The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- February 15, 1999

Legislative assistance

1999 Column No. 4
Proposal No. 98-47

Fourth Season of Competition -- Division I -- Students With Learning Disabilities

Division I institutions should note that with the adoption of Proposal No. 98-47, effective August 1, 1999, a fourth season of intercollegiate competition shall be granted to a student-athlete with a diagnosed learning disability, provided that at the beginning of the fifth academic year following the student-athlete's initial, full-time collegiate enrollment, the student-athlete has completed at least 75 percent of his or her designated degree program.

The procedures for earning a fourth season of competition are as follows:

(a) At any time subsequent to a student-athlete's freshman year, the student shall take a copy of his or her diagnosed disability, Individualized Education Program (IEP) or disability assessment and college transcript to the recognized professional staff on campus who evaluates and/or assists students with disabilities for review.

(b) The on-campus professional is responsible for evaluating whether the student-athlete's diagnosed disability is such that the student will not progress at a rate to earn a baccalaureate degree by the beginning of his or her fifth year of full-time enrollment. In the event that no such professional staff exists on campus, the off-campus professionals normally used by the institution shall make such an evaluation. Additional evidence supporting a student-athlete meeting these criteria include a student's need to take a reduced course load during a term or terms. The professional staff is not required to retest the student-athlete for the disability.

(c) If the professional staff is satisfied that the student-athlete meets the criteria set forth in (a) and (b), a letter of confirmation should be sent to the athletics department and the student. The athletics department is responsible for communicating the information to the NCAA. In the event that the NCAA does not have on file a copy of the most recent diagnosis of the student-athlete's learning disability, a copy must be submitted to the NCAA with a signed letter from the professional staff.

A student-athlete who does not satisfy the criteria set forth above to earn a fourth season of competition may submit an appeal to the Division I Satisfactory-Progress Waiver Committee for consideration of a fourth season.

1999 Convention Proposal No. 19

Financial Aid -- Division II -- Professional Sports Organization

Division II institutions should note that with the adoption of Proposal No. 19 (effective immediately), an institution may continue to provide financial aid for the remainder of the term of the award to a student-athlete who completes his or her four seasons of competition in a sport and signs a contract or receives compensation from an agent or a professional sports organization.

1999 Convention Proposal No. 43

Eligibility -- Seasons of Competition -- Division III

Division III institutions should note that with the adoption of Proposal No. 43 (effective immediately), the NCAA Division III Subcommittee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement may grant a student-athlete an additional season of competition when a coaching staff member erroneously directed a student-athlete to participate in competition prior to receipt of a formal declaration of his or her eligibility status, and the student-athlete subsequently is determined to be ineligible for the competition. Under such circumstances, in the case of a coaching staff member's erroneous decision, the student-athlete had reason to believe he or she would be eligible to participate and the student-athlete did not contribute to the coaching staff member's erroneous decision to allow the student-athlete to participate.

Correction -- Override Period

Division I institutions and conferences should note that the override period for Division I legislation approved by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors during its January meeting is Monday, March 15, 1999. Please note that in the January 22 mailing, the heading above the actual text of the legislation (i.e., the pink pages) incorrectly indicates that the override period expires December 28. Please note that the memorandum accompanying the mailing as well as the first page of the summary of the proposed changes adopted by the Board does include the correct override period expiration date of Monday, March 15, 1999.

This material was provided by the membership 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 Kristen L. Davis or Lisa Roesler, membership services representatives, at the NCAA national office. This information is available on the College Sports Network.