The NCAA News - News and FeaturesJune 30, 1997
Arizona State violations prompt two-year probation
The NCAA Committee on Infractions has placed Arizona State University on two years of probation as the result of violations involving extra benefits, recruiting and ethical conduct.
The violations occured in the university's track and field program during one academic year. They involved a number of track and field student-athletes and prospects.
Adding to the seriousness of the case was the fact that this is the university's fourth major infractions case since 1984 and the third involving the track and field program. In addition, the track and field head coach who was involved in these violations had been involved in a major violation at his prior institution, where he was director of athletics and head track and field coach.
The NCAA Committee on Infractions reviewed the summary-disposition report in this case on April 18, 1997.
The violations found by the committee included:
During the 1994-95 academic year, the head men's and women's track and field and two assistant coaches provided extra benefits to several student-athletes when they arranged for impermissible airline and automobile transportation and a meal.
During the 1994-95 academic year, the institution provided improper recruiting inducements to three prospective student-athletes by paying for or arranging impermissible lodging, transportation and a meal. The head men's and women's track and field coach knew or should have known about some of these inducements.
The head track and field coach involved in this case violated the NCAA standards of ethical conduct.
There were secondary violations.
The case was handled under the summary-disposition procedure, which the institution and the NCAA enforcement staff can agree to follow in major infractions cases. This process may be used if the member institution, involved individuals and NCAA enforcement staff agree on the facts and that those facts constitute major violations of NCAA legislation.
In determining appropriate penalties, the committee considered the corrective actions taken by the university, including:
Issued letters of reprimand to two assistant track and field coaches and two other track and field staff members.
Informed all student-athletes of the self-imposed penalties placed on the track and field program and offered its assistance in helping student-athletes transfer to other NCAA institutions if they desired.
Imposed a policy effective July 1, 1996, that all travel manifests for all sports programs be submitted to the director of compliance by 5 p.m. on the calendar day prior to team travel and no amendments or deletions will be permitted after that time. Subsequent approvals must have the approval of the director of compliance and associate director of athletics.
Imposed a policy requiring all official visit recruiting meals to have at least one coaching staff member present, with the exception of meals purchased from the student-athlete host entertainment money.
The Committee on Infractions commended the university for the strong punitive measures it took and adopted as its own penalties self-imposed by the university and the Pacific-10 Conference, including:
Acceptance of the head track and field coach's resignation.
Prohibition from participating in conference and NCAA championship competition in men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field during the 1996-97 academic year.
Limitation to a maximum of 18 official visits in men's and women's track and field from July 1, 1996, through June 30, 1997. The conference extended the date to August 31, 1997.
Prohibition from recruiting off campus in track and field from July 1, 1996, through December 31, 1996.
Reduction by seven in the number of permissible total financial aid awards in women's track and field during the 1996-97 academic year. The conference also imposed a reduction by four during the 1997-98 academic year.
Reduction by 3.6 in the number of permissible total financial aid awards in men's track and field during the 1996-97 academic year. The conference also imposed a reduction by 2.6 during the 1997-98 academic year.
Limitation to a maximum of three permissible initial financial aid awards in women's track and field during the 1996-97 academic year.
Limitation to a maximum of three permissible initial financial aid awards in men's track and field during the 1996-97 academic year.
Requirement that an audit of the track and field program be conducted for the 1996-97 academic year, with results to be provided to the conference office.
In addition, the conference added the following penalties:
Two years of conference probation, from June 2, 1996.
Public reprimand.
Requirement that the conference conduct an audit of the track and field program during the 1997-98 academic year.
Because this was the university's fourth case since 1984 and the third involving the track and field program, and because of the involvement of the head track and field coach, the committee imposed the following additional penalties:
NCAA probation until June 2, 1998.
Recertification of current athletics policies and practices.
Requirement that the institution continue to develop a comprehensive athletics compliance education program, with a report to the committee in May 1998.
Show-cause requirement regarding the former head men's and women's track and field coach for three years.
As required by NCAA legislation for any institution in a major infractions case, Arizona State is subject to the NCAA's repeat-violator provisions for a five-year period beginning on the effective date of the penalties in this case, April 18, 1997.
Because Arizona State and the involved coach agreed to participate in the summary-disposition process, admitted the violations and accepted the penalties proposed by the committee, the university and coach waive the opportunity to appeal the decisions made in this case.
The members of the Committee on Infractions who heard this case are Jack H. Friedenthal, dean of law, George Washington University; Roy F. Kramer, commissioner, Southeastern Conference; Yvonne (Bonnie) Slatton, chair of the department of physical educational and sports studies, University of Iowa; and committee chair David Swank, professor of law, University of Oklahoma.
The complete report of the Committee on Infractions will be published in the July 7 edition of The NCAA Register.
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