The need for information about alcohol and other drug policies for specific institutions and the NCAA becomes increasingly important as institutions enter the heaviest recruiting periods. In order to avoid NCAA violations, as well as violations of campus and or state laws regarding alcohol and other drugs, communication with current and incoming students -- and student hosts and recruits -- is essential. The appropriate communication will save student-athletes from potential penalties and the institution from potential public embarrassment. It will more importantly assist in keeping students safer and healthier.

In order to effectively communicate the policies with the appropriate audience, the following four groups should be addressed: (1) current student-athletes who may be student hosts, (2) prospective student-athletes who will visit your campus, (3) incoming student-athletes who are either freshmen or transfers and (4) coaches.

Student-athletes who are going to serve as hosts for prospects should be made aware of all NCAA, athletics and campus policies, as well as the city and state laws regarding the use of alcohol and other drugs. As part of institutional athletics eligibility meetings, student-athletes are most likely made aware of the appropriate policies. The special position of serving as a host to a prospect who may be under the legal drinking age for that state requires a different set of guidelines that should be reviewed carefully.

A formal training session for hosts may be an option to consider. Those guidelines may include appropriate and inappropriate off-campus venues for entertainment and review of what a host should do if a prospect becomes ill, either from alcohol, drugs or any other reason. The host should have a list of emergency-contact numbers for the coach, parents of the prospect, or anyone else the institution deems necessary. At the end of a visit, each host should be required to fill out an evaluation of the visit and make suggestions for appropriate venues and report any extraordinary incidences that may have occurred. This evaluation is a means of maintaining current updates on appropriate and inappropriate entertainment venues.

Too often the official visit is seen as an opportunity to party with college students and may lead to unintended consequences in violating campus policies or state laws. Prospects who will come to your campus on official visits must be notified in writing of the NCAA five-visit limitation. In the same letter it would be useful to provide the prospect with a list of the NCAA-banned substances and the NCAA and campus policies regarding alcohol and other drugs. This prepares the prospect for what is expected in this area early in the recruiting process.

The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports has become aware that incoming freshmen and transfer students who have not previously been at an NCAA institution often are not aware of the NCAA or campus alcohol and other drug policies before arriving on campus. The potential for a student-athlete to have used a banned substance before understanding the policies and arriving on campus has been demonstrated in drug-test appeal cases. As soon as a prospect has committed to attend an institution, that prospect should be notified in writing of the banned-substance list and any other campus policies regarding testing. This could prevent a new student from using a banned substance before arriving on campus and avoid a positive drug test while being uninformed.

While administrators are under the assumption that coaches know the NCAA, athletics, campus and state laws regarding alcohol and other drugs, that often is a bad assumption. Coaching staffs change and many times the issues of drugs and alcohol are not explained to new staff. Additionally, a review of the rules for all coaches is a good idea as a refresher and an opportunity to review any changes that may have occurred in the rules or policies. A review of drug and alcohol policies should be a part of the annual review of rules that is provided for all coaches. There should be no coach who can claim ignorance in that regard.

While recruiting can be one of the most exciting periods on an institution's athletics calendar, it also can potentially be one where the institution is at greatest risk for liability. Preparation and education of coaches, hosts and prospects regarding campus and NCAA policies may help prevent any unwanted incidences that could damage the institution or jeopardize the health of the prospect. Some of the ideas presented above may assist in making the recruiting process stress-free and successful for the prospect and the institution.

Pam Gill-Fisher is an associate director of athletics and the senior woman administrator at the University of California, Davis.