The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- December 21, 1998

Interpretations

Conference No. 12
November 17, 1998

Acting for the NCAA Division I Management Council, the Legislative Review/Interpretations Subcommittee of the Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet issued the following interpretations:

Compensation Limitations/Scheduling Contests

1. Institution receiving compensation as a result of coaches' personal appearance. It is permissible for an institution (as opposed to an individual athletics department staff member) to receive additional compensation or gratuities for scheduling an athletics contest or individual meet from the sponsor of the competition contingent upon the institution's coach participating in a camp or clinic that is being conducted in conjunction with the competition. [Reference 11.3.2.9 (Compensation for scheduling contests/individual participation)].

Financial Aid/Full-Time Enrollment

2. Institution providing financial aid to student-athlete enrolled in less than minimum full-time program of studies during final term. It is permissible for an institution to award financial aid to a student-athlete who has exhausted intercollegiate eligibility and is enrolled in less than a minimum full time program of studies, provided the student-athlete is carrying for credit the courses necessary to complete degree requirements. [Reference 15.01.5 (Eligibility of student-athletes for institutional financial aid)].

Noninstitutional Publication/Recruiting Service/Web Site

3. Institutional Web site links to noninstitutional publication/recruiting service. It is not permissible for an institution's Web site to provide a hyperlink (i.e., direct link) or make direct reference to either the Web site of a noninstitutional publication that reports primarily on the institution's athletics program or a recruiting/scouting service, inasmuch as such activity is considered to be a nonpermissible endorsement of the publication and/or scouting/recruiting service. [Reference: 11.3.2.7 (Non institutional publications that report on athletics program) and 11.3.2.10 (recruiting service consultants)].

Initial-Eligibility/Core-Curriculum/English

4. Use of English as Second Language (ESL) courses to satisfy core-curriculum requirements. It is permissible to use an advanced level English as a Second Language (ESL) course to satisfy core-curriculum requirements, provided it is reviewed through the NCAA initial-eligibility waiver process. Other ESL courses taught in disciplines other than English (e.g., social studies) may satisfy a core-course requirement, provided they are qualitatively and quantitatively the same as the comparison course in the regular course offering.