The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions has determined that Murray State University was involved in four secondary violations of NCAA legislation.

The violations occurred in the football and men's basketball programs.

The committee imposed a public reprimand and a reduction from two to one in the number of men's basketball coaches permitted to contact and evaluate prospects off campus at any one time during the 2000-01 academic year.

A secondary violation is one that provides only a limited recruiting or competitive advantage and that is isolated or inadvertent in nature.

In making its findings, the committee noted that violations were limited in scope, the university took immediate steps to improve its compliance program and cooperated with the NCAA's enforcement staff.

The case involved secondary violations relating to employment benefits, failure of coaches to report athletically related outside income, impermissible arrangement of lodging for a prospective student-athlete and an excess number of coaches recruiting off campus.

More specifically, four men's basketball players who at the time were nonqualifiers academically, were employed by representatives of the university's athletics interests during 1996-97, a violation of NCAA legislation.

The arrangement for lodging pertained to a prospective student-athlete who was not initially required to pay hotel expenses at a Murray, Kentucky, hotel.

The prospect remained in Murray and enrolled at the university, exceeding the 48-hour time limit for an official visit. The university was not permitted to pay for the lodging, and the student-athlete reimbursed the cost.

It also was determined that three times during the spring of 1996, three men's basketball coaches were recruiting off campus at a time when two recruiters were permissible.

In determining appropriate penalties to impose, the committee considered the self-imposed actions taken by the university:

* A written procedure has been developed for reporting coaches' athletically related income and benefits from sources outside the university.

* A written procedure has been developed for reporting violations of NCAA rules.

* Monthly compliance education meetings for coaches have been expanded.

* Beginning with the 1998-99 academic year, a procedure for monitoring student-athlete employment was implemented.

* The compliance coordinator, financial aid director and faculty athletics representative attended an NCAA regional seminar in May 1999.

* A procedure was implemented to monitor more closely the class work and financial aid of nonqualifiers and partial qualifiers.

* In July 1999, another position in compliance/academics was created.

* A repayment plan for the four student-athletes receiving impermissible financial aid was developed and approved by the NCAA. The plan is being followed and student-athletes are making payments.

* The university sent letters and brochures about NCAA regulations to 700 to 800 representatives of its athletics interests. The mailing included various ticket holders and members of the athletics fund-raising arm, the Racer Foundation.

* Outside audits of the athletics department are planned.

* The university's board of regents has approved guidelines for strengthening institutional control of the university's relationship with the Racer Foundation.

The Committee on Infractions adopted as its own the following penalty self-imposed by the university:

* The former head football coach received a written reprimand because of his involvement in two findings in the report.

The committee imposed the following additional penalties:

* The Division I Committee on Infractions will make a public announcement of its decision.

* The university will reduce from two to one the number of men's basketball coaching staff members permitted to contact and evaluate prospects for a total of 34 days during the 2000-01 academic year.

* From March 24, 2000, to June 1, 2001, the university will continue to develop and implement a comprehensive educational and compliance program and make periodic reports to the NCAA.

The members of the Division I Committee on Infractions who heard this case are: Jack Friendenthal, committee chair and professor of law, George Washington University; Alice Gresham Bullock, dean, Howard University School of Law; Richard J. Dunn, professor of English, University of Washington; Frederick B. Lacey, attorney and retired judge, LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, Newark, New Jersey; James Park Jr., attorney and retired judge, Brown, Todd & Heyburn, Lexington, Kentucky; Josephine R. Potuto, professor of law, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; and Thomas E. Yeager, commissioner, Colonial Athletic Association.

A copy of the complete report from the Division I Committee on Infractions is available on NCAA Online at www.ncaa.org.