considered institutional financial aid and, thus, must be included in the student-athlete's equivalency value (up to the value of a full grant). Although the student-athlete is receiving $5,000 from employment income, only $3,000 would be reflected in the student-athlete's equivalency value.

2. Minimum Financial Aid Requirements: Indicated that pursuant to Proposal No. 62 (as amended by 62-1), employment in the athletics department or for which athletics interests intercede on behalf of the student-athlete may be used (up to the student-athlete's full grant value) to satisfy minimum financial aid requirements set forth in NCAA Bylaw 20.9.1.2.

3. Written Statement: Used its authority pursuant to Constitution 5.4.1.1.1 (modification of wording) to amend Proposal No. 62-1 to indicate that a signed affidavit (which would require the signature of a notary public) no longer is necessary. Instead, according to Bylaw 15.2.6.1.1, prior to the commencement of employment, the student-athlete and the employer must sign a written statement to be kept on file in the athletics department, which specifies the following:

Compensation paid to the student-athlete may not include any remuneration for value or utility that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that he or she has obtained because of athletics ability.

Corrections

There were errors in two recent Legislative Assistance columns, as follows:

1. NCAA institutions that sponsor Division I-A football should note that Legislative Assistance Column No. 13 (March 31, 1997, edition of The NCAA News) contained an error in the chart related to the banking of official visits pursuant to 1997 Convention Proposal No. 110. Thus, the correct version of the chart is listed below:

Number of visits during the 1996 academic year	Number takenduring 1997098 academic year (Number permitted during the 1997-98 academic year in parentheses)	Number permitted during the 1998-99 academic year
50	54 (56) (62)	58
52	57 (60)	56
48	61 (62)	56

2. NCAA Divisions I and II institutions that sponsor women's rowing should note that Legislative Assistance Column No. 15 (April 14, 1997, edition of The NCAA News) contained an error in the section entitled "Length of the Playing Season" pursuant to 1997 Convention Proposal No. 145. The corrected version, which indicates women's rowing is entitled to a 156-day playing season, is listed as follows:

Length of Playing Season. In sports other than football and basketball, Proposal No. 145 eliminates the designation of a certain number of weeks in a season in favor of a specific number of days in determining the length of an institution's playing season, as follows: