The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- March 15, 1999

Interpretations

In-Person 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: NCAA Bylaw 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 is enrolled in less than a minimum full time program of studies, provided the student-athlete is enrolled in the final semester or quarter of his or her baccalaureate program and the institution certifies that the student is carrying for credit the courses necessary to complete degree requirements. [References: 15.01.5 (Eligibility of student-athletes for institutional financial aid) and 14.1.6.2.1.3 (final semester/quarter).]

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 (noninstitutional 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 (for example, 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. [Reference: 14.3.1.3 (core-curriculum requirements).]

Telephone
Conference No. 1
January 26, 1999

Nonqualifier/Partial Qualifier/Two-Year College Transfer

1. Two-Year College Transfer Requirement -- Attendance Requirements. A student-athlete is not permitted to satisfy the three-semester/our-quarter attendance requirement set forth in NCAA Bylaws 14.5.4.1.2 and 14.5.4.1.3 during one academic year. The subcommittee noted that the use of terms other than semesters or quarters (for example, trimesters) to satisfy the residence requirement set forth in Bylaws 14.5.4.1.2 and 14.5.4.1.3 should be referred to the NCAA Division I Academic/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet Subcommittee on Continuing Eligibility. [References: 14.5.4.1.2 (partial qualifier or nonqualifier -- sports other than football and men's basketball) and 14.5.4.1.3 (partial qualifier or nonqualifier -- football and men's basketball).]