The following interpretations have been submitted by the Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee and approved by the Division III Management Council:

No. 1. Academic fraud

The committee reviewed the application of Bylaw 10.1-(b) as it relates to academic fraud and agreed that the following guidelines generally should be used in determining whether an incident of academic fraud should be reported to the NCAA as a violation of Bylaw 10.1-(b) or should be handled exclusively at the institutional level in accordance with its policies applicable to all students:

c. If a student-athlete commits an academic offense (for example, cheating on a test, plagiarism on a term paper) with no involvement of an institutional staff member, the institution is not required to report a violation of Bylaw 10.1-(b), unless the academic offense results in an erroneous declaration of eligibility and the student-athlete subsequently competes for the institution.

Finally, the committee noted that in all cases in which a student-athlete knowingly engages in conduct that violates institutional policies, the institution in all cases is required to handle a student-athlete's academic offense in accordance with its established academic policies applicable to all students, regardless of whether the violation is reportable under Bylaw 10.1-(b)] or whether the student-athlete was acting along or in concert with others. [Reference: Bylaw 10.1-(b).]

No. 2 Benefits Resulting from an Established Relationship

The committee reviewed the application of NCAA Bylaw 12.1.1.1.6 as it relates to factual situations in which an individual (student-athlete or prospective student-athlete) has received benefits before or during collegiate enrollment from someone other than a family member or legal guardian, and agreed that the following objective guidelines generally should be used in determining whether such benefits are contrary to the legislation:

b. Did the relationship between the athlete (or the athlete's parents) and the individual providing the benefit(s) predate the athlete's status as a prospective student-athlete?

d. Was the pattern of benefits provided by the individual to the athlete (or the athlete's parents) before the athlete attaining notoriety as a skilled athlete similar in nature to those provided after attaining such stature?

1. The individual is not an agent;

The committee noted that the aforementioned interpretation does not apply to individuals who have no logical ties to the prospect. It also noted that a current student-athlete who, before initial collegiate enrollment, has been receiving normal and reasonable living expenses from an individual with whom he or she has an established relationship may continue to receive occasional benefits (for example, meals during campus visits, reasonable entertainment) from an individual or family with whom the student-athlete has an established relationship. Such expenses may not include educational expenses associated with a grant-in-aid (that is, tuition and fees, room and board, and required course-related books). [Reference: Bylaw 12.1.1.1.6 (preferential treatment, benefits or services).]