2001 Telephone Conference No. 2 -- February 7, 2001

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

Financial Aid/Tuition Waivers

1. Exempting Tuition Waivers Related to Academic Honor Awards. If a student-athlete qualifies under a state statute or an institutional policy for an out-of-state tuition waiver as a result of receiving an academic honor award that meets the conditions of NCAA Bylaws 15.5.3.2.1 and 15.5.3.2.1.1, it is not permissible for the institution to exempt the value of the tuition waiver from its team financial aid limits, since the tuition waiver constitutes a separate and distinct form of institutional financial aid that may not be exempted under NCAA financial aid regulations. The subcommittee noted, however, that it is permissible to exempt the tuition waiver if the academic honor award actually consists of a tuition waiver (as opposed to qualifying the student-athlete to receive a tuition waiver as a separate award in addition to the academic honor award). [References: Bylaws 15.02.4.1 (institutional financial aid), 15.5.3.2.1 (exception) and 15.5.3.2.1.1 (additional requirements); 06/07/90 official interpretation, Item No.7.]

Satisfactory Progress/Correspondence Courses

2. Correspondence Courses Completed at the Certifying Institution While Enrolled Part Time. A student-athlete who completed a correspondence course at the certifying institution while not enrolled as a full-time student (for example, returning student, prospective student-athlete) may use the correspondence course to meet the satisfactory-progress requirements after full-time enrollment at that institution. [Reference: Bylaw 14.4.3.4.5 (correspondence and extension courses from another institution).]

Recruiting/Publicity

3. Permissible Press Releases After One-Time Announcement. If an institution releases publicity through its normal media outlets concerning a prospect's commitment to attend the institution (that is, the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or written offer of admission and/or athletics aid from the institution), it is permissible for the institution to release identical information to the media on future occasions through its normal media outlets (for example, media game notes, game programs), provided any subsequent release does not include additional or updated information about any previously signed prospect(s). [References: Bylaws 13.11.8 (announcement of signing) and 13.11.8.2.1 (one-time exception-announcement of all signings).]

Recruiting/Publicity

4. Coaches' Involvement in Media Activities Solely to Discuss Prospects' Commitments. The subcommittee requested the Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet Subcommittee on Recruiting to provide input regarding an issue related to the involvement of coaches in a media activity when the sole purpose of such an activity is to discuss prospects who have accepted written offers of admission and/or athletics-related aid in a particular sport from the institution.