The National Letter of Intent Policy and Review Committee of the Collegiate Commissioners Association has adopted a policy to render null and void any letter of intent that contains any advance agreements that would release the prospect in case of a coaching change or other circumstances.

The change addresses evidence of institutions making such arrangements with prospects for a release to be granted should circumstances warrant, such as a coaching-staff change.

“The committee is saying this isn’t the intent of the NLI program,” said Susan Peal, the associate director of operations at the NCAA Eligibility Center and liaison to the committee. “We have a formal release process in place.”

Peal said if prospective student-athletes want to be released from the National Letter of Intent agreement, they should submit the release-request form. The formal National Letter of Intent release process has been established to ensure consistency among all NLI member institutions and to maintain accurate NLI records. The committee does not want institutions to be negotiating their own agreements.

Violations of the policy, Peal said, could bring other institutional penalties (such as a letter of reprimand and possible expulsion from the NLI program) in addition to the NLI being declared null and void.

Divisions I and II presidents and chancellors, athletics directors and commissioners were notified about the policy Thursday.