Academic Year of Residence
May 3, 2018
A previous segment of Compliance Corner addressed some basic guidelines for transfer student-athletes looking to compete for the Highlanders (see segment from November 6, 2017), however, this segment will be looking at the practice of an academic year of residence in particular. Essentially, an academic year of residence means that while a student has been accepted to the college, they are not eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics during their first year on campus.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Trevor is transferring to Houghton in the after attending a two-year community college. Since he was accepted into the college, he believes he will be able to start playing basketball as soon as the season starts.
Is this correct?
Trevor will be required to complete an academic year of residence at Houghton after transferring, unless he meets one of the following criteria:

• He has never participated in intercollegiate athletics; or
• He would have been eligible to continue his participation at his previous institution had he stayed.

However, if these criteria are not met, Trevor will not be eligible to don the Highlander uniform until he is enrolled fulltime and maintains this status for two semesters. It is also important to note that the summer term does not count as a semester; so while he may take online courses through Houghton over the summer prior to arriving for the fall semester, his academic year of residence will not begin until the start of the fall semester.
 The criteria for waiving an academic year of residence are the same for students transferring from four-year institutions, however, transfers from four-year institutions may also be immediately eligible if their previous institution did not sponsor their sport and they had previously completed 24-semester/36-quarter hours of transferable credit, and they were fulltime for at least 2 semester/3 quarters prior to transferring. For example, this means that if Josie is transferring to Houghton from a four-year college that does not offer field hockey, she does not have to complete an academic year of residence so long as she comes in with enough credits and time as a fulltime student.

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Improper Benefits
April 25, 2018
While previous segments of Compliance Corner have discussed improper benefits that college employees and representatives of athletic interests may attempt to give to student-athletes, it is important to review those which may be more relevant with summer break quickly approaching.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Trevor is a freshman on the men’s soccer team and is working for the college over the summer; however, since he is from out of town, he is struggling to find a place to call home. After church one day a community member approaches Trevor and offers him the spare bedroom in his house for the summer at a reduced rate, “Normally I ask students for $250 a month in rent, but I know how hard you soccer guys work so I’m only going to charge you $175.”
Can Trevor receive reduced rent from a community member?
No, this would be considered an improper benefit since it is not available to the general student body; however, he can rent a room at the normal rate.

2. Josie is a junior on the women’s basketball team and is packing up her room to go home for the summer when she realizes she accumulated more stuff over the course of the year than she has room for in her car. She emails her coach asking if it would be okay to leave some things in her basement, “Please, Coach? It’d only be a box or two!”
Can the basketball coach store some of Josie’s items for the summer?
No, this would be considered an improper benefit since it is not available to the general student body.

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Postseason Participation After Graduation
April 17, 2018
While some previous Compliance Corner segments have addressed the eligibility of senior student-athletes who are below fulltime status or are looking to use any remaining eligibility in graduate school or while pursuing another bachelor’s degree, there is another scenario that may come up: postseason contests that occur after graduation.
Consider the following scenario:
Josie is a senior on the track and field team who qualified for the NCAA All-Atlantic Regional Conference Championships, however, the meet occurs a few days after commencement. In an email to her coach, she asks if she will be able to compete in the meet since she will no longer be a student at the college.
Can Josie compete in a postseason contest after graduating?
According to DIII of the NCAA, student-athletes can continue their participation in athletics after graduation if they are competing in a postseason contest that occurs within sixty days after completing all of their degree requirements. Since the meet occurs a few days after graduation, Josie is allowed to compete in the meet.

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Retention of Athletics Apparel and Equipment
April 12, 2018
With the end of the semester within reach, it is important to start reviewing those rules which have the potential to impact student-athletes over the summer and perhaps as they get ready to play their last games. This week, a quick look will be taken at the retention of athletics apparel and equipment.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Trevor is a senior on the lacrosse team and his time on the team has had a huge impact on him while at Houghton. As he’s packing up at the end of practice one day, he offhandedly mentions to his coach that he’d like to keep his helmet as a memento of his years as a Highlander.
Can Trevor keep his helmet?
While student-athletes are allowed to keep any athletics apparel they have at the end of their participation in athletics, equipment cannot be given away. However, if the lacrosse coach is interested in selling the helmet, Trevor may purchase it for the same price that an individual not involved in athletics would pay.

2. Josie is a member of the softball team and wants to be able to continue practicing over summer break. In an email to her coach, she asks if it would be possible to borrow one of the team’s bats, “Please, Coach? I know I have some work to do on hitting and promise to bring it back!”
Can Josie borrow one of the softball team’s bats over the summer?
Student-athletes are allowed to borrow and use athletic equipment during summer break so long as it is consistent with the institution’s equipment policy; this means Josie could borrow a bat so long as it was permitted by the college.

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Transportation
March 23, 2018
Are coaches and other staff members permitted to give rides to student-athletes back to campus at the start of preseason? Or provide local transportation to student-athletes? What about other scenarios where a ride would be needed? Read on to find out what Division III of the NCAA has to say about the transportation of student-athletes.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Josie is a sophomore on the field hockey team who is flying in for preseason from Illinois and is trying to figure out how to get to campus from the airport. In an email to her coach, she asks if there is any way she could grab a ride back to campus with her since no one else from the team will be in the area when her flight lands.
Can Josie’s coach give her a ride to campus from the airport?
According to Bylaw 13.5.4, staff members of an institution can provide transportation to campus from an airport or bus or train station in the fall semester to attend classes and/or preseason. This means that Josie is allowed to ride back with her coach from the airport.

2. One week during the cross country season the coach creates a new route for a long run, but its starting point is a bit away from campus. However, before setting the route aside, he checks to see if the team could be dropped off at the starting point at the beginning of practice.
Can student-athletes receive transportation to an off-campus practice site?
According to Bylaw 16.8.1.1.4, an institution may provide transportation for student-athletes to attend an on- or off-campus practice site, this means that the cross country team can be dropped off at the beginning of the route.

3. Trevor is a junior on the soccer team and with his car in the shop, is trying to figure out how he’s getting to church next week. Aware of his situation, one of his professors who attends the same church offers to give him a ride as she’ll be driving by campus anyways.
Can Trevor’s professor provide him a ride?
According to Bylaw 16.9.1.6, college employees are permitted to provide occasional local transportation to student-athletes without it being considered an extra benefit. This means unless the professor regularly offers students rides to church regardless of intercollegiate athletic involvement, Trevor can receive a ride from his professor to church so long as it is not a weekly occurrence.

4. Sylvia broke her ankle while playing in a women’s basketball game and while off of her crutches, is in need of physical therapy to regain full range of motion. The physical therapist’s office is located off campus and driving there every week is a strain on her gas bill.
Can the college pay for Sylvia’s gas?
According to Bylaw 16.9.1.2, an institution may pay for transportation expenses for a student-athlete’s medical treatment so long as its necessity results from participation in intercollegiate athletics. This means the cost of Sylvia’s gas to go to and from her physical therapist’s office can be covered by the college.

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Don’t Bet On It!
March 13, 2018
With March Madness starting up this week, this installment of Compliance Corner serves as a reminder not to participate in sports wagering – either by placing a bet or soliciting one – in order to comply with NCAA rules. No one affiliated with the athletic department (student-athletes, coaches, and other staff members) is allowed to participate in an office/neighborhood pool where everyone fills out a bracket, pays an entry fee, and has an opportunity to win a prize. It is important to note that a prize does not have to be monetary, it can be anything received as a result of participation (i.e. trophy/plaque, t-shirt, dinner, etc.). Remember, DON’T BET ON IT!
Consider the following scenarios:
1. In an effort to socialize outside of practice, a captain on the men’s lacrosse approaches his coach with the idea of having everyone fill out a March Madness bracket and at the end of tournament, the winner would receive a gift card to the campus store equal to the amount of money the team put in.
Is this an okay activity for the men’s lacrosse team to participate in?
NO! Filling out a bracket and betting on the outcome of the tournament is classified as sports wagering and not permitted by the NCAA.

2.  The campus store is having a March Madness bracket contest open to the entire student body where a prize will be given away, but there is no entry fee.
Can student-athletes complete a bracket for the campus store?
A wager is defined as “any agreement in which an individual or entity agrees to give up an item of value (e.g., cash, shirt, dinner) in exchange for the possibility of gaining another item of value” (10.02.2), since there is nothing given up, this is not a wager and student-athletes may participate.

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Camps and Clinics
March 8, 2018
Houghton College hosts a number of camps and clinics throughout the year and it should come as no surprise that there are a number of rules set forth by Division III of the NCAA that regulate how they are run. Consider the following scenarios:
 
1. Josie is a sophomore on the track and field team and when she finds out there is an upcoming clinic conducted by the college, emails her coach to ask if it would be okay if she registered for it.
Can Josie participate in the clinic?
According to Division III rules currently enrolled student-athletes are not permitted to participate in camps or clinics conducted by their college as either campers or competitors. This then lends itself to another question, can current student-athletes work at a camp/clinic? The answer to this is yes and there is no limit to how many student-athletes are allowed to work. However, there are a few rules dictating the terms of their employment; student-athletes may be employed so long as they assist with administrative duties in addition to any coaching and officiating responsibilities and if they have any eligibility left, may not have their own event in the camp/clinic with prospective student-athletes.
 
2. Trevor is a junior in high school who has expressed interest in learning more about the soccer program at Houghton and decides to sign up for one of the camps this summer. Before registering, he emails the coach and asks if there’s any way he could receive a discount as a prospective student-athlete.
Can Trevor receive a discount for camp as a prospective student-athlete?
While discounts can be given to prospective student-athletes who register early, online, or because they have attended a camp or clinic before so long as the same discount is available to all participants, prospective student-athletes are not allowed to receive special discounts; this includes a free or reduced cost for those who have started the ninth grade.
 

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Class Attendance
February 22, 2018
Part of being a student-athlete means recognizing that you are a student first and an athlete second; for while it is a wonderful privilege to participate in intercollegiate athletics, academics must take precedence and this means class attendance is a priority. Both Division III of the NCAA and Houghton College have rules in place to help encourage this mindset and ensure student-athletes are in the classroom as much as possible.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Trevor is a sophomore on the men’s lacrosse team and is determined to play more than he did last year. He decides that the best way to do this is to never miss a practice and scheduled his classes so they would be done by the time practice normally started, with the exception of an evening class on Tuesdays. He’s off to a great start of sticking with his goal, but when he finds out the team has practice starting at 6:30 every day next week, he decided he’ll just skip his Tuesday class in order to go to practice.
Can Trevor miss class to go to practice?
No, student-athletes are not allowed to miss class for practice unless they are competing away from home and the practice goes along with the contest. Additionally, student-athletes cannot miss class to play in a competition during the non-traditional segment. This means that in the fall semester, Trevor would not have been able to miss class to play fall-ball either.

2. Josie is a member of the track and field team and discovers that the team has a couple of away meets on Fridays that will require her to miss her last class of the day. She knows that she cannot miss class for practices but is unsure if the same rule applies to competitions.
Can Josie miss class for a meet?
Since it is for a competition and not a practice, Josie is allowed to miss class so long as she informs her professor at least two days beforehand that she will not be there and makes up all the work that she missed that day.
It is important for student-athletes to initiate and remain in contact with their professors about their athletic involvement, this not only helps maintain an understanding of the professor’s expectations for the student-athlete if they have to miss a class, but will also help to foster a relationship built off of respect for each other and allow for a student-athlete to be just as capable of succeeding in the classroom as they are on the field.

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Prizes from Promotional Activities
February 13, 2018
At different events on campus or often times as a way to entice students to participate in campus-wide surveys, Houghton College will offer prizes through a randomized drawing to the student-body. Are student-athletes permitted to accept these prizes if chosen? Read on to find out what Division III of the NCAA says!
At most men’s soccer games the Campus Activities Board promotes a free raffle for a pizza and a chance to watch the remainder of the game from a couch on the sidelines. Trevor, a member of the men’s lacrosse team, hears the numbers on his ticket called out and while excited at first, isn’t sure if he is allowed to accept the prize because of his status as a student-athlete.
Can Trevor accept the prize from the Campus Activities Board?
Since this prize was available to the general student-body and the winner was determined by a random drawing, Trevor is allowed to accept it.

During the men’s basketball game, Josie, a member of the women’s basketball team, is given the chance to win a gift card to the campus coffee shop if she can make a half-court basket.
Can Josie use her athletics ability to win the gift card?
According to the NCAA, the “use of athletics ability to win a prize in the promotional contest or activity does not affect a student-athlete’s eligibility” (16.11.1.4.1). This means Josie may participate and accept the gift card if she makes the basket so long as the opportunity to do so was available to anyone in attendance or the general student-body and determined by a random drawing; if she was chosen to participate because she of her status as a student-athlete, taking the gift card would not be allowed.

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Student-Athletes and Recruiting
February 7, 2018
While it is common for current student-athletes at Houghton College to act as student hosts during a prospective student-athlete’s visit, there are a couple of rules they may not be aware of that guide what recruiting activities they can participate in.
Consider the following the scenarios:
1. Josie is a sophomore on the field hockey team and is excited that Susan, another field hockey player from her high school, is coming to check out the team and see if she wants to be a Highlander. Susan is already approved to stay with Josie and, determined to make sure she has a good time during her visit, Josie has the whole weekend planned. First, it is good to know that Josie is allowed to pick up Susan from the airport, either on her own or with her coach. Additionally, since it is after the close of the field hockey season, Josie and Susan can go to the gym together as long as Josie does not tell her coach what Susan did. However, Josie cannot use any of her own money to pay for Susan to do anything. So if the field hockey team decided to go see a movie that weekend, Josie could not buy a ticket for Susan.
2. Trevor is a member of the men’s basketball team and, curious to know how the recruiting process works on the other side, approaches his coach to ask if he can be of any help with recruiting. Yes, in addition to acting as a student host during a prospective student-athlete’s visit, Trevor is allowed to call prospective student-athletes and send them private messages (such as emails or texts) so long as the athletic department is aware of them. However, Trevor is not permitted to help his coach recruit off campus by going on high school visits or visiting prospective student-athletes at their homes.

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Sports Wagering
January 23, 2018
With Super Bowl LII coming up in early February and March Madness shortly thereafter, it is important to review the prohibitions the NCAA has pertaining to sports wagering. First, what’s a wager? The NCAA defines a wager as “any agreement in which an individual or entity agrees to give up an item of value (e.g., cash, shirt, dinner) in exchange for the possibility of gaining another item of value” (10.02.2) and long story short, it’s not allowed if you’re a student-athlete or an athletic department staff member.
Consider the following scenarios:
Lewis is a huge Eagles fan and is certain that they are going to win the Super Bowl and while scrolling through Facebook, comes across a link a friend posted to an online sports wagering site and clicks on it. He’s tempted to place a bet, but is unsure what his coach would think if he found out. No, if Lewis places a bet on the Eagles winning the Super Bowl he will lose a year of eligibility and if he places another bet afterwards, will lose any remaining eligibility.

A couple of members of the men’s soccer team are talking about the Super Bowl and while debating who will win, come to the agreement that the fans of the losing team should have to buy pizza for the “winners” the day after the game. No, even though cash is not the award, this is still considered a wager and not allowed.

It is also important to note that placing or accepting a sports wager are not the only actions not allowed by the NCAA, soliciting a wager is also impermissible. Additionally, sports wagers are not allowed for any level of sport: neither intercollegiate, amateur, nor professional.
 In the past, student-athletes who were found to be placing, accepting, or soliciting sports wagers were not allowed to appeal the loss of their eligibility, however, a proposal was recently passed by the NCAA that would allow institutions to appeal any action taken against a student-athlete and violations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. However, it should go without saying that sports wagering is against the regulations set forth by the NCAA, so please, DON’T BET ON IT!

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Athletic Participation While Less Than Fulltime
January 16, 2018
Generally, a student-athlete must have fulltime status (taking 12 credits) in order to participate in intercollegiate athletics; however, there are a few exceptions that exist to allow student-athletes who are not fulltime to continue their involvement within Division III of the NCAA.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Trevor is a sophomore on the indoor track and field team and is still trying to figure out his schedule at the beginning of the semester. He is currently taking nine credits, but plans on adding another course to have status as a fulltime student and is curious if he can still practice with the team until then. So long as it is within the first five days of the semester, Trevor can practice with the team but may not compete. However, if he has not added on enough courses to bring his status up to fulltime after this period, he is no longer eligible to participate.
2.  Lewis is a senior on the tennis team and when registering for his final semester, discovered that he does not need to take twelve credits in order to meet all of his graduation requirements. However, not wanting to give up his final season with the team, he emails the coach asking if there is any way he can still compete if he is less than fulltime. Division III of the NCAA allows seniors who are in their final semester to continue their participation in intercollegiate athletics if they are below fulltime status as long as the college reports that the courses they are taking are necessary for graduation. Since Lewis will fulfill all the requirements necessary for graduation without taking twelve credits, he can still be on the tennis team.

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Celebratory Signing Form
January 10, 2018
Trevor is a senior in high school who was recently accepted to Houghton and is looking forward to being a Highlander and playing on the basketball team. In an email to the coach, he asks if there is a letter of intent that he has to sign to indicate his commitment and if he could sign it during his next campus visit. As a member of Division III of the NCAA, Houghton College is not allowed to have binding documents that indicate a prospective student-athlete has committed to attending and playing for the college. However, the college can offer prospective student-athletes who have been accepted the ability to sign a nonbinding athletics celebratory form so long as it is not on campus, no staff members are present, and the college has not given the prospective student-athlete any apparel to wear while signing (i.e. the college could not give Trevor a hat to wear while signing). It is also important to note that the NCAA provides the celebratory form; no alternative forms may be created by the college.
While Division III colleges are not allowed to use letters of intent, this does not extend to any normal pre-enrollment forms used by the college for all prospective students. Since a celebratory form may be signed before a prospective student-athlete pays their deposit, the college must make sure Josie has paid her deposit before publicizing her acceptance. If she has not, the college may neither reuse her picture nor make any post on social media indicating her acceptance.

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Athletic Involvement After Graduation
December 12, 2017
Josie is a graduating senior on the volleyball team who wants to take advantage of the “Houghton Promise,” a program that allows seniors who are not employed in their field or accepted into graduate school by graduation to attend Houghton tuition-free for another year in order to add on another major, minor, concentration, or experience such as an internship or study-abroad. She did not join the team until her sophomore year and has a season of eligibility left as a result and is wondering if she can be on the team again next season. Currently, Division III of the NCAA allows student-athletes who have graduated but are returning to obtain a second bachelor’s degree to play a sport at the same college they received their first degree from if they have remaining eligibility. So if Josie is using the Houghton Promise to earn a second bachelor’s degree, she can be on the volleyball team for one more year.
However, student-athletes looking for second bachelor’s degrees are not the only ones who may have eligibility remaining; those pursuing graduate degrees can as well. Recognizing this, Division III allows student-athletes enrolled in graduate programs at the same college where they obtained their bachelor’s degree to participate in intercollegiate athletics in order to enjoy being a part of a team for four years. Consider the following scenario:
 

• Trevor graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music from Houghton College and is going to attend graduated school here as well. He believes he has two seasons of eligibility for lacrosse remaining, having joined the team his junior year, and is curious as to whether or not he could continue to play while working towards his Master of Arts in Music. In a conversation with his coach, he discovered that because he graduated from Houghton as an undergraduate and is also attending as a graduate student, he can continue his involvement as a student-athlete until his ten semester window of eligibility is used up. Having used eight of these semesters as an undergraduates student, he would have two left to use and could play his first year as a graduate student.

There is currently a proposal being considered that would allow graduate students or those pursuing a second bachelor’s degree who have already graduated from one Division III college to attend another Division III college and participate in intercollegiate athletics if they have any eligibility remaining. This proposal, along with others, will be voted on in January 2018.

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December 6, 2017
Hardship Waivers
Josie is on the women’s lacrosse team and while hiking with some friends, she fell and broke her leg. The season is a little under half-way done with eight games completed, but Josie has only played in six of them. Is there any way for Josie to regain a season of eligibility because of her injury?
While unfortunate, student-athletes may find themselves unable to finish out the season due to injury or physical/mental illness. Fortunately, NCAA Division III may grant hardship waivers to help these student-athletes that allow them to regain a season of eligibility. However, there are certain conditions that must be met in order for a hardship waiver to be granted:

• The injury or illness must have happened before the end of the halfway point of the traditional season;
• The student-athlete must not have competed in more than one-third of the contests for the season; and
• There must be proper documentation of the illness or injury by a doctor

First, it is important to note that a season-ending injury does not have to occur as the result of a student-athlete’s participation in athletics; it does not matter how or where someone got hurt in applying for a hardship waiver. For women’s lacrosse, the first half of the playing season is defined as before the completion of the ninth game and one-third of contests would be six games. However, while Josie broke her leg before the half-way point of the season, she played in six games and is not eligible for a hardship waiver.

Trevor competed in the first two meets of the indoor track and field season and after obtaining a hardship waiver, is back on his feet again and wants to work on getting back in shape for the outdoor season. In an email to the coach, he asks if it would be alright to start practicing with the team again and start racing at the beginning of outdoor track. A student-athlete who has a hardship waiver may practice with their team without using a season of participation. This means as long as Trevor does not compete during the remainder of the indoor track and field season, he can practice with the team without losing the season of eligibility he regained from the hardship waiver.

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November 28, 2017
Representative of Athletic Interests
As a Division III institution, Houghton College is responsible for ensuring that its student body, faculty, and staff are adhering to the rules set forth by the NCAA. However, their responsibility doesn’t end there; a college is also required to make sure that any representatives of athletic interests are not treating student-athletes differently than the rest of their classmates. So, what makes someone a representative of a college’s athletic interests? According to the NCAA, a representative of athletic interests is anyone who:

• Has participated in or is a member of an organization that promotes the college’s athletic program;
• Has donated money to the athletic department or a booster;
• Has been asked to or is currently involved in recruiting prospective student-athletes;
• Has or is currently providing benefits to current student-athletes or their families; or
• Promotes the athletics program at the college in some way.

It is also important to note that once an individual has been labeled as a representative of a college’s athletic interests, they keep this label forever.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Bill was a volunteer coach for the college’s soccer team for a couple of years and helped with recruiting on occasion, but stopped about ten years ago after moving away. Yes, even though he has not been involved with the team for some time, he assisted with recruiting and was given the label of a representative of the college’s athletic interests and maintains that label for the rest of his life.

2.  The Tucker’s are alumni and while they were never involved in athletics as students, recognize that it is an important part of the college experience for many on campus and decided to send in a one-time donation to the athletic department to use wherever it was needed. Yes, even though they had no prior involvement in intercollegiate athletics and have no plans for further involvement, donating any sum of money to the athletic department is enough to label them as representatives of the college’s athletic interests.

Just like the faculty and staff of a college, a representative of a college’s athletic interests is limited in what they may or may not do with student-athletes, prospective student-athletes, and their families. A representative may be involved in recruiting, however they may not visit a prospective student-athlete until after they have completed their sophomore year of high school and a representative may not provide a car to use to bring a prospective student-athlete to visit campus. Additionally, a representative may not give gifts, money, or discounts to a prospective student-athlete, their families, or current student-athletes. However, the occasional meal to or from an away game on route to campus can be provided by a representative to a student-athlete or team.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Josie is packing up for the summer and realizes she does not have enough room in her car and off-handedly mentions this to Sue, an alumna who stayed in the area and has seen Josie play for the basketball team. Coming up to Josie the next day, Sue offers up some space in her basement for Josie to store a couple of her items over the summer at no charge. No, this would be considered an improper benefit since it is not available to other students.

2. A couple of guys on the baseball team wanted to go to a movie in Buffalo but are unable to get off campus because none of them have a car and are complaining about having to stay on campus all weekend when Mr. Tucker, a community member who has had the team over for a meal, walks by and offers them the use of his car, “You guys do a great job and there’s not a game tomorrow, you can borrow my car tonight if you want. Just fill up the tank when you get back!” No, representatives of a college’s athletic interests are not allowed to provide student-athletes with a vehicle.

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November 14, 2017
Eligibility at Houghton College
There is a lot to consider when determining if a student-athlete is eligible to compete in intercollegiate athletics according to Division III of the NCAA. The NCAA requires that a student-athlete be a fulltime student who is making satisfactory progress towards earning a degree and is in good academic standing. However, these guidelines are expanded upon by individual DIII schools and Houghton College is no different in having its own expectations for student-athletes in order to maintain eligibility.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Trevor is currently a junior who has never participated in athletics at the collegiate level but has expressed interest in playing tennis the next two years. In a meeting with the coach, it is discovered that he has a 2.8 GPA and is currently taking 10 credits after dropping a class earlier in the semester but has earned 24 credits over the previous two semesters. According to Division III of the NCAA, Trevor is not eligible to compete because he is not a full-time student; in order to be considered full-time, a student must take a minimum of 12 credits each semester. If he was a full-time student, he would be eligible according to the academic guidelines required by Houghton College. At Houghton, student-athletes must have at least a 2.0 GPA and have earned a minimum of 24 credits over the previous two semesters in order to show progress towards earning a degree.

2.  Josie is a freshman on the field hockey team and while she knows she is eligible for the next season when looking at her GPA and course-load, she is unsure if there is anything she needs to do and wants to meet with her coach to discuss what she may be missing. In addition to GPA requirements and making progress towards earning a degree, student-athletes at Houghton College must also abide by the community covenant and attend a minimum number of chapels each semester. The community covenant is a statement of community responsibilities that all students and faculty abide by, it contains instructions pertaining to treating others with Christian love and refraining from harmful activities such as drinking, physical violence, and cheating; failure to uphold the community covenant may result in disciplinary probation which would make a student-athlete ineligible to participate in athletics. Additionally, Houghton students are required to attend a minimum number of chapel services each semester and failing to attend two-thirds of chapels may also result in a student-athlete becoming ineligible to participate in athletics the following semester.

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November 6, 2017
Rules for Transfers
Student-athletes find their way to Houghton College in many ways, some spend all four years here and others decide to transfer after attending another college for a while. If a student-athlete is thinking of transferring to another school, there are a few rules from Division III of the NCAA that are important to be aware of.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Josie is a sophomore who plays soccer at another college who is considering transferring to Houghton College at the start of her junior year. If Josie is currently attending a Division I, Division II, or NAIA institution, she must inform her head coach or athletic director in order to receive permission to inquire about another school and allow Houghton to contact her. If Josie is attending another Division III institution, she does not need to ask for permission but must fill out a “Self-Release Transfer Form” and give it to Houghton College’s athletic director; this would give Houghton the ability to contact her for thirty days, after which Josie would need to fill out the form again in order to continue exploring transferring. After receiving permission to contact Josie either by her current college or through receiving her self-release form, Josie may be treated as a prospective student-athlete by Houghton College and talk with the soccer coach about joining the team next season.

2. Trevor has transferred to Houghton College for his sophomore year after playing lacrosse his freshman year at his previous college and is in good academic standing. Typically, a transfer student must complete a year of academic residence, meaning that Trevor would not be eligible to participate in athletics his first year on campus. However, he will be granted the ability to play if he would have been eligible to play at his previous college if he had not transferred or if lacrosse was not a sponsored sport at his previous college and is otherwise academically eligible to play. Additionally, if Trevor had not played lacrosse or any other sport before transferring to Houghton, he would not have to complete a year of academic residence.  

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November 2, 2017
Nutritional Supplements
Nutritional/dietary supplements may be seen as an easy way to obtain the necessary nutrients that a student-athlete needs. However, it is important to remember that these products are not meant to be the sole source of nutrients and it is also necessary to be familiar with the regulations set forth by Division III of the NCAA concerning their use.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Trevor is trying to find a way to help build muscle in addition to the lifts he is doing in the weight room.  After checking the banned substance list provided by the NCAA, his coach suggests Trevor start drinking protein shakes. However, Trevor is unable to afford the protein supplement and asks his coach if it can be written it off as something else. In short, no; Division III schools cannot claim a nutritional supplement, such as protein, as a medical expense incurred by a student-athlete. However, Trevor may receive a protein shake as part of a pre- or postgame meal without having to pay for it.   
2.  Josie is considering taking a nutritional supplement, but is unsure if it contains anything banned by the NCAA and wants to ensure that she would not take anything that would cause her to test positive for a banned substance and put her eligibility in jeopardy. The first thing Josie should do is to compare the ingredients of the supplement she is considering with the current NCAA banned drugs list, it would also be a good idea for her to check with the athletic trainer at her school to see if they would have more knowledge about whether or not it was okay to take. However, it is important to note that there is not an NCAA approved supplement and that not every ingredient in a nutritional supplement is listed, as a result it might be best for Josie to decide against taking a supplement.

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October 25, 2017
Prize Money
In order to ensure that student-athletes remain amateurs during their time participating in intercollegiate sport, Division III of the NCAA has some rules that are important to know about the acceptance of prize money.
Consider the following scenarios:
1. Over the summer Bill participates in a Fourth of July road race, he wins and is informed that in a half hour there will be an award ceremony where he will be presented with prize money. The road race is open for anyone to participate in and the prize money is being provided by the sponsor of the race. If this happens before Bill enrolls in college full-time, he may accept the prize money and still run for the cross country team. If Bill is already enrolled in college, this is allowed as long as the prize money is not more than his actual and necessary expenses, because the race occurred after cross country had ended and was during summer break. However, it is important to note that Bill may only accept the prize money because when determining amateurism/eligibility road racing is considered an individual sport, if he had won a competition as a part of a team sport, he would not be permitted to accept the award. Additionally, in order to accept prize money, the event must be open for anyone to participate in and only the sponsor of the event may provide the award.

2. After using up all her athletic eligibility, there were still a few weeks left until Josie graduates. While studying for final exams, she is invited by a friend to participate in a three-on-three basketball game and is told that those on the winning team will each be awarded $50. While Josie may participate in the game, she may not accept the prize money if her team wins. This is because she is still considered to be an enrolled student-athlete until she graduates, even though she has used up all of her athletic eligibility, this means she is not allowed to accept prize money that is more than her necessary and actual expenses. Additionally, Josie may not accept any award for participation in a team sport (even if it there are fewer players than normal) and may not accept any prize money (even if it is from an individual sport) during the academic year.
 

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October 16, 2017 The Dos and Don'ts of Meals
Everyone needs to eat, student-athletes, prospective student-athletes, and any relatives who accompany them. However, meals cannot be given without restriction; Division III of the NCAA has a handful of rules about meals that are important to be familiar with.
Consider the following scenarios:

1. At a game away from home, Trevor scored a goal that won the game that gave his team a winning record. As the team loaded the bus to get dinner, his coach pulled him aside to let him know how proud he was and told Trevor that he could order anything off the menu, even if it went over the amount allotted to each athlete.

• Not according to the Division III manual of the NCAA which states that all of the student-athletes on a team must receive identical meal allowances.

2. The lacrosse team is going to an away game in the town where one of the student-athletes, Josie, lives. She emails the coach to say her parents have offered to host the team for dinner afterwards and needs to know soon if they will take them up on the offer.

• Relatives of a student-athlete can provide an occasional meal to a team at any location; this means that Josie’s parents can have the lacrosse team over for dinner after a game every once in a while.

3.  Bill, a prospective student-athlete, and his parents are coming to visit the college and meet the baseball team. As they arrive on campus, they are informed that their meals for the day are being provided for and they do not have to worry about paying for the dining hall.

• In short, yes, prospective student-athletes and their relatives are allowed to have the cost of their meals covered during the duration of an official visit. However, they are only allowed to have three meals a day and if the dining hall is open, they must eat there. Additionally, if the baseball team invites Bill and his parents to have a pregame snack with the rest of them, it will count as one of their meals. If Bill and his parents are on campus for an unofficial visit, only one of Bill’s meals may be provided at no expense.

4. The Todds are a couple living in the community surrounding the college and are big fans of the cross country team, they go to every home meet and as many away meets as they can. In an email to the coach, they have offered to host the team for dinner every Thursday night and are hoping the coach will forward their address to the rest of the team.

• According to Division III of the NCAA, community members may provide meals to a student-athlete or team every once in a while or on special occasions, but not so frequently as once a week. Additionally, the Todds may give a ride to any team members who need help getting to and from their house. It is important that the meal take place at the Todds’ home and that they are not paying for the team to eat in a restaurant.

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October 4, 2017
Contacting Prospective Student-Athletes
It is only a couple of weeks into the fall semester here at Houghton College, but that doesn't mean it is too early to start thinking about putting together teams for next year. However, Division III of the NCAA has a couple of rules about recruiting that are important to be familiar with.
Consider the following scenarios:

1. The women's soccer team loved Josie, a prospective student-athlete who came to visit, and some of the team thought it would be a great idea to post to her Facebook wall to say how excited they were to have her visit and hope she's on the team next season.

• According to the Division III manual of the NCAA, current student-athletes are allowed to contact prospective student- athletes with no restrictions on the number of phone calls, texts, emails, or Facebook messages sent. However, messages must be sent directly to the prospective student-athlete (or his/her parents/legal guardians). This means that all of the women on the soccer team can privately message Josie in an effort to recruit her, but they cannot post anything on her wall about being on the team until after May 1^st and she has paid her deposit.

2. Trevor lives on the other side of the country and is unable to visit the college; however he still really wants to meet with the coach of the baseball team and sends him an email asking if they could set up a time to Skype later in the week.

• Video chatting is an acceptable form of communication between a coach and a prospective student-athlete and is not restricted to a certain time. Even if Trevor was able to visit and meet the baseball coach in person, setting up a time to Skype would still be allowed.

For more information on electronic communication, check out the NCAA DIII manual and look under Article 13.02!

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September 25, 2017
Training in the Off Season

With fall sports well underway here at Houghton College, it is important to be aware of what activities are allowed or not allowed for Highlander student-athletes and coaches who are not "in season".
Consider the following scenarios:

1. Josie is on the women's basketball team and receives an email from her coach instructing the team to meet her tomorrow afternoon in order to go over some new drills and then watch some film.

Since basketball is not in season, is Josie allowed to go?

• Since NCAA Division III places a high priority on the academic success of its student-athletes and want to limit activities which could distract them from focusing on their coursework, if a sport is not in season, coaches cannot direct or observe practices or require their student-athletes to do anything related to their sport. This means that Josie's coach cannot teach her new drills, watch and discuss film, or go over defensive strategy. However, a coach is allowed to have one meeting with both the team and with an individual. So if Josie's coach wants to have an introductory team meeting at the beginning of the year and meet with Josie later on, that's okay.

2. Trevor is on the indoor track and field team and receives an email from one of the team captains saying that the rest of the team is going to meet every weekday to work out together until the season starts and he is more than welcome to join them.

Are student-athletes allowed to work out together before the start of preseason?

• This is fine as long as none of the coaches have instructed the captains to hold workout sessions and the coaches are free from any involvement in them. This means that the coaches cannot ask what they are doing for their workout or watch them work out. Additionally, the captains cannot require any of the other student-athletes to attend. So if Trevor decides he would rather work out on his own instead of with the team, neither his coaches nor his teammates can punish him or make him feel obligated to attend the next workout session. On the flip side, if Trevor attends every single voluntary workout session, his coaches cannot reward him or give him special recognition for doing so.

For more information on off-season training, check out the NCAA DIII manual and look under Article 17.02!

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March 28, 2017
PARTICIPATION AFTER EARLY COMPLETION OF DEGREE

Today's post is short, but it's an interesting rule that we haven't had to address yet at Houghton.

A special exception for participation after completing a degree applies to student-athletes that complete their degree in less than four consecutive years. Those student-athletes are permitted to keep participating through the end of the season, even if they are no longer enrolled in classes.

The reasoning here is that student-athletes who graduate early should not be punished for excelling at academics, and are permitted to complete their full season if they'd already been participating.

At Houghton, this would only apply to basketball or indoor track student-athletes whose seasons span the fall and spring semesters. For example, a senior basketball player can finish all their course work, graduate in December, and continue participating with the team into the spring semester until the basketball season is complete.

While this is allowable under NCAA rules, I'm sure we would need to address issues that would arise... such as room and board and access to other college services since these students would technically not be enrolled.

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March 22, 2017
PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY WHILE ENROLLED LESS THAN FULL-TIME

To be able to practice and compete in athletics, a student-athlete has to be enrolled full time and in at least 12 credits-but there are some exceptions. One of the main exceptions to that requirement is the final semester or quarter exception.
This exception lets a student-athlete participate while enrolled in less than a full-time course load if it's the student-athlete's last term AND the student-athlete is enrolled in the final credits that are necessary to complete the degree requirements.

In shorthand, we talk about when a student-athlete "graduates," but it's important to know exactly what that means here. "Graduation" is when the student-athlete completes the final credits for the degree-not when commencement happens or the student-athlete files the paperwork.

There is another exception to the 12-credit rule for cooperative educational programs.

A student-athlete may still participate in athletics while he or she is in a co-op that is part of the academic program, if the institution considers it full-time enrollment. Some examples here would be a co-op, internship, student teaching, practicums, etc.

This is a change to the legislation. Previously, this legislation only permitted a student-athlete to do this if the program carried course credit. Now, as long as it is considered full-time enrollment by the institution, it does not matter whether the course carries credit or not.

Coaches, remember to work with me and the Registrar if you have a student-athlete who fits into any of the above scenarios. We need to ensure the student-athlete indeed is in their final semester and is finishing the final requirements for graduation.

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March 7, 2017
MARCH MADNESS BRACKETS AND OFFICE POOLS

We just covered this a month ago with the Super Bowl, but it doesn't hurt to reiterate the NCAA stance on gambling and wagering.

March Madness is a prime example of an area that coaches, administrators and student-athletes should tread carefully.

Don't be tempted to "just bet on it." Any type of wagering or gambling on collegiate or professional sports is an NCAA violation (and a Houghton one).

Even the office pools and brackets you fill out each March can be an issue. Here is the NCAA's stance and some clarification on what is allowed and what is not when it comes to March Madness...

NCAA member colleges and universities have defined sports wagering as putting something at risk - such as an entry fee - with the opportunity to win something in return. Because of this, student-athletes, coaches and administrators may not participate in bracket competitions where there is both a required entry fee and an opportunity to win a prize.

Student-athletes and administrators may participate, under current NCAA rules, in bracket contests where there is no entry fee but a possibility of winning a prize. Some NCAA member schools, however, have chosen to ban student-athletes from participating in these types of bracket contests.

Office pools and similar games are illegal in most states, and we have learned that these types of pools are often the entry for youth to begin betting.

The NCAA is aware of office pools in excess of $100,000, and the magnitude of the revenue generated could negatively impact the spirit of the sport.

The NCAA wants to send a clear message that money does not have to be involved in order for the NCAA basketball tournament or other sporting contests to be fun. Fans should enjoy following the tournament and filling out a bracket just for the fun of it, not on the amount of money they could possibly win.

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February 27, 2017
TRANSFER ELIGIBILITY

It can be great news when a coach hears a student-athlete at another institution would like to transfer to Houghton to play, but there is a lot of information that needs to be gathered before they arrive on campus.

Before a transfer can practice or compete, we need the following information:

• Previous collegiate enrollment history. Are they really a transfer? (Has the student-athlete been enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies and attended classes? Has the student-athlete practiced with a college team? Has the student-athlete practiced or competed while enrolled as a part-time student?)
• All transcripts
• Complete participation history, including activities when not enrolled
• Tracer form (important to find out why and if the student-athlete was ineligible at the previous institution and make sure they do not have an unfilled year of residence). It's also important to find out what institution they are transferring from (two-year or four-year and if they've attended multiple institutions).

Getting back to "year in residence", this is actually required of all transfer student-athletes (if they practiced or competed at their previous institution). However, there are a few exceptions in place that allows us to bypass this requirement. The student-athlete can be immediately eligible if he/she...

1. Has never practiced or competed in intercollegiate athletics.
2. 2-4 transfer... would have been academically and athletically eligible had they remained at their two-year school or if the student has exhausted athletics eligibility and otherwise would have been academically and athletically eligible.
3. 4-2-4 transfer... would have been academically and athletically eligible at the previous four-year school at the time of transfer; or completed 24-semester of 36-quarter transferrable-degree credits and two full-time semesters or three quarters.
4. Has not participated in his/her sport for at least two calendar years before the date the student-athlete begins participation at the institution.

In addition, Houghton Athletics requires that the transfer student-athlete have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA at all previous institutions in order to be eligible immediately at Houghton.

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February 7, 2017
2016-17 NCAA Banned Drugs List (Coaches, please forward to your athletes)

Download: 2016-17 NCAA Banned Drugs (pdf): http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/2016_17_ Banned_ Drugs_ Educational_ Document_20160531.pdf

It is your responsibility to check with the appropriate or designated athletics staff before using any substance.

The NCAA bans the following classes of drugs:

1. Stimulants;
2. Anabolic Agents;
3. Alcohol and Beta Blockers (banned for rifle only);
4. Diuretics and Other Masking Agents;
5. Street Drugs;
6. Peptide Hormones and Analogues;
7. Anti-estrogens; and
8. Beta-2 Agonists.

Note: Any substance chemically related to these classes is also banned.

The institution and the student-athlete shall be held accountable for all drugs within the banned drug class regardless of whether they have been specifically identified.

Drugs and Procedures Subject to Restrictions:

1. Blood doping;
2. Gene doping;
3. Local anesthetics (under some conditions);
4. Manipulation of urine samples; and
5. Beta-2 Agonists permitted only by prescription and inhalation.

NCAA Nutritional/Dietary Supplements Warning:
Before consuming any nutritional/dietary supplement product, review the product with the appropriate or designated athletics department staff. There are no NCAA approved supplement products.

1. Dietary supplements, including vitamins and minerals, are not well regulated and may cause a positive drug test result.
2. Student-athletes have tested positive and lost their eligibility from using dietary supplements.
3. Many dietary supplements are contaminated with banned drugs not listed on the label.
4. Any product containing a dietary supplement ingredient is taken at your own risk.

Check with your athletics department staff prior to using a supplement.

Some Examples of NCAA Banned Substances in Each Drug Class
There is NO complete list of banned substances.

Do not rely on this list to rule out any label ingredient.

1. Stimulants:

amphetamine (Adderall); caffeine (guarana); cocaine; ephedrine; methamphetamine; methylphenidate (Ritalin); synephrine (bitter orange); methylhexanamine (DMAA); "bath salts" (mephedrone); Octopamine; DMBA; phenethylamines (PEAs); etc.
exceptions: phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine are not banned.

2. Anabolic Agents (sometimes listed as a chemical formula, such as 3,6,17-androstenetrione):

androstenedione; boldenone; clenbuterol; DHEA (7-Keto); epi-trenbolone; testosterone; etiocholanolone; methasterone; methandienone; nandrolone; norandrostenedione; stanozolol; stenbolone; trenbolone; SARMS (ostarine, ligandrol, LGD-4033); etc.

3. Alcohol and Beta Blockers (banned for rifle only):

alcohol; atenolol; metoprolol; nadolol; pindolol; propranolol; timolol; etc.

4. Diuretics (water pills) and Other Masking Agents:

bumetanide; chlorothiazide; furosemide; hydrochlorothiazide; probenecid; spironolactone (canrenone); triameterene; trichlormethiazide; etc.

5. Street Drugs:

heroin; marijuana; tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); synthetic cannabinoids (e.g., spice, K2, JWH-018, JWH-073)

6. Peptide Hormones and Analogues:

growth hormone(hGH); human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG); erythropoietin (EPO); IGF-1 (colostrum); etc.

7. Anti-Estrogens:

anastrozole; tamoxifen; formestane; ATD, clomiphene; SERMS (nolvadex); Arimidex; clomid; evista; fulvestrant; aromatase inhibitors (Androst-3,5-dien-7,17-dione), etc.

8. Beta-2 Agonists:

bambuterol; formoterol; salbutamol; salmeterol; higenamine; norcoclaurine; etc.
Additional examples of banned drugs can be found at www.ncaa.org/drugtesting.
Any substance that is chemically related to the class, even if it is not listed as an example, is also banned!
Information about ingredients in medications and nutritional/dietary supplements can be obtained by contacting the Resource Exchange Center (REC) at 877/202-0769 or www.drugfreesport.com/rec password: ncaa1, ncaa2 or ncaa3.
It is your responsibility to check with the appropriate or designated athletics staff before using any substance.

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January 31, 2017
DON'T BET ON IT: GAMBLING AND WAGERING LEGISLATION

With the Super Bowl this coming weekend, the NCAA reminds you and your student-athletes to Don't Bet On It. Betting on a pro sporting event is a sports wagering violation that risks eligibility.

There are specific rules prohibiting athletic department staff members, non-athletic staff members with athletic specific responsibilities and student-athletes from engaging in gambling activities as they relate to intercollegiate or professional sporting events.

Also, while the NCAA's rules specifically apply to wagering on sporting events, by signing Houghton's Statement of Community Responsibilities, each student-athlete affirms the following:

"We also believe that gambling is an unwise use of God-given resources and agree to refrain from gambling in any form."

Definition: Wager
A wager is any agreement in which an individual or entity agrees to give up an item of value (e.g., cash, shirt, dinner) in exchange for the possibility of gaining another item of value.

Please keep the following in mind regarding gambling:

• The NCAA opposes all forms of legal and illegal sports wagering.
• NCAA rules strictly prohibit student-athletes, athletics department staff members and nonathletics department staff members who have responsibilities within or over the athletics department (e.g., president, faculty athletics representative) from sports wagering on ANY institutional practice or any competition (intercollegiate, amateur or professional) in which the NCAA conducts championship competition, bowl subdivision football (formerly Division I-A football) and emerging sports for women.
• Sports wagering includes placing, accepting or soliciting a wager (on a staff member's or student-athlete's own behalf or on the behalf of others) of any type with any individual or organization on any intercollegiate, amateur or professional team or contest. Examples of sports wagering include, but are not limited to, the use of a bookmaker or parlay card;
• Internet sports wagering; auctions in which bids are placed on teams, individuals or contests; and pools or fantasy leagues in which an entry fee is required and there is an opportunity to win a prize.
• Wagering/betting includes receiving or offering any item of value (e.g., cash, clothes, dinner) based on the outcome of an athletics event.
• Internet gambling is impermissible. This includes fantasy leagues in which an entry fee is required and there is an opportunity to win a prize.
• Participation in betting "pools" (e.g., March Madness, Super Bowl), including office pools and pools organized by family, friends, neighbors, etc., for cash or other prizes is impermissible.
• It is impermissible to provide information (i.e., injury status of an athlete) to individuals who may use such information for gambling purposes.

Example #1:

• THIS IS A VIOLATION! Men's golf assistant coach was involved in sports wagering activities on golf practice rounds with student-athletes (SAs). Specifically, on three occasions, assistant coach agreed to wager $10 with SAs and on two separate occasions, assistant coach lost bet and paid SAs. Assistant coach stated that as a part of team's organized practice activities, he would frequently join current SAs during practice rounds to get a better feel for their games and provide instruction and tips. On a few occasions, a SA challenged assistant coach to put money on a round.
• SAs understood it was impermissible under NCAA rules to bet on any NCAA competitions, but given how common these informal wagers are in sport of golf generally, they never really gave much thought to an informal wager during a practice round of golf.

Example #2

• THIS IS A VIOLATION! Assistant Athletic Trainer, Associate AD/Media Relations and Assistant AD/Broadcasting participated in a fantasy baseball league. The fee to enter the league was $80, and plaques were awarded to the top three finishers at the conclusion of the MLB season. The staff members mistakenly thought that it was permissible to participate in the league because the league did not award cash prizes.

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January 30, 2017
NEW LEGISLATION: DEREGULATION OF CAMPS AND CLINICS
Recruiting -- Tryouts and Camps and Clinics -- Deregulating Camps and Clinics (III)
Division: III
Date Published: January 23, 2017
Item Ref: Educational Column:
Effective Date: Immediate.
Source: North Coast Athletic Conference, Landmark Conference and Middle Atlantic Conferences.
Intent: To deregulate the tryout events and camps and clinics legislation to allow institutions to host or conduct events involving prospective student-athletes, provided those events are: (1) open to the general public; and (2) do not offer free or reduced admission to prospective student-athletes.
Question No. 1: If this proposal is adopted, how would this proposal amend the tryouts and camps and clinic legislation?
Answer: Institutions would still be prohibited from conducting a traditional tryout (See Bylaw 13.11.2.1). The proposal would, however permit greater flexibility to conduct events that include activities devoted to agility, flexibility, and speed and strength tests. Currently, both the tryout legislation in 13.11 and the camps and clinics legislation in 13.12 requires an analysis of the specific activities of the event to determine if it is or is not permissible. This proposal would change that analysis to primarily focus on the access to participate in the event. Specifically, if the event is open to any and all entrants and prospective student-athletes do not receive free or reduced admissions, then it would be permissible for the institution to host the event and for institutional coaches to work the event. Additionally, the proposal would allow coaches to recruit at the events.
Question No. 2: Would institutions still be permitted to host competition-only events wherein they invite specific teams to participate?
Answer: Yes. Institutions would still be permitted to host team competition-only events that are not open to any and all participants.
Question No. 3: If this proposal is adopted, would institutions be permitted to host combines?
Answer: Yes. This proposal would allow an institution to host any type of event involving prospective student-athletes as long as participation in the event is open to all and prospective student-athletes do not receive free or reduced admission.
Questions No. 4: Is an institution permitted to offer free admission to all participants, even if some or all of the participants are prospective student-athletes?
Answer: Yes. An institution may offer an event and provide free admission to prospective student-athletes provided the event is free to all participants.
Question No. 5: If this proposal is adopted, can an event still be limited by objective criteria?
Answer: Yes. An event must be open to any and all entrants; however, it may be limited by age, number, gender and grade level.
Question No. 6: If this proposal is adopted, what type of recruiting contact with prospective student-athletes may occur during a camp, clinic, competition only event or other events?
Answer: While this proposal would remove the prohibition on recruiting activities during a camp and clinic, recruiting contact may not be made with a prospective student-athlete before any event that is strictly competition until the prospective student-athlete has been released for that day by the appropriate authority. However, athletics staff members are permitted to have on-campus contact with a prospective student-athlete prior to a competition-only event, provided the prospective student-athlete is not scheduled to compete on that day on the institution's campus.
Question No. 7: If this proposal is adopted, may an athletics staff member have recruiting contact with a prospective student-athlete during an event that has a combination of competition and camp, clinic or combine type activities?
Answer: Yes. An athletics department staff member may contact a prospective student-athlete during any event that has additional components and is not primarily competition.
Question No. 8: If this proposal is adopted, would student-athletes still be permitted to be paid to work events involving prospective student-athletes (e.g., an institutional camp or clinic)?
Answer: Yes. This proposal does not change the current regulations regarding student-athlete employment. As currently required, compensation for student-athletes shall be commensurate with the going rate for work performed but a student-athlete who only lectures or demonstrates may not receive compensation for his or her appearance.
Question No. 9: How are administrative duties defined for a student-athlete who is employed at an institutional or non-institutional athletics event?
Answer: The emphasis on requiring administrative duties is meant to ensure that a student-athlete is not paid solely to lecture or demonstrate. Any supervisory, clerical or site maintenance-type duties would be considered administrative.
Question No. 10: If this proposal is adopted, would student-athletes be permitted to assist with recruiting prospective student-athletes during these events?
Answer: Student-athletes may assist with recruiting activities if the event takes place on an institution's campus. Student-athletes are prohibited from participating in recruiting activities off campus.
Question No. 11: If an institutional coach, who has a contract for a period of less than a full year, required to abide by NCAA regulations during the months they are not on contract?
Answer: Yes. All NCAA legislation applies to a coach who is employed by a member institution on a regular and continuing basis, even if the individual's contract is for a period of less than a full year or the individual is absent from the institution for a temporary period.
Question No. 12: If this proposal is adopted, is a coach permitted to work for an event that is owned or operated by a recruiting or scouting service?
Answer: No. (A recruiting or scouting service includes any individual, organization, entity or segment of an entity that is primarily involved in providing information about prospective student-athletes.)
Question No. 13: If this proposal is adopted, can the institution still provide admissions discounts based on objective criteria unrelated to athletics ability?
Answer: Yes, provided such discounts are published and available on an equal basis to all who qualify (See staff interpretation dated 8/27/2009, Item Ref: 1).
Notice about Educational Columns: Educational columns and hot topics are intended to assist the membership with the correct application of legislation and/or interpretations by providing clarifications, reminders and examples. They are based on legislation and official and staff interpretations applicable at the time of publication. Therefore, educational columns and hot topics are binding to the extent that the legislation and interpretations on which they are based remain applicable. Educational columns are posted on a regular basis to address a variety of issues and hot topics are posted as necessary in order to address timely issues.

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January 24, 2017
NCAA CONVENTION UPDATE

The NCAA recently held its national convention in Nashville, Tenn., with several key proposals up for discussion and vote. A key proposal that was defeated was focused on eligibility of graduate transfer student-athletes.

The NCAA Division III rule allows for a graduate transfer to continue participation (if they have semesters and seasons of competition remaining) only at the institution from where they graduated. A waiver is currently in place that would allow them to compete at a new institution if they earned their undergraduate degree in less than four years and finished with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

A proposal was put forward to make the rule more permissive. Though the proposal was defeated, discussions could continue throughout the year.

Read the recap of this and other Division III legislation that was voted on during the convention.

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January 16, 2017
CELEBRATORY SIGNING FORM

Division III institutions are permitted to use a standard, NCAA provided, non-binding celebratory signing form. A prospective student-athlete is permitted to sign the celebratory signing form at any point, including high school signing events, after the prospective student-athlete has been accepted to the institution. Institutions should keep in mind, however, that they are not permitted to publicize a prospective student-athlete's commitment to the institution until the prospective student-athlete has submitted a financial deposit (Bylaw 13.10.7). Also, college coaches and administrators cannot plan, arrange or attend the "signing" event.

Coaches, prospective student-athletes can download the form from this page.

Also, please remind prospective student-athletes that they are not signing a national letter of intent, but expressing their intention to enroll at Houghton and participate in athletics.

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December 12, 2016
CROWDFUNDING WEB SITES

We are continuing our fundraising discussion by looking at the use of crowdfunding web sites.

There are more than 1,200 crowdfunding sites on the Internet. Crowdrise, GoFundMe, Kickstarter are just a few.

It is not permissible for a STUDENT-ATHLETE or a PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE to use his or her name, picture or athletics reputation to solicit funds through a personal online profile or crowdfunding site IF the funds go directly to the STUDENT-ATHLETE or the PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE.

It is important to know the general rule that a STUDENT-ATHLETE or a PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE could not, for example, set up a GoFundMe profile with a roster photo, solicit donations, and then accept those donations directly into his or her bank account.

That is considered an impermissible promotional activity and a preferential benefit - and would jeopardize the STUDENT-ATHLETE's or PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE's amateur status.

In a similar vein, neither a STUDENT-ATHLETE nor a PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE may set up a crowdfunding site to solicit funds for competition and practice with an outside amateur team or organization IF the funds go directly to the STUDENT-ATHLETE or the PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE.

For example, Joe the baseball STUDENT-ATHLETE could not create a GoFundMe profile and ask folks to donate money so he can practice and compete on his summer travel baseball team, If that donated money goes directly to Joe the baseball STUDENT-ATHLETE.

However, it is permissible for a STUDENT-ATHLETE or a PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE to set up a crowdfunding site to solicit funds for an outside amateur team or organization, as long as no funds are earmarked for the STUDENT-ATHLETE, and no funds exceeding actual and necessary expenses are earmarked for the PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE (remember, outside teams and organizations can earmark fundraised dollars for PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETEs up to actual and necessary expenses).

So even though, for example, Joe the baseball STUDENT-ATHLETE could not permissibly create a GoFundMe account to raise money to practice and compete on a summer travel baseball team IF he directly received those donations, it WOULD be permissible for Joe the baseball STUDENT-ATHLETE to create that same GoFundMe account, as long as the donations went directly to the summer travel baseball team's general fund and were not earmarked for Joe the baseball STUDENT-ATHLETE.

Okay, moving along. Neither a STUDENT-ATHLETE nor a PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE may set up a crowdfunding site and use his or her name, picture, athletics reputation, or skill for funds to buy items such as a laptop, car, food, school supplies, or athletics equipment.

Again this would be an impermissible promotional activity and a preferential benefit - and would jeopardize a STUDENT-ATHLETE's or a PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE's amateur status.

For example, if Joe the baseball STUDENT-ATHLETE wanted to raise money to pay for his laptop, and had any reference to athletics in his GoFundMe profile, that would be impermissible.

However, a STUDENT-ATHLETE or a PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE may set up a crowdfunding site to buy those items (with the exception of athletics equipment), as long as there is no relationship to nor mention of athletics.

So again if Joe the baseball STUDENT-ATHLETE wants to raise money to pay for a laptop, he could create a GoFundMe account as long as there were no mention of athletics in his profile. Basically, it then falls outside the scope of the amateurism legislation.

I do want to make note that even if a STUDENT-ATHLETE's or PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE's crowdfunding profile does not mention athletics and is otherwise permissible, it is not permissible for athletics boosters to donate. There is an inextricable tie between a STUDENT-ATHLETE or PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE and an athletics booster, and would be considered an extra benefit for the STUDENT-ATHLETE or an impermissible offer and inducement for the PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE.

So what's the lesson with boosters? Educate them on these crowdfunding issues.

Institutions may use crowdfunding sites for fundraising as long as (1) None of the funds are earmarked for a STUDENT-ATHLETE (remember, crowdfunding is a direct appeal and is considered "unearned"); and (2) All conditions of the promotional activities legislation (Bylaw 12.5.1.1) are satisfied.
Additionally, it is important to remind you that anyone who donates to your institutional fundraiser becomes an athletics booster of your institution.

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December 5, 2016
DESIGNATION OF FUNDRAISING MONEY

An institution may designate specific funds "earned" by a student-athlete through institutional fundraising as long as...

• Designated funds do not exceed actual and necessary expenses;
• Any funds that exceed an individual's actual and necessary expenses must go to the general team/institutional fund;
• All designated funds must be deposited with the institution to administer; and
• Any unearned funds must be deposited into the general team/institutional fund.

Now let's think about the designation of fundraised money once an individual becomes a student-athlete, specifically within the context of institutional fundraisers.
An institution may designate or "earmark" specific funds "earned" by a student-athlete through an institutional fundraiser as long as:

1. None of the "earmarked" funds exceed a student-athlete's actual and necessary expenses, such as transportation or uniforms;
2. Any funds exceeding a student-athlete's actual and necessary expenses are deposited to the general team or institutional fund;
3. All designated funds must be deposited with the institution to administer. In other words, "earmarked" money cannot be provided by the donor directly to the student-athlete. The institution must be responsible for designating funds to the SA; and
4. Any unearned funds (which we'll review in just a moment) must be deposited in the general team or institutional fund, and cannot be designated for a student-athlete.

I want to be clear that this legislative exception applies only to institutional fundraisers. Therefore, if a student-athlete participates in a fundraising activity for an outside amateur team or organization (let's say a summer travel team), all funds would have to go to the general team or organizational fund. Otherwise, it would be considered preferential benefit from the outside team to specifically earmark funds for a student-athlete.

Earned vs. Unearned: What's the difference?
There has already been reference made to "earned" and "unearned" funds. But let's take a moment to remind ourselves of the differences between the two.

Earned funds - which CAN be earmarked for student-athletes is money earned through participation in an institutional fundraiser in which the student-athlete did not use athletics ability or directly solicit for a donation. In other words, earned funds are any funds NOT considered unearned. Kind of a cyclical argument, right?

Unearned funds, on the other hand - which CANNOT be earmarked for student-athlete s are any funds received by a student-athlete using his or her athletics ability or a direct appeal.
The intent behind prohibiting unearned funds from being earmarked for a student-athlete is to prevent inequity amongst student-athletes. In other words, it prevents a student-athlete, who may be athletically gifted or come from a family or circle of friends with high financial means, from raising and keeping more money than a teammate who may not be as skilled athletically or come from a family or circle of friends with high financial means.

So let's look at some examples to draw a distinction between earned and unearned funds.

If a student-athlete is working a concession stand, selling cookie dough, or parking cars at an event, none of those activities involves athletics ability or is a direct appeal. Therefore, any funds that a student-athlete raises doing these types of activities are considered "earned" and may be designated or "earmarked" for a student-athlete up to actual and necessary expenses.

In contrast, if a student-athlete participates in some kind of "thon", such as a lift-a-thon or a shoot-a-thon, that fundraiser is considered to involve a student-athlete's athletics ability, would be considered "unearned", and could not be designated or "earmarked" for a student-athlete.

Similarly, if a student-athlete makes a direct appeal for funds, such as in a letter-writing campaign, a telethon, or an email request, those funds would be considered "unearned" and could not be "earmarked" for a student-athlete.

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November 28, 2016
PART 2: NEW LEGISLATION INVOLVING FUNDRAISING

This new legislation clarifies that a VOLUNTARY out-of-season institutional fundraising event that DOES involve the use of athletics ability by student-athletes is NOT considered an athletically related activity and thus, IS permissible outside the playing and practice season, as long as the event is OPEN TO ANY AND ALL, the institution's president or chancellor (or designee) approves the event, and all conditions of Bylaw 12.5.1.1 are met.

So what exactly is the intent behind this new legislation? Well, it is intended to allow student-athletes to participate in out-of-season institutional fundraising activities that involve athletics ability as long as the activity is voluntary and open to any and all entrants.

I do want to draw a distinction to Part 1 from last week, which allows for voluntary fundraising AND community service activities (as long as no athletics is involved). This new legislation only allows for institutional fundraisers. So it does not allow for community service activities that involve athletics ability outside the playing and practice season. This is a very specifically carved out exception.

And what is the rationale for this very specific exception for institutional fundraisers involving athletics ability? This exception recognizes that there is an unlikely intent for a coach to assess or monitor the athletics ability of a student-athlete who participates in an athletically related fundraising outside the playing season. Additionally, this exception allows more fundraising opportunities for student-athletes throughout the calendar year, as well as more opportunities for student-athletes to network with alumni and friends of an institution.

So in general terms, the membership felt the benefits of this exception outweighed any potential concerns for abuse.

So what is the history of this legislation? Well, under the previous legislation an institutional fundraising activity that involved a student-athlete's athletics ability was considered an athletically related activity (whether it was required or voluntary). Therefore, any fundraising activity that involved the athletics ability of a student-athlete could not occur outside the playing and practice season. For example, if a women's basketball team wanted to do a free-throw shoot-a-thon to pay for their foreign tour, under the previous legislation the fundraiser would have to occur during their playing season in order for the women's basketball student-athletes to participate.

Under the new legislation, it is permissible for that same women's basketball team to participate in a free-throw shoot-a-thon outside their playing season as long as it is voluntary, the president (or designee) has signed off on it, it is open to all entrants to participate in the shoot-a-thon as well, and all conditions of Bylaw 12.5.1.1 are met.

Keep in mind, coaches may not assess or provide instruction to their student-athlete's during an out-of-season fundraiser involving athletics ability; and
Student-athletes may not compete on a team in their own sport if the fundraiser is either organized or administered by athletics or the fundraiser benefits athletics.

However, in individual sports, units like golf foursomes, doubles tennis teams and relay teams in track and field have historically not been considered to be team competition. Instead, units in individual sports have legislatively been considered individual competition. This is clarified in a new official interpretation dated 04/22/2016. Refer to Bylaws 14.7.2.6 and 17.02.12 to further clarify that units in individual sports are not considered to be team competition.

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November 21, 2016
PART 1: NEW LEGISLATION INVOLVING FUNDRAISING

This week we are looking at Part 1 of two parts that focus on new legislation related to fundraising. Next week, we will address Part 2.

A new proposal was adopted last year that states VOLUNTARY fundraising and community service activities that do not involve athletics ability to obtain funds may occur as long as:

1. An institution's chancellor or president (or designee) signs off on the activity, and
2. All conditions of the promotional activities legislation (Bylaw 12.5.1.1 are met).

Quite literally, the only change to this new legislation is the word VOLUNTARY. Everything else remains the same.

So what is the intent behind the addition of the word VOLUNTARY? Well, by adding the word VOLUNTARY the new legislation specifies that if an institution wants its student-athletes to participate in fundraising or community service activities outside the playing season, those activities must be voluntary.

And why does the new legislation need to ensure that these out-of-season fundraisers and community service activities are voluntary? Well, under the previous legislation an institution could require a student-athlete to participate in these fundraising and community service activities as long as those activities did not involve athletics abilities.

So for example, a cross country coach could require her student-athletes to work the concession stand at all the home baseball games during the spring term because that fundraising activity would not involve athletics.

Additionally, that same cross country coach could require her student-athletes to participate in community service activities as long as the activities did not involve athletics abilities.

By adding the word VOLUNTARY to this existing legislation, the Division III membership was effectively saying that requiring a SA to participate in such activities outside the playing and practice, even if it does not involve athletics ability, is contrary to the DIII philosophy of balance amongst athletics, academics, and co-curricular activities.

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November 14, 2016
OUT-OF-SEASON ATHLETICALLY RELATED ACTIVITIES

General Principle
The time required of student-athletes for participation in intercollegiate athletics shall be regulated to minimize interference with their opportunities for acquiring a quality education in a manner consistent with that afforded the general student body.

How Regulated?
An institution is only permitted to conduct athletically related activities during the playing season. (NCAA Division III Bylaw 17.1.1.)

Practice is any meeting, activity or instruction involving sports-related information and having an athletics purpose, held for one or more student-athletes at the direction of, or supervised by any member of the institution's coaching staff. (Bylaw 17.02.1.1(a))

Leadership Programming
Student-athletes may participate in leadership and other programming involving sports-related information outside the playing and practice season provided:
1. Similar programming is available to students generally;
2. Not limited to members of a specific team; and
3. Participation is voluntary.

(NCAA Division III Official Interpretation 11.19.15. Bylaw 16.3.2)

QUESTION...
"Is it permissible to do a team bonding activity prior to the start of our season? We would like to go white water rafting and use our fundraising money for it."

Answer:
1. Impermissible.
2. Team building activities are not explicitly mentioned in bylaw 17.02.1.1 (Athletically related activities), however if the purpose indicates the intent - which is an athletics purpose.
3. Difficult to justify anything categorized as team building outside the playing season
4. Refer back to the Practice definition and connect the purpose with the definition.
5. Potential permissible avenues to do team bonding - Community Service Activity
6. Impermissible expense- Even if allowed the institution could not pay for it even if fundraised money. (Can only pay for practice (within state or 100 miles) and competition. And practice is only permitted during the playing season).

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November 7, 2016
What You Need to Know about Interacting with Current Houghton Student-Athletes and Prospective Student-Athletes

As a member of the NCAA, Houghton College is responsible for the control, conduct and compliance with all the rules and regulations of NCAA Division III. It is essential for everyone associated with the college to be properly educated on NCAA rules and how they apply to various affiliated groups.

We appreciate your support and involvement with our teams and student-athletes, and we also appreciate your assistance in ensuring that the eligibility of our student-athletes is not jeopardized by inadvertent rules violations.

Do NCAA rules apply to me?
You are a representative of Houghton College's athletic interests, and therefore governed by NCAA rules, if you have ever:

• Participated or been a member of any group supporting or promoting Houghton Athletics;
• Promoted Houghton athletics in any manner;
• Provided or helped arrange employment for student-athletes;
• Have made financial contributions to the athletic department or to an athletics booster organization of Houghton Athletics;
• Assisted or requested (by athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective athletes;
• Assisted in providing benefits to enrolled athletes or their families; or
• Have been involved in otherwise promoting Houghton College Athletics.

Once you are identified as a representative, you retain that identity indefinitely.

People often have questions about NCAA rules and what they permit administrators, staff, alumni and friends of the College to do. The link below provides a summary of what is permitted and some examples of frequent problem areas. Please read through the page carefully to note areas where potential violations could occur.

http://athletics.houghton.edu/sports/2012/6/20/GEN_0620122126.aspx

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October 31, 2016
ATHLETE ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY STATUS

To be academically eligible to compete, a student-athlete:

• Must be in good academic standing (at least 2.0 or above and meeting 24 hour rule)
• Must maintain satisfactory progress toward degree
• Must be enrolled in no less than 12 hours for competition or practice (exception for final term)

See more details on Houghton's eligibility requirements for student-athletes.

Eligibility between terms
To be eligible between terms, a student-athlete shall:

• Have been registered full-time at the end of the term immediately before the competition (continuing students only); or
• Be accepted for enrollment as a regular full-time student for the next regular term (continuing students or enrolling students).

Change in eligibility status

• When eligibility changes at the end of a term, the student-athlete becomes eligible or ineligible on the date that specific student-athlete's eligibility is officially certified.
• Certification of eligibility does not have to occur on the same day for all student-athletes.
• The earliest you can certify is the day after the date of the last scheduled exam for the term.
• The latest you can certify is the first day of classes of the following term.

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October 24, 2016
SOCIAL MEDIA IN RECRUITMENT

Two concerns: 1) Publicizing recruitment of a PSA using social media, and 2) Recruiting communication with a PSA using social media

Before financial deposit...
Athletics MAY... send private, direct message to PSA (or PSA's family) using social media.
Athletes MAY NOT... send public message to PSA, post information about PSA, like a PSA's post (or a post PSA is tagged in), follow, friend, retweet or tag a PSA.

After financial deposit, before May 1...
Athletics MAY... send private, direct message to PSA (or PSA's family) using social media, and use social media to announce PSA's commitment to attend the institution, without tagging the PSA.
Athletics MAY NOT... send public message to PSA (or PSA's family), like a PSA's post (or a post PSA is tagged in), or follow, friend, retweet or tag a PSA.

After financial deposit, after May 1...
Athletics MAY... send private, direct message to PSA (or PSA's family) using social media, send public message to PSA (or PSA's family), use social media to announce PSA's commitment to attend the institution, friend, follow or tag a PSA, like a PSA's post (or a post a PSA is tagged in.