TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-COMMERCE COMPLIANCE MANUAL

Transcription

1 TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-COMMERCE COMPLIANCE MANUAL Updated: 10/2016

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Compliance Overview... 4 Mission Statement... 4 Interpretations... 4 Education... 5 Violations... 5 Reporting a Violation... 5 Penalties... 6 NCAA Waivers... 6 Sports Wagering Activities... 6 Personnel... 7 Responsibility of the Head Coach... 7 Volunteer Coaches and Staff Members... 7 Safety Certifications... 7 NCAA Annual Certification Requirement... 7 Report of NCAA Violations Involving Institution... 8 Amateurism... 8 Amateurism Status... 8 Agents... 8 Student-Athlete Employment... 9 Promotional Activities... 9 Recruiting... 9 Recruiting Defined... 9 Contacts and Evaluations Telephone Calls Permission to Contact Recruiting Expenses Prospective Walk-Ons Tryouts Prospective Student-Athletes Current Students Student-Athlete Outgoing Transfer Process Hearing Committee Composition i P age

3 Participants Conducting the Hearing Deliberation and Decision Announcement of Decision Recruiting Materials Electronic Transmissions Official Visits Student Hosts Unofficial Visits National Letter of Intent/Offers of Athletic Scholarships National Letter of Intent Release Requests Local Sports Clubs Camps/Clinics Camp Registration and Promotional Materials Employment of Prospective and Current Student-Athletes Noninstitutional Camps and Clinics Eligibility Incoming Freshmen: Initial Eligibility Incoming Transfers Incoming Athlete Update Student-Athlete Forms Student-Athlete Statement Drug-Testing Consent Form Student-Athlete HIPAA/Buckley Amendment Consent Form Institutional Forms Practice and Competition Certifications Certification Roles and Responsibilities Compliance Office Athletic Academic Office Office of the Registrar Office of Admissions Beginning of the Year Eligibility Meeting Roster Updates Medical Hardship Waiver ii P age

4 Participation Reporting Financial Aid Cost of Attendance and Full Grant-in-Aid Values Eligibility for Institutional Financial Aid Reduction or Cancellation of Athletic Scholarships Increase of Athletic Scholarship During the Period of Award Athletic Scholarship Renewals and Nonrenewals Reduction/Cancellation/Nonrenewal Appeals Summer Aid Institutional and Outside Scholarships Awards and Benefits Awards Complimentary Admissions Team Entertainment Occasional Meals Housing Academic Year Institutional Vacation Periods Summer Playing and Practice Seasons Playing Season Declarations Countable Athletically Related Activities (CARA) Summer Workouts Travel Rosters Transportation Releases Representatives of Athletics Interests (Boosters) iii P age

5 COMPLIANCE OVERVIEW MISSION STATEMENT Texas A&M University-Commerce is committed and obligated to the principle of institutional control in operating its athletics program in a manner that is consistent with the letter and the spirit of NCAA, Lone Star Conference (LSC) and University rules and regulations. The Compliance Office coordinates, monitors, and verifies compliance with all NCAA requirements and educates the various constituencies of the University and community regarding NCAA and LSC regulations. The Compliance Office is dedicated to providing educational programs and interpretive support to ensure that all individuals involved with the athletics program understand and adhere to the University s compliance expectations. The Athletics Department is committed to the principle of institutional control through the education of coaches, staff, studentathletes and other individuals within the athletics program. The Compliance Office has put into place monitoring procedures and educational programs that provide guidance in how to work within the rules. Each individual within the Athletics Department is obligated to maintain competency in knowledge of rules, to act within his or her realm of responsibility in full compliance with the rules, and to report any violations of the rules. When a violation occurs, the Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance conducts an investigation and reports the findings to the Director of Athletics and Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR). Rules violations are reported via the prescribed NCAA procedures. The Compliance Office is located in Fieldhouse Room 001J and is staffed by the Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance and the Compliance Coordinator. It is the goal of the compliance program to place the University in a proactive position by educating, overseeing and monitoring the intercollegiate athletics program and maintaining a positive compliance environment. INTERPRETATIONS All Athletics Department coaches and staff members are expected to make an effort to be informed of all applicable NCAA, LSC, and University rules and regulations. Accordingly, coaches and staff members are provided with a copy of the NCAA Manual, the LSC Handbook (when appropriate), and this Compliance Manual. These documents are also available online. If a coach or staff member is unable to find a specific NCAA, LSC, or University rule or if a rule is unclear, it is the responsibility of the staff member to contact the Compliance Office for assistance or an interpretation. Additionally, individuals who are not considered staff members are permitted to request interpretations and should contact the Compliance Office for assistance. Requests can be submitted via , phone, or in person. All requests for assistance and rules interpretations should be handled through the Compliance Office and will be answered in a timely manner. All questions concerning NCAA and/or LSC rules should be directed to the Assistant AD for Compliance. Only when the Assistant AD is unavailable and the rules interpretation question is urgent should a question be directed elsewhere. In this situation, the interpretation question may be directed to the Compliance Coordinator or Athletic Director. Athletics staff members are not permitted to request rules interpretations from the Conference Office or the NCAA, all such requests must be submitted via the Compliance Office staff. Interpretations from the Conference Office and/or NCAA will be requested, when necessary, at the discretion of the Assistant AD for Compliance. 4 P age

6 EDUCATION All coaches and staff members will be kept informed of NCAA and LSC rules by the Assistant AD for Compliance through the use of , phone contact and memos. In-person sport department meetings will be conducted periodically on an as-needed basis. The Assistant AD for Compliance will provide rules education during the all-staff meeting conducted monthly. Student-athletes receive NCAA and LSC rules education during their annual beginning-of-the-year meetings prior to participating in practice activities and end-of-the-year meetings. Participation in educational activities (e.g., compliance quizzes, meetings) is mandatory for all coaches, staff, and student-athletes. All newly hired coaches and staff members are required to attend an NCAA introductory rules education session during which policies and procedures for Texas A&M University-Commerce s compliance program will be reviewed. It is the responsibility of the head coach to arrange this orientation at the earliest opportunity for the new staff member. Coaches must attend the in-person rules education session prior to engaging in any recruiting activity or any countable athletically related activity. If any individual, department, coach, or team wishes to participate in additional educational sessions, they are welcome to contact the Compliance Office to schedule a time. VIOLATIONS Knowing and understanding NCAA and LSC rules is the responsibility of all athletics coaches and staff. If any coach or staff member suspects that a rule has been violated, he or she has an obligation to report it to the Athletic Director and/or Assistant AD for Compliance in a timely manner. In accordance with NCAA rules and regulations, all suspected or alleged violations of NCAA rules are investigated. If the institution, through the Compliance Office, determines that an NCAA violation has occurred, the Assistant AD for Compliance (or designee) will report the violation to the NCAA and/or LSC. It is our philosophy that all violations, even those which appear to be minor, will be investigated and reported to the appropriate authority. In responding to rule violations, we will consider such factors as whether the violation was intentional, whether any advantage is gained (e.g., recruiting, competitive), whether a student-athlete s eligibility is affected, and whether the violations are regarded as recurring. Our goal in responding to the violation will be to encourage communication, to seek consistency and accountability, and to send a strong message that A&M-Commerce is committed to rules compliance. If any coach or staff member suspects that another institution has violated a rule, he or she should report it to the Athletic Director and the Assistant AD for Compliance. If deemed appropriate, the Assistant AD for Compliance will forward the allegation to the Conference Office through the prescribed reporting procedure. REPORTING A VIOLATION In the event that the Compliance Office determines the necessity to report an NCAA violation, the following information should serve as a guide to the procedures we will follow during the institutional violation process, as well as the information required to complete the reporting function. Recall the facts and circumstances surrounding the infraction, such as: Date of violation; Individual(s) involved; How you became aware of the potential violation; Detailed summary of the nature of the alleged violation; Reason(s) the violation occurred; A statement of actions which have been or will be taken in order to prevent a similar violation from recurring. Contact the Compliance Office and report the facts in a concise, yet comprehensive manner. Be completely honest when reporting. 5 P age

7 Report the facts to your immediate supervisor (if appropriate). If information of a possible infraction is provided to the Compliance Office, the following actions will be taken: I. The Compliance Office shall inform the Director of Athletics of the potential infraction. If appropriate, the Compliance Office shall initiate a preliminary inquiry into the matter. II. The Compliance Office shall investigate the potential violation. The Assistant AD for Compliance has the right to question any athletics staff member, student-athlete, and/or recruit (if applicable). If involved in the possible violation, current student-athletes may be questioned without the knowledge or permission of the respective coach. III. The Compliance Office shall provide the results of the inquiry to the Athletic Director. The report will cite the potential bylaw infraction, a summary of the case, a determination as to whether a violation has occurred, and, if applicable, whether the infraction should be categorized as secondary or major. If the Compliance Office determines that a violation has occurred, the following actions will be taken: I. The Compliance Office shall prepare a written report of the infraction that includes all pertinent facts, plans to prevent similar violations in the future, and, actions the institution will self-impose (e.g., suspension, education, etc.). The report will be submitted via the NCAA s Requests/Self-Reports Online (RSRO) system for processing. II. If the eligibility of a student-athlete or prospect is affected by the violation, the Compliance Office will, if deemed appropriate, request reinstatement of eligibility via the RSRO system. III. The Compliance Office will act as the liaison between the A&M-Commerce coach(es), staff, student-athlete(s), and/or prospect(s) involved and the NCAA and/or LSC with regards to relaying penalties related to the infraction. IV. Appeals to the decisions rendered by the NCAA will be filed at the discretion of the Athletic Director and Assistant AD for Compliance. The Compliance Office will maintain documentation of all violations. Violations, waivers, and student-athlete reinstatement requests will be compiled and shared with the President, FAR and the Intercollegiate Athletics Council (IAC) on an annual basis (or more frequently, if deemed necessary). PENALTIES Penalties for violations shall be determined based on penalties prescribed by the NCAA and penalties imposed and accepted for past cases that are similar in nature. Penalties may include, but are not limited to: suspension from practice and/or competition, letter of reprimand/admonishment, restitution, fines and education. NCAA WAIVERS Waivers of NCAA rules (e.g., Legislative Relief, Progress Toward Degree, Transfer, Extension of Eligibility, etc.) will be filed via RSRO when appropriate. The Compliance Office is responsible for prioritizing the submissions of waivers. The Assistant AD for Compliance, in conjunction with the Director of Athletics, will determine whether to pursue a waiver based upon the specific circumstances of the request on a case-by-case basis. SPORTS WAGERING ACTIVITIES The NCAA membership adopted NCAA Bylaw 10.3 prohibiting Athletics Department staff members and student-athletes from engaging in gambling activities as they relate to intercollegiate or professional sporting activities. Staff members of a member conference, staff members (paid and unpaid) of an athletics department and student-athletes shall not knowingly participate in sports wagering activities or provide information to individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports wagering activities concerning intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics competition. 6 P age

8 The prohibition against sports wagering applies to any institutional practice or any competition (intercollegiate, amateur or professional) in a sport in which the NCAA conducts championship competition, in bowl subdivision football, or in emerging sports for women. A prospective or current student-athlete who engages in sports wagering activities is subject to penalties ranging from the loss of a season of eligibility to being deemed permanently ineligible in all sports. Staff members who engage in sports wagering activities are subject to disciplinary action, which may include suspension without pay and/or termination of employment. PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HEAD COACH Per NCAA Bylaws, it shall be the responsibility of the Head Coach to promote an atmosphere for compliance within the program he or she supervises. The Head Coach is also required to monitor the activities regarding compliance of all assistant coaches and other administrators involved with the program who report directly or indirectly to the coach. VOLUNTEER COACHES AND STAFF MEMBERS Coaches and staff members who serve in a volunteer capacity are subject to the same expectations as individuals employed by Texas A&M University-Commerce with regards to rules compliance. Volunteer coaches and staff members are required to complete the Texas A&M University System Volunteer Waiver available via the TAMUS human resources website prior to engaging in any volunteer activities. SAFETY CERTIFICATIONS In accordance with NCAA Bylaw , each Head Coach and all other coaches who are employed full time shall maintain certification in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automatic external defibrillator (AED) use. Documentation of these certifications shall be kept on file with the Athletic Department. In accordance with NCAA Bylaw , each Strength & Conditioning Coach must be certified through a nationally recognized strength & conditioning program. Documentation of these certifications shall be kept on file with the Athletic Department. NCAA ANNUAL CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT Only those coaches who have been certified may contact or evaluate any prospective student-athletes off campus. Certification must occur on an annual basis. The Coaches Certification (Recruiting) Exam must be proctored by an individual outside of the athletic department; this duty shall be performed by the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR). The exam will be administered in the James Thrower Athletics Academic Center. It is an expectation that certifications occur during the summer for the ensuing academic year. The certification exam will be offered on a monthly basis (as necessary) during the academic year for those coaches who are unable to obtain certification prior to the start of the fall semester. Successful completion of the NCAA Annual Certification Exam allows permissible off-campus recruiters to participate in off-campus recruiting activities from August 1 to July 31 of the following year. The NCAA requires a minimum 80% score on the test to receive certification. Individuals who fail the test must wait fourteen (14) days before they are able to take the test again. Test results will be kept on file in the Compliance Office. 7 P age

9 REPORT OF NCAA VIOLATIONS INVOLVING INSTITUTION All returning athletic department staff members must sign the NCAA s Certification of Compliance Form prior to September 15 of each year. By signing this form, athletics department staff members certify that they have reported any known violations that occurred during the previous academic year. AMATEURISM AMATEURISM STATUS All incoming student-athletes (freshmen and transfer) must have their amateurism certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center prior to participation in intercollegiate athletics. The amateurism certification status of incoming student-athletes will be provided to coaches on the Incoming Athlete Update. If an incoming student-athlete s amateurism status is not final certified by the time they report to campus for athletics participation, they can practice for a maximum of 45 consecutive calendar days or until their certification has been finalized (whichever is sooner). It is important to note that the student-athlete must request final amateurism certification through the NCAA Eligibility Center before their amateurism will be finalized. The amateurism certification of international student-athletes can be complex. Coaches should encourage international prospects to continually monitor their amateurism status and respond to inquiries from the Eligibility Center in a timely manner. Student-athletes are required to maintain their amateurism status throughout their intercollegiate athletic career. An individual loses amateur status and is ineligible for intercollegiate competition if the individual (list is not all-inclusive): Uses his or her skill (directly or indirectly) for pay in any form in any sport; Accepts a promise of pay, even if such pay is to be received following completion of intercollegiate athletics participation; Agrees (verbally or in writing) to play professional athletics; Agrees (verbally or in writing) to be represented by an agent; or Accepts payment or benefits from an agent. AGENTS Any and all agents seeking interview opportunities with Texas A&M University-Commerce teams or individuals are subject to the following requirements: I. Shall be registered as an athlete agent pursuant to the State of Texas Athlete Agent Act; II. Shall submit a written request at a minimum of ten (10) days before the desired date of interview or the A&M-Commerce scheduled event; and III. Shall comply with all supplemental oral and/or written instructions from Athletics Department personnel. Student-athletes may not be contacted outside of these designated restrictions prior to the student-athlete s exhaustion of collegiate athletic eligibility. An agent who fails to adhere to any of the above standards shall be restricted from contacting A&M-Commerce student-athletes until such time that the discrepancy has been corrected. Continuous failures to adhere to the standards set forth in this policy shall result in the agent s ineligibility to participate in future interview programs. Requests for interviews should be directed to the Assistant AD for Compliance via or fax. 8 P age

10 Any questions or inquiries shall be directed to the coordinator, and correspondence directed toward any other party not specifically identified in this document shall constitute a breach of protocol and result in one or all of the following: No responsibility to respond by A&M-Commerce to said inquiry; or Notification to athlete agent of violations of standards of contract; or Exclusion of athlete agent from the interview process. STUDENT-ATHLETE EMPLOYMENT Student-athletes are permitted to be employed, but they are required to disclose any employment on their beginning-of-the-year forms. Additionally, student-athletes must complete the Student-Athlete Employment Form prior to the start of a new job. Compensation received by a student-athlete must be consistent with the following requirements: I. Only for work actually performed; II. At a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services; and III. An employer shall not use the athletics reputation of a student-athlete employee to promote the sale of the employer s product or services. Student-athletes may receive compensation for teaching or coaching sports skills or techniques in his or her sport on a fee-for-lesson basis, provided all compensation received by the student-athlete is consistent with the criteria governing compensation for studentathletes. PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES A member institution or recognized entity thereof (e.g., fraternity, sorority, student-government association, military or government agency), a member conference or a noninstitutional charitable, educational or nonprofit agency may use a student-athlete s name, picture, or appearance to support its charitable or educational activities or to support activities considered incidental to the studentathlete s participation in intercollegiate athletics, provided certain conditions are met. These activities must be approved in writing by the Athletic Director (or designee), and documentation will be kept on file in the Athletic Department. All promotional materials using the name and/or image of a student-athlete must be submitted for preapproval before distribution. Signed prospective student-athletes (PSAs) may participate in promotional activities prior to enrolling fulltime at A&M-Commerce provided they have graduated from their high school and has signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) or a written offer of admission and/or financial aid. Teams wishing to include prospects in a team fundraiser or promotional activities prior to initial enrollment are required to submit the names of such student-athletes to the Compliance Office prior to the proposed event(s) for verification of eligibility for participation. RECRUITING RECRUITING DEFINED Per bylaw , recruiting is any solicitation of a prospective student-athlete or a prospective student-athlete s relatives or legal guardians by an institutional staff member or by a representative of the institution s athletics interests for the purpose of securing the PSA s enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution s intercollegiate athletics program. Depending on the type of solicitation that occurs, the PSA can become a recruited PSA. Below are the actions that cause a PSA to become recruited: Providing the PSA with an official visit; Having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the PSA or their relatives or legal guardians; Initiating or arranging a telephone contact with the PSA or their relatives or legal guardians on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruitment; or 9 P age

11 Issuing a National Letter of Intent (NLI) or the institution s written offer of athletically related financial aid (athletic scholarship) to a PSA. Coaches are encouraged to request transcript evaluations for PSAs (freshmen and transfers) early on in the recruitment process to ensure that the PSA will be eligible upon enrollment at A&M-Commerce. As a reminder, no contact can be made with a four-year PSA without permission to contact from the PSA s current institution. Note: Coaches are required to document all recruiting activities (contacts, evaluations, unofficial visits, official visits, telephone calls, etc.) through JumpForward. CONTACTS AND EVALUATIONS All recruiting contacts and evaluations must be documented in JumpForward within a reasonable timeframe. In-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with a PSA or their relatives or legal guardians before June 15 immediately preceding the PSA s junior year in high school. There is no limit to the number of contacts and evaluations per prospective student-athlete. However, all contacts and evaluations are subject to each sport s respective recruiting calendar and the restrictions set forth in bylaw All staff members who will be participating in off-campus recruiting activities must complete the Annual Certification Requirement prior to engaging in any such activities. TELEPHONE CALLS Telephone calls cannot be placed to a PSA or a PSA s relatives or legal guardians prior to June 15 immediately preceding the PSA s junior year in high school. Thereafter, there shall be no limit to the number of telephone calls placed to a PSA or his/her relatives or legal guardians, except as specified in bylaw Student-athletes may not place or participate in calls to prospective student-athletes at the direction of a coaching staff member or financed by the institution or a representative of athletics interest. However, student-athletes may receive calls at the expense of the PSA at any time, provided there is no direct or indirect involvement by athletics department staff. All coaches are required to utilize the JumpForward app to place the first permissible phone calls to a prospective student-athlete. If the first call is placed without using the JumpForward app, the coach is required to log phone calls manually into JumpForward. PERMISSION TO CONTACT An athletics staff member or other representative of the institution s athletics interests shall not make contact with a studentathlete of another NCAA or NAIA four-year collegiate institution, directly or indirectly, without first obtaining the written permission of the first institution s athletics director (or designee) to do so, regardless of who makes the initial contact. Any staff member who wishes to contact a student-athlete at a four-year institution should request that the Compliance Office seek permission from the student-athlete s current institution. Once the Compliance Office receives a response from the studentathlete s current institution, an will be sent to the Head Coach and other appropriate coaching staff members of the sport that requested permission informing them of whether or not they are approved to contact the student-athlete. The Compliance Office will also accept permission to contact forms or letters from a student-athlete at another four-year institution. These forms or letters will only be accepted from the student-athlete on institutional letterhead or via an provided to the student-athlete by the student-athlete s current institution. Coaches should forward all transfer student-athlete initiated s to the Compliance Office before responding to the to ensure the release is valid. 10 P age

12 RECRUITING EXPENSES In accordance with NCAA bylaw , the institution shall be exclusively and entirely responsible for institutional and personal funds expended during the recruitment of student-athletes. Outside organizations are not permitted to use, administer or expend funds for the recruitment of prospective student-athletes, including the transportation and entertainment of, and the giving of gifts or services to, PSAs or their relatives, legal guardians or friends. An exception exists for expenses associated with the activities conducted in conjunction with a local sports club. For further information, see the Local Sports Club section of this document. Coaches are expected to follow the travel regulations and procedures outlined in the Athletics Department Policy and Procedures Manual. PROSPECTIVE WALK-ONS Prospective student-athletes who do not sign an NLI or athletic scholarship agreement must comply with the same initial eligibility, amateurism, and continuing eligibility standards that as PSAs who have signed athletics aid agreements. Therefore, coaches are required to inform the Compliance Office of any incoming walk-ons as soon as they have received confirmation that the PSA intends to attend A&M-Commerce. Once the Compliance Office has been notified of the walk-on, he or she will be added to the Incoming Athlete Update. Further, the Compliance Office will notify the Sports Information Office of the walk-on s acceptance of the institution s written offer of admission or housing deposit, which triggers the ability to include the walk-on in media releases. TRYOUTS Coaches may allow both prospective student-athletes and current students to try-out for their team. Individuals who wish to try-out must complete the tryout paperwork and receive approval to try-out from the Compliance Office and Sports Medicine prior to participating in any try-out activities. These forms ensure that the individual is eligible to try out, medically cleared to participate and understands the inherent risks involved in the tryout. PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES An institution may conduct a tryout of a prospective student-athlete provided it occurs on campus and occurs no earlier than June 15 immediately preceding the PSA s junior year of high school. Further, an institution may conduct an additional tryout of a PSA at any time after September 1 following the PSA s completion of high school. In all cases, the conditions outlined in NCAA bylaw apply. CURRENT STUDENTS Current students may tryout on campus provided they are enrolled fulltime. Tryouts of currently enrolled students may not last longer than a 14-consecutive calendar day period and individuals trying out are subject to the same countable athletically related activities limitations as current student-athletes in that sport. Additionally, the conditions outlined in bylaw apply. If an individual is being added to the team following a tryout, the coach must complete the Late Addition to Team Roster Form and submit it to the Compliance Office. Once the late addition process has been completed, the Compliance Office will notify the coach once the student is eligible for practice and/or competition. STUDENT-ATHLETE OUTGOING TRANSFER PROCESS If a student-athlete wishes to transfer to another institution, he or she should speak with his or her head coach and complete the Student-Athlete Transfer Request form. Written requests for permission to contact and/or a one-time transfer exception will be granted or denied within 14 calendar days. 11 P age

13 If a student-athlete s request to permit any other institution to contact the student-athlete about transferring and/or a one-time transfer exception is denied, the Compliance Office shall inform the student-athlete in writing that he or she, upon request, shall be provided a hearing conducted by a committee or entity outside of the athletics department per bylaw The student will have 10 business days from receipt of the notice to request an appeal. The hearing and appeals process is as follows: HEARING COMMITTEE COMPOSITION The committee shall consist of the members of the compliance subcommittee of the IAC, a representative of the studentathlete advisory committee (SAAC), and a representative from the general student population. The SAAC representative on the hearing committee may not be a member of the same team as the student-athlete who has requested the hearing. A quorum shall be considered present when three members of the committee are present. PARTICIPANTS The Assistant AD for Compliance, Head Coach of the student-athlete s sport, and the student-athlete requesting relief may be called upon to speak before the committee. The student-athlete may also be accompanied by a personal advisor, as long as said advisor is not an employee of the University, relative of an employee of the University, or a financial contributor to the athletic programs of the University. The personal advisor may advise the student-athlete, but is strictly prohibited for speaking on behalf of the student-athlete in any way during the proceeding. CONDUCTING THE HEARING Individuals requested to speak before the committee may do so in person, via teleconference, or through a written statement. Committee members may ask questions at any time throughout the hearing. DELIBERATION AND DECISION The Committee shall convene in a closed session to deliberate the case. No notes or record of the discussion shall be kept. A majority vote of the committee members, within the close session, shall constitute a decision. ANNOUNCEMENT OF DECISION The Committee shall reconvene into an open session so that the chair may verbally inform the student-athlete of the outcome of the hearing. The Assistant AD for Compliance shall provide formal written notice of the decision to the student-athlete within five business days of the conclusion of the hearing. The decision of the Committee is final, and there shall be no opportunity for further appeal. RECRUITING MATERIALS Recruiting materials (print, , fax, and electronic media) may be sent to a prospective-student athletes beginning June 15 immediately preceding their junior year of high school. The only recruiting materials that can be sent prior to the first permissible dates are questionnaires, camp brochures, nonathletics institutional publications, and NCAA educational information. All recruiting materials that are sent to prospective student-athletes that use institutional or athletics logos must be preapproved by Communications and Compliance. ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS Electronically transmitted correspondence (e.g., instant messaging, text messaging) may not be sent to a prospective studentathlete before June 15 immediately preceding their junior year of high school. All electronic transmissions must be sent directly and privately to the prospective student-athlete (e.g., no use of chat rooms, group messages, public posts on social media). Further, electronically transmitted correspondence may not be sent to a prospective student-athlete during the conduct of any of the institution s contests in that sport from the time the team reports on call at the competition site until the competition has concluded and the team has been dismissed. 12 P age

14 Electronically transmitted correspondence is not required to be private after a prospective student-athlete has signed an NLI or a written offer of admission and/or financial aid. OFFICIAL VISITS An official visit is a visit made by a prospective student-athlete to a member institution in which the member institution finances any or all of the prospect s expenses. Prospects are permitted one (1) official visit to each member institution and may not occur before June 15 immediately preceding the prospect s junior year of high school. The one-visit limitation applies separately to the time in which a prospect is in high school and the period beginning September 1 after the prospect s completion of high school. Further, permission to contact is required prior to providing an official visit to a four-year transfer. Prior to an official visit, the prospective student-athlete must provide the institution with a current transcript (high school or collegiate, depending on the status of the prospect) and must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center and placed on the institution s Institutional Request List (IRL). The duration of an official visit, as well as transportation, entertainment, complimentary admissions, and other expenses provided to the PSA are specified within NCAA bylaw Coaches who would like to provide a prospect with an official visit must complete the Official Visit Pre-Approval Form through JumpForward at least five (5) days in advance of the first day of the visit (extenuating circumstances will be considered for requests less than five days in advance). Coaches are required to submit the prospect s current transcripts with the form. Upon receipt of the form, the Compliance Office will confirm the prospect s eligibility for an official visit and approve or deny the official visit request. After the completion of the official visit, coaches must submit the Official Visit Record and Student Host Form (if applicable) through JumpForward within five (5) business days of the completion of the official visit. STUDENT HOSTS A current student-athlete may serve as a student host during an official visit. In order to be eligible to serve as a student host, the student-athlete in his or her first year at a collegiate institution must be a qualifier or partial qualifier. The student host may receive a maximum of $30 per day of the visit to cover actual costs of entertaining the prospect, excluding the cost of meals and admissions to campus athletics events. The student host may receive an additional $15 per prospect if he or she entertains more than one prospect at the same time (e.g., a student host hosting two prospects may receive up to $45 per day). These funds may not be used to purchase souvenirs for the prospect. Coaches must request the cash advance prior to the official visit via Concur, and the student host must sign the Student Host Form when they receive the host money. Unspent student host money must be returned at the conclusion of the official visit. UNOFFICIAL VISITS An unofficial visit is a visit by a prospective student-athlete to a member institution in which the prospect pays all of his or her own costs. The NCAA allows prospects to make an unlimited number of unofficial visits, regardless of their year in school, but no unofficial visits are allowed during dead periods. The permissible expenses in association with an unofficial visit are outlined in NCAA bylaw Coaches and staff members must submit the Unofficial Visit Form through JumpForward for each prospect that visits our campus, regardless of whether it is planned or unannounced. Prospects who receive only complimentary tickets to a home athletics contest do not need to have an Unofficial Visit Form completed on their behalf, as long as they have been included on the prospect pass list. 13 P age

15 NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT/OFFERS OF ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS Coaches who would like to provide an athletic scholarship to a student-athlete or prospective student-athlete or sign a prospective student-athlete to a National Letter of Intent (NLI) must complete and submit the Grant-in-Aid Request form to the Compliance Office one (1) week prior to the date in which the NLI or scholarship is to be sent. Once the completed form has been submitted, the Compliance Office will determine whether the student-athlete is eligible for the athletic scholarship and/or NLI, and if they are eligible, the request will be processed. Note: it is the responsibility of the head coach, with advisement from the Compliance Office, to ensure that they remain within the NCAA s equivalency limits as well as their scholarship budget. When all documents have been created and signed appropriately, they will be ed or, if necessary, mailed to the student-athlete or prospect. The head coach will be copied on communications delivering scholarship offers and/or NLI s. Please note, athletic scholarships and NLIs can only be signed by prospective student-athletes during their sport s NLI signing period(s). Once the prospect has returned a valid NLI and/or athletic scholarship agreement, the Compliance Office will notify the Sports Information Office, the head coach, and the Athletic Director. This notification will signal the approval to comment publically about the signing of the relevant prospective student-athlete. Once a prospect has signed with the institution, he or she will be added to the Incoming Athlete Update to track their progress in admissions, registration, and the NCAA Eligibility Center. NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT RELEASE REQUESTS Students who wish to request a release from their National Letter of Intent (NLI) must do so through the NLI website ( Release requests will be reviewed by the Assistant AD for Compliance, Head Coach and Director of Athletics and a decision will be made within the required NLI timeline. If the student is unhappy with the decision they will have the ability to appeal. The NLI Appeals form can also be found on the NLI website. LOCAL SPORTS CLUBS Coaches in sports other than basketball may be involved as a participant or in instructional or coaching activities in the same sport for a local sports club located in the institution s home community, provided all prospects participating in said activities are legal residents of the area (within a 100-mile radius of the A&M-Commerce campus). A coach may be involved with a local sports club that includes prospects participating in a sport other than the coach s sport regardless of where such prospects reside. A coach may also be involved in activities with individuals who are not prospects (i.e., before the ninth grade), regardless of where such individuals reside. A coach who is acting in any capacity for the local sports club may not receive expenses from A&M-Commerce. Additionally, a coach may not engage in recruiting activities while receiving expenses from a local sports club. CAMPS/CLINICS Per bylaw , an institutional camp or clinic shall be any camp or clinic that is owned or operated by a member institution or an employee of the member institution s athletic department, and can be held either on- or off-campus. Attendance at an institutional camp or clinic shall be open to any and all entrants (limited only by number and/or age). A camp or clinic shall be one that places special emphasis on a particular sport or sports and provides specialized instruction, practice, or competition, involves activities designed to improve overall skills and general knowledge in the sport, or offers a diversified experience without emphasis on instruction, practice or competition in any particular sport. 14 P age

16 Coaches wishing to conduct or operate an institutional camp or clinic must receive approval from the Compliance Office prior to using any advertising materials associated with the promotion of the camp. Additional guidelines for camps and clinics can be found in the Athletic Department Policy and Procedures Manual. CAMP REGISTRATION AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS All sports are required to use the JumpForward Camps system to advertise and process payments and registrations for their camps. Coaches are responsible for creation and maintenance of their camps within the JumpForward system. Assistance will be provided to coaches via the Compliance Office and/or JumpForward s customer service center and account manager on an as needed basis. Additionally, there are graphic design services offered by JumpForward. Any graphics must be approved by the Director of Communications or his/her designee and the Compliance Office prior to being placed on an active camp website. Coaches shall not edit nor delete any banking information contained in the JumpForward system. Additionally, coaches may not release payments from their camps, and coaches may not grant refunds within the JumpForward system. Once a camp has been completed, the coach responsible for the camp must notify the Director for Business Operations of any refunds that need to be processed and the reason for such refunds. Refunds to campers who are of prospective student-athlete age must be approved by the Compliance Office. Once the appropriate refunds have been processed, the Director for Business Operations will release the funds to the A&M- Commerce banking system for processing and will ultimately ensure that the funds generated from the camp(s) are deposited into the appropriate account(s). EMPLOYMENT OF PROSPECTIVE AND CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETES Prospective student-athletes may be employed at an institutional camp or clinic, provided that the requirements of bylaw are met. Additionally, if the prospect has signed an NLI or written offer of admission and/or financial aid, he or she may only be employed at a camp or clinic conducted by the signing institution. Current student-athletes may be employed by a camp or clinic, provided the requirements of bylaw are met. Prospective and current student-athletes, at their own expense, are not permitted to operate a concession to sell items related to or associated with the camp or clinic. However, the institution may employ the prospect or enrolled student-athlete at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services. NONINSTITUTIONAL CAMPS AND CLINICS Noninstitutional camps and clinics must be conducted in accordance with the regulations associated with institutional camps and clinics. Additionally, in the sports of football and basketball, participation in such camps/clinics is limited to the institution s summer vacation period. Coaches being employed by a noninstitutional camp or clinic must receive approval from the Compliance Office prior to working at the noninstitutional camp or clinic. ELIGIBILITY INCOMING FRESHMEN: INITIAL ELIGIBILITY All incoming freshmen must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and receive an academic and amateurism certification. To complete that process, the prospect must create an account, pay the registration fee, answer the amateurism questions, and submit official high school transcripts, proof of graduation and ACT/SAT scores to the Eligibility Center. 15 P age

17 Prospective student-athletes who are deemed Final Qualifiers by the Eligibility Center are eligible for practice, competition, and athletic scholarships during their first year at A&M-Commerce. Final Partial Qualifiers are eligible for practice and athletic scholarships during their first year and Final Nonqualifiers are ineligible for practice, competition, and athletic scholarships during their first year. A prospective student-athlete who has not received final academic and amateurism certifications prior to the first day of practice may practice for 45 consecutive calendar days while awaiting a certification decision. Once an individual receives a final certification, the coach will be notified via the Incoming Athlete Update. It is important to note that the NCAA Eligibility Center utilizes the prospect s to request additional information on an as needed basis. Final certifications will not be rendered until all requested information has been received from the prospect. INCOMING TRANSFERS All incoming transfer student-athletes must receive an amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center. Additionally, incoming transfers may need an academic certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center in order to be eligible for competition, practice, and/or athletic scholarships in their first year at A&M-Commerce. The Compliance Office will request transfer tracers from all previous institutions for all incoming transfer student-athletes. Additionally, official transcripts must be on file with the Office of Admissions for all institutions from which transferrable hours must be used for eligibility certification purposes prior to certifying a transfer student-athlete as eligible for competition. The Office of Admissions will have the sole and final authority with regards to determining transferrable hours and their institutional equivalencies. Coaches are strongly encouraged to obtain a transcript evaluation from admissions by submitting the Courtesy Evaluation Request Form to the Compliance Office. The courtesy evaluation will allow the Compliance Office to advise coaches regarding any deficiencies the prospective transfer may have with respect to gaining admission to the institution and/or being immediately eligible for competition upon transfer. Note: Coaches are not permitted to contact the Admissions staff directly. Any and all inquiries regarding a current or prospective student-athlete should be directed to the Compliance Office, which will act as the liaison with the Office of Admissions. Fulltime terms of attendance at previous institutions will be determined via a combination of analysis of the official transcripts from previous institutions and tracers submitted by previous institutions athletics departments. INCOMING ATHLETE UPDATE The Compliance Office will provide a regular update of the status of incoming athletes to each coaching staff via the Incoming Athlete Update spreadsheet. The file will include A&M-Commerce admissions status, meningitis shot records, the receipt of official transcripts, NCAA forms completion, and NCAA Eligibility Center status. Prospective student-athletes who have signed an NLI or athletic scholarship agreement will be included in the Update. Walk-on prospects will be included in the Update upon request of the coaching staff. STUDENT-ATHLETE FORMS Student-athletes must complete a number of forms on an annual basis to maintain their eligibility. These forms will be offered online and/or through whenever possible. The coaches will be provided status updates regarding the completion of forms for incoming athletes and continuing student-athletes on a regular basis, when appropriate. STUDENT-ATHLETE STATEMENT Each student-athlete must complete the NCAA s Student-Athlete Statement each year prior to participating in intercollegiate practice or competition. This form will be made available via ACS during the summer for all student-athletes on a roster. 16 P age