The Interpretations Committee of the Division II Legislation Committee issued the following interpretations:

Conference Call No. 7
May 16, 2005

Official Visit Entertainment

The subcommittee determined the permissible official visit entertainment money a student host(s) may receive is to cover all actual costs of entertaining the prospective student-athlete (and the prospect's parents, legal guardians or spouse) and the entertainment of the student host(s). Any institutional staff members and/or other student-athlete(s) not serving in the role of student host who wish to accompany the prospective student-athlete during the entertainment activity may permissibly do so only if they cover their own entertainment costs.

As an example, if during an official visit the student host chose to take the prospective student-athlete to a movie, the host could use the allotted entertainment money to pay for the tickets of him/herself and the prospective student-athlete, as well as the prospective student-athlete's parents, legal guardians or spouse. Other members of the host's institutional athletics team could attend the movie, as could the institutional coaching staff members; however, those additional individuals would need to pay for their own movie tickets. [References: Division II Bylaws 13.7.5.1 (entertainment/tickets on official visit -- general restrictions), 13.7.5.5 (student host), 13.7.5.5.2 (multiple hosts) and 13.7.6 (entertainment on official visit for spouse, parent or legal guardian of prospect); and 9/18/98 Staff Interpretation, Item A, which has been archived.]

In-Person Meeting
July 7, 2005

Official Visit Transportation

The subcommittee confirmed that only those coaches who are certified through the annual certification requirement to recruit and scout prospective student-athletes off-campus would be permitted to accompany a prospective student-athlete to and from his or her home to campus on an official visit, regardless of whether a visit occurs during or outside a permissible contact period; also noted that it would be permissible for coaches to transport the prospective student-athlete in an institutional vehicle or the coach's automobile; however, Bylaw 13.6.2.8 [transportation of prospect's relatives, friends, or legal guardian(s)] would preclude the parents of the prospective student-athlete from accompanying the prospective student-athlete under these circumstances. [References: Bylaws 11.5.1.1 (annual certification requirement) and 13.6.2.8 (transportation of prospect's relatives, friends, or legal guardian(s)).]

Coach's Presence at Signing of NLI

The subcommittee determined it is not permissible for an institution's coach to be physically present at the site of the signing of the National Letter of Intent or at any other pre-arranged site when a prospect accepts an offer made by the institution. [Reference: Bylaw 13.11.7.3 (staff member presence).]

Tracking Evaluations of Multiple Prospects

The subcommittee confirmed that an institution's coach attending an event in which prospects from multiple educational institutions participate in drills (for example, a combine) need only track the evaluation of each prospect participating in the event the coach actually observes or of each prospect that the coach assesses academic qualifications (for example, obtains a prospect's academic transcript). For example, if a football coach observes only prospects participating in defensive-back drills at a football combine, only evaluations for those prospects observed in the defensive-back drills must be tracked for purposes of maintaining compliance records on campus. [Reference: Bylaw 13.1.8 (limitations on number of evaluations -- all sports).]

Financial Aid in Student's Final Term

The subcommittee determined 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 the student is carrying for credit the courses necessary to complete degree requirements. The institution may not award financial aid subsequent to this semester or quarter unless the student-athlete completes all degree requirements during that semester or quarter and is eligible to receive the baccalaureate diploma on the institution's next degree-granting date and continues their participation, per Bylaw 14.1.9 (graduate student/postbaccalaureate participation). [References: Bylaws 14.1.8.1.7.3 (practice or competition -- final semester/quarter), 14.1.9 (graduate student/postbaccalaureate participation), and 15.01.5 (institutional financial aid permitted), and a July 23, 1999 official interpretation which has been archived.]

Countable Aid -- Tuition Waivers

Based on Receipt of Institutional Aid

The subcommittee determined when a waiver of tuition and fees for student-athletes is made available contingent on the individual's receipt of a minimum level (for example, $100) of scholarship assistance from the member institution, the value of such a waiver must be included when calculating the equivalency value of the student-athlete's grant-in-aid. Specifically, the amount of the waiver credited to each nonresident student's account may not be exempted for purposes of calculating that student's equivalency amount. [References: Bylaws 15.02.4.1 (institutional financial aid), 15.02.4.3 (exempted institutional financial aid), and a March 27, 2001, official interpretation.]