Dec. 4
Q. Is it permissible for a coach or a booster to provide $20 gift certificates to the seniors at the end of the year banquet as a part of their senior award?
A. No. Awards to graduating seniors (or those who have exhausted his/her eligibility) such as cash or gift certificates for athletics participation, or country club or sports club memberships are prohibited.

Nov. 27
Q. Is it permissible for an institution to provide expenses (e.g. meals, lodging, travel, entry fee) to a student-athlete who is participating in an athletics event “unattached” (not representing YSU)?
A. No. When a student-athlete competes unattached, the institution may not provide any expenses to the participating student-athlete. Prohibited examples include providing transportation (e.g. riding on the team bus/van to a team competition) or lodging (sharing a room with other athletes who are representing YSU).

Nov. 20
Q. If a prospect visiting campus is in our locker room after a game, would it be permissible to introduce the prospect to a former student-athlete who is also in the locker room?
A. No. While a prospective student-athlete may visit a locker room after a game when boosters are present in the room, it is not permissible for a booster (e.g., a former student-athlete) to introduce him/herself to a prospective student-athlete in a locker room, inasmuch as such an introduction is not considered "incidental" contact. The same would hold true in interactions in loges or tailgate lots.

Nov. 13
Q. Is it permissible to provide three complimentary admissions for prospects to attend postseason games?
A. No. Institutions may not provide complimentary admissions to prospects or high school coaches for postseason events (i.e. Division I-AA football playoffs). The prospect or coaches may purchase tickets only in the same manner as any other member of the general public.

Nov. 6
Q. A high school coach asks one of our YSU coaches to come and give a skills clinic to their high school team. Is this permissible?
A. No. In Division I sports other than basketball, college coaches may only serve as lecturers, counselors, consultants, etc. at camps and clinics that are publicized, open to the public, and only restricted by age and number. Participants cannot be from only one team. Basketball coaches may not serve in any capacity at any camp or clinic other than YSU.

Oct. 30
Q. Can a four-year college transfer sign a National Letter of Intent?
A. No. Only prospects departing high school or a two-year college can sign a National Letter of Intent. In addition, prospects can only sign one, valid Letter of Intent. If for some reason a prospect cannot attend the institution from which he/she has originally signed and wishes to attend another school, he/she cannot sign an NLI with the second school unless a Release Agreement is approved.

Oct. 23
Q. Can a high school team practice in the same facility at the same time as one of our collegiate teams?
A. No. Prospects demonstrating athletic abilities in view of our coaching staff in such an arrangement would constitute an impermissible tryout.

Oct. 16
Q. Can an institution provide workout apparel to a prospect who is on an (un)official visit and who chooses to participate in a voluntary “pick up game” with current student-athletes?
A. No. An institution may not provide workout apparel to a prospect who wishes to participate in recreational activities during a visit to an institution's campus.

Oct. 9
Q. If a coach accompanies the student host and the prospect for entertainment during an official visit, can the coach pay for his/her own entertainment?
A. Yes. The $30/day allotment must cover expenses for all individuals involved in entertaining the prospect (i.e. all student-athletes, prospect, prospect’s parents/legal guardians or spouse in attendance), excluding athletics department staff members. The costs for entertaining all involved (excluding coach) cannot exceed $30/day. However, if the coach is the only host, the coach’s costs must be included in the $30/day.

Oct. 2
Q. Would it be permissible for YSU to capitalize on a specific student-athlete’s marketability and sell a commercial item of that student-athlete’s likeness e.g. game jersey with athlete’s name on it, bobble head, etc.?
A. No. Items that include a specific student-athlete’s name, picture or likeness, other than informational items (i.e. poster, schedule card, media guide) may not be sold. It remains permissible to sell commercial items with names, likeness or pictures of multiple student-athletes.

Sept. 25
Q. It is permissible for an institution to purchase equipment/apparel at a reduced cost from a manufacturer and allow student-athletes to purchase such equipment/apparel from the institution at the reduced cost?
A. No. This type of purchase would be considered an extra benefit. However, this arrangement is different than when an institution purchases equipment/apparel at a discount price, uses the item until it is deemed “un-useable”, then in turn permits students to purchase or have the used equipment and/or provide it to seniors who have exhausted their eligibility, which is permissible.

Sept. 18
Q. Is it permissible for an outside agency or individual to take photos of our current student-athletes and sell them for private use/benefit?
A. No. A student-athlete will lose his/her eligibility if he/she or the institution permits the use of the athlete’s photo to be sold for private benefit of an outside agency. It is permissible for an institution to contract with an outside agency to sell student-athletes photos, provided the institution is the controlling body of all transactions. It is also permissible for a student-athlete to be provided an action photo of him/herself as a benefit incidental to participation, provided it is unframed and has not been altered to be more than a basic photograph.

Sept. 11
Q. Is it permissible for a coach to receive expenses or money during a recruiting trip from someone (or some organization) other than the athletics department?
A. No. All funds for recruitment must be received directly from YSU or groups affiliated with YSU (i.e. Penguin Club). It is not permissible for any outside organization or individual to provide staff members with expenses (i.e. travel, meals) to attend any event for recruiting purposes. Such expenses are considered funds donated for recruiting purposes and as such, funds must be deposited directly to the member institution, as opposed to being provided directly to the staff member.

Sept. 4
Q. Would a student-athlete be permitted to promote a coach’s television or radio show?
A. If the television or radio show is produced or controlled by YSU, it would be permissible for a student-athlete to be involved in promoting the show. However, if the coach’s show is produced independent of YSU, the student-athlete may not participate in any promotions for the show other than through the showing of game highlights.

August 28
Q. Are we permitted to provide priority parking for parents of our student-athletes who are participating in a home athletics contest?
A. No. Parents or family of student-athletes may not receive priority parking privileges at home athletics contests in spaces normally reserved for VIP, such as the media or loge ticket holders.