The NCAA News - News and Features

December 8, 1997

Division II interpretations

Meeting
October 31, 1997

Acting for the Division II Legislation Committee, the Interpretations Subcommittee issued the following interpretations:

Financial Aid/
Off-Campus Housing Stipend

1. Calculating Student-Athletes' Off-Campus Stipend. When determining the permissible off-campus stipend that may be provided to a student-athlete who lives and eats in noninstitutional facilities, an institution that has more than one official on-campus room rate listed in its catalog must use the average of the room costs of all students living on campus (based on a weighted average for all students who reside in on-campus facilities). [Reference: NCAA Bylaw 15.2.2.1 (off-campus room and board stipend)]

Academic Career Counseling

2. Institutional Fee Waiver for Job-Placement Services. The subcommittee determined that an institution may not waive the fees for student-athletes related to use of the institution's job-placement services when the institution does not waive such fees for nonstudent-athletes. [References: 16.3.2-(d) (permissible -- academic support services) and former NCAA Interpretations Committee (IC) 12/17/96, Item No. 1]

Recruiting/Permissible Recruiters

3. Coaches' Observation of Spouse in Game-Related Activities. The subcommittee determined that recruiting contact and evaluation limitations do not apply to a coaching staff member who observes a contest in which his or her spouse is involved in any legitimate noncoaching game-related activities (e.g., cheerleading coach, band director, statistician), provided the attendance by the coaching staff member at such a contest does not involve any personal contact with any other prospect participating in the contest. [References: 13.1.2.3-(c) (coach who is prospect's parent or legal guardian) and IC 11/16/89, Item No. 3]

Hardship Waiver

4. Administration of Hardship Waiver. The subcommittee determined that the calculation for the percentage of completed contests or dates of competition for a hardship waiver should be the requirements applicable to the division from which the student-athlete transferred (and was injured) rather than the requirements of the division to which the student-athlete has transferred. [Reference: 14.2.5 (hardship waiver)]

Tryouts

5. State, Regional, National or International Training Programs/Competitions. A member institution's coaching staff member may not participate in noncoaching activities (e.g., consultant, on-site coordinator, participant selection) in recognized state, regional, national or international training programs and competitions, except as permitted in 13.12.3.4.1 and 13.12.3.4.2. [Reference: 13.12.3.4 (state, regional, national or international training programs)]

Gambling

6. Soliciting or Accepting a Bet for a Material Item. The subcommittee determined that the provisions of 10.3 are not applicable to a long-standing demonstrated tradition in a particular sport in which student-athletes from involved institutions exchange a tangible item (e.g., exchanging of shirts in the sport of rowing) contingent upon the outcome of a competition, provided such activity is approved by the involved institutions. [References: 10.3 (gambling activities) and IC 11/26/96, Item No. 1]

Amateurism/Media Activities

7. Student-Athlete Participating in Writing Activity for a Commercial Entity. The subcommittee determined that it is not permissible for a student-athlete to write a weekly column in a newsletter produced by a commercial company. [Reference: 12.5.3 (media activities -- Divisions I and II)]