YSUsports.com - Compliance Question of the Week

HALL OF FAME PENGUIN NICKNAME FOOTBALL MEN'S BASKETBALL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HISTORY

ALUMNI CHEERLEADERS MARCHING PRIDE MAJORETTES PETE & PENNY PENGUIN

ACADEMIC SUPPORT COMPLIANCE SPORTS INFORMATION SPORTS MEDICINE STRENGTH & CONDITIONING ADVISORY COUNCIL (SAAC)

WELCOME LETTER QUESTIONNAIRE BOOSTERS INFORMATION NCAA GUIDE LETTERS OF INTENT CAMPUS OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS UNIVERSITY HOUSING FINANCIAL AID APPLY TO YSU

STAMBAUGH STADIUM BEEGHLY CENTER CENE PARK EASTWOOD FIELD McCUNE PARK BEEGHLY NATATORIUM YSU TENNIS COURTS BOARDMAN TENNIS CENTER MILL CREEK PARK

DIRECTORY MISSION STATEMENT SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES JOB OPPORTUNITIES NCAA CERTIFICATION COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT VISITORS GUIDE DIRECTIONS TO YSU

BASEBALL MEN'S BASKETBALL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CROSS COUNTRY FOOTBALL GOLF SOCCER SOFTBALL SWIMMING & DIVING TENNIS TRACK & FIELD VOLLEYBALL

Compliance Question of the Week - 2003 Fall Semester

Dec. 1
Q. Can a staff member donate a YSU apparel item, game tickets, used equipment or money to a high school in order for the high school to raise funds for their athletic programs?

A. NO – NCAA rules prohibit collegiate athletics departments from supporting high schools athletic programs. This includes participating in fundraising events i.e. a golf outing, raffle tickets, etc. who’s primary purpose to raise funds for high school athletics.

However, a staff member can:
• Purchase admission to attend an event (i.e. awards banquet) where funds may ultimately benefit prospects, provided the primary purpose of the event is not to raise funds; and
• Financially support the high school located in the community they reside, as long as they act independently of YSU, the funds are distributed through channels established by the high school, and the funds are not earmarked for a specific student; and
• Financially support the high school he or she formally attended as a student, provided they act independently of YSU, the funds are distributed through channels established by the high school, and the funds are not earmarked for a specific student-athlete.

Nov. 24
Q. Is a non-qualifier in his/her first year of residence permitted to receive a meal at a team or athletic department banquet?
A. No. Non-qualifiers in their initial year of residence are not permitted to attend and/or receive meals or banquet-related expenses. A complete listing of what may and may not be provided to non-qualifiers in their first year is located in Figure 14-7, page 182-183 of the 2003-04 NCAA Manual.

Nov. 17
Q. Is it permissible to provide lodging for a recruit while en route for an official visit?
A. Yes. An institution may reimburse a prospective student-athlete for necessary lodging expenses while traveling to campus with his or her parents for an official visit, provided the reimbursement is for the necessary lodging costs of the prospect (single-room rate) only, and no expenses for additional occupants of the room (e.g., siblings) are provided. Further, it is permissible to provide such expenses to and from YSU during a dead period, provided no part of the official visit occurs during the dead period, including the coach personally providing transportation related the official visit.

Nov. 10
Q. May an institution display a game jersey with a prospect’s name on it for the prospect’s visit to campus?
A. Yes. An institution may display a jersey with a prospect's name on it during the prospect's visit to the campus, provided the prospect does not retain the jersey and the jersey is not visible to the general public.

Nov. 3
Q. Is it permissible to provide the YSU senior plaque as an award from the department as a participation award to a four-year letterwinner, plus an additional senior award from the team?
A. No. An individual is only permitted to receive one award annually based on participation. An individual may receive an additional award from an institution related to a special achievement or contribution to an entire season (i.e. Most Valuable Player, Most Improved, etc.). In the case of an underclassman award and a special achievement award, the value of each award may not exceed $150. A senior award may not exceed the value of $300.

Oct. 27
    Q. If a former YSU athlete happens to be on campus to watch a game and a recruit is on campus for an official or unofficial visit, is it permissible for the former athlete to meet the recruit?
    A. No. Bylaw 13.1.2.1 clarifies that only YSU staff members may contact recruits on- or off-campus and specifically prohibits any contact (whether in person, email, or phone) by representatives of athletics interests (i.e. boosters, former athletes).

Oct. 20
    Q. Is it permissible for an institution to provide team travel outfits (i.e. blazer, khaki pants, vest, tie, etc.)?
    A. An institution may not provide student-athletes team travel outfits, blazers, or other items of clothing that are not sports-related practice or competition apparel. It would be permissible to provide warm-ups, provided the warm-ups will be worn in a practice or competition setting. If the warm-ups are only for travel, it would not be permissible to provide them to student-athletes.

Oct. 13
    Q. A team is leaving for an away contest at 6:30 a.m. The coach decides to provide donuts, bagels and orange juice on the bus to avoid stopping that morning. What meal money may be provided to a student-athlete for that day?
    A. Since a meal is already being provided, only meal money for lunch and dinner may be provided to the student-athlete for the remainder of that day. It would not be permissible to provide the student with the entire day's per diem.

Oct. 6
    Q. The media requests to speak to a student-athlete in a post-game interview. The athlete appears wearing her personal sweatshirt that has a 6” Nike swoosh across the front of the sweatshirt. Is this a problem?
    A. Yes. The size restriction for sport logos on all apparel worn by student-athletes applies during institutional competitions as well as during any pre or post game activities or media days. A manufacturer’s trademark or label may not exceed 2 ¼ square inches in area. In this scenario, the athlete must either put on a YSU warm-up that covers up the logo or wear a different apparel item that conforms to the regulation.

Sept. 29
Q. Would it be permissible to promote our football student-athletes being present at a Mahoning Valley Scrappers game in August to pass out YSU football schedule cards and Penguin Club membership information, since Cafaro Field is our home baseball field and it’s purpose is to promote YSU athletics?
A. No. This scenario promotes a commercial agency (MV Scrappers). YSU may use a student-athlete’s appearance at a commercial establishment to promote YSU only if the commercial establishment is not a cosponsor of the event and the sale of a commercial product is not in conjunction with the event. A commercial establishment would become a cosponsor if the establishment either advertises the presence of the student-athlete at the establishment or is directly or indirectly involved in promoting the activity.

Sept. 22
    Q. If a student-athlete violates a team policy, it is permissible to require additional physical workouts as a punishment?
    A. Yes, provided Bylaw 17.1.5 is met (the student does not exceed four hours of workouts per day, is provided a day off each seven-day period, and does not exceed 20 hours per week of countable athletically-related activities).

Sept. 15
    Q. When a recruit (any sport) is on an unofficial or official visit during a home football game, would it be permissible to take him/her down on the sidelines or in the loge area during the contest?
    A. No. Prospects are only permitted a maximum of three complimentary admissions, issued through a pass list, and may provide seating only in the general seating area. Seating in any other area during the event, including halftime, is prohibited.

Sept. 8
    Q. If friends or family of a student-athlete travel to a city to observe our team in competition, is it permissible for those individuals to travel in the team’s vehicle (bus, van, etc.) at any time (i.e. to and from the hotel to the competition site; to dinner after the game, etc.)?
    A. No. Such travel would constitute an extra benefit not permissible by NCAA regulations.

Sept. 1
Q. May an institution provide reasonable entertainment (i.e. putt-putt, movie) for a team that is required to be on campus for practice during a vacation period when classes are not in session?
A. Yes – an institution may pay the actual costs (but not provide cash) for reasonable entertainment that takes place within a 30-mile radius of campus and classes are not in session. (The team’s budget must allow for such an expense.)

August 25
Q. Can a department staff member (coach or support staff) take a high school coach out to eat?
A. No – institutions are only permitted to provide two admissions via a pass list (no hard tickets) for a home contests issued on a game-by-game basis. Any other forms of entertainment (e.g. meals) are considered an impermissible extra benefit.