Boston College Athletics Department Compliance Office Beginning of the Year Eligibility Meeting - Football 2013-14 Academic Year
Mission of the Compliance Office Our mission is to provide guidance to the entire Boston College community with regard to the rules, regulations and standards which mandate integrity and fair play in all our affairs. Above all else, we exist to promote and protect the health and well-being of our student-athletes, our Department of Athletics and the Institution.
Who are we? Carly Pariseau, Associate AD for Compliance 617-552-6210 carly.pariseau@bc.edu Aaron Aaker, Assistant AD Eligibility/Financial Aid 617-552-1916 aaker@bc.edu Christine Lowthert, Assistant Director Recruiting 617-552-8570 Yadira Reyes, Compliance Assistant 617-552-4518 reyesya@bc.edu
Where is the Compliance Office? Conte Forum, Room 308 Take the elevator by the Equipment Room up to the 3 rd Floor and make a left we are the first office on the left.
Purpose of Meeting Provide a basic understanding of the rules that affect you as a student-athlete; Extra Benefits Academic Eligibility Financial Aid Playing and Practice Rules Recruiting/Meal Cards Provide you enough knowledge to know when to raise a red flag and what to do; Remind you to be accountable for your actions BE SMART.
Eligibility Issues What Renders You Ineligible? Extra Benefits Gambling Hazing Amateurism Agents Outside Competition Promotional Activities
Extra Benefits As a student-athlete, you may not accept anything that is not available to the general public or general student body. Examples: Unadvertised discounts Gifts Meals at restaurants Transportation/travel Financial loan Clothing Free/discounted services Tickets to games/concerts Personal training services/facility use Anything received from a booster Using a recruiting meal card when prospect is not present
Gambling No wagers of anything of material value on an NCAAsponsored sport or the corresponding professional sport No fantasy sports/leagues No March Madness pools No Super Bowl picks No bets for your entire time at BC Don t provide any information to any gamblers, whether you know them or not, about injuries, suspensions, or anything else that can impact a game. That information is private and should stay within this athletic department.
Hazing Hazing is any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization which endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. Illegal in many states, including Massachusetts Captains will sign a letter stating that they will not allow any hazing to occur. This applies to everybody on the team.
Amateurism Can t sign professional sports contracts Don t accept pay for competing in your sport Don t compete for a professional team Can t win prize money You don t get paid for playing sports.
Agents You cannot enter into any agreement with an agent to have them represent you. Includes written and verbal contracts. You cannot accept anything of value from an agent or anyone employed by an agent. Extra benefit rule revisited. Policies regarding mere discussions with agents vary by team (talk to your head coach for specific team rules).
Outside Competition During the academic year, student-athletes may not participate on any outside football team in any competition. Exception: You may compete if you are out-of-season during an official BC vacation period (e.g., semester break, spring break).
Promotional Activities You cannot promote any commercial product, service, or enterprise by lending your name, picture, or appearance. Non-profit/charitable promotions may be OK but you must receive PRIOR written approval from the Compliance Office in order to participate.
Donations If anyone asks you to sign or donate something, make sure it is for that person (i.e., for individual use). If someone asks you to sign or donate something for an auction/fundraiser/raffle, contact the Compliance Office.
Eligibility Issues A Year in the Life of NCAA Rules How do I get and stay eligible to compete? How much eligibility do I have? How do I pay for school? How much can I practice? What can I do as a host for a recruit?
SPORTS MEDICINE Requirements to be Cleared for Practice All incoming freshmen and new transfers: Pre-Entrance Physical Sports Medicine Initial Health History Form Sickle Cell test Everybody: Insurance Information Letter Intercollegiate Insurance Form
Freshman Eligibility NCAA Eligibility Center In order to compete, you must be certified as an academic qualifier and as an amateur. In order to practice, you must be certified as an academic qualifier and an amateur by the 21 st day of practice (if recruited) or the 45 th day of practice (if not recruited).
Academic Eligibility NCAA requirements to be eligible for competition: Enroll full-time (if not, then no practice or competition); Pass 6 or more credits each semester; Pass 18 or more credits each academic year; Pass 24 or more credits fall/spring/summer of freshman year; Choose major by start of junior year; Meet GPA requirement by school; Maintain good academic standing at Boston College (stay on-track to graduate in four years); You MUST pass at least 6 credits in order to participate in the bowl game.
Nine-Hour Rule In order to compete in all games NEXT YEAR, you must complete 9 credit hours and meet all other eligibility requirements (e.g., GPA, good academic standing, etc.) during fall semester. Exceptions: If you earn 27 total hours in fall, spring and summer, you earn back games 3 and 4 (but are still not eligible for the first two games. One time, if you earn 27 total hours in fall, spring and summer, you can be completely eligible for the following year.
Academic Eligibility Resources Where to go with questions Learning Resources for Student-Athletes (LRSA) Student Services Academic Advisors Compliance Office
Seasons of Eligibility You have 4 years of eligibility to use within 5 years of initial enrollment. Exceptions Redshirt Medical hardship If you don t meet one of the exceptions, you use one year of eligibility (even if you only compete for one second of one contest or just a single play the entire year).
Eligibility Redshirt In order to redshirt, you cannot compete in a single play the entire year. If you play in ONE PLAY, you will use one of your 4 years of eligibility.
Eligibility Medical Hardship If you compete, but suffer a SEASON-ENDING INJURY OR ILLNESS, it may be possible to apply to the ACC to regain that year of eligibility, but you must talk to your coach and the Compliance Office. Requirements: All of your competition must be during the first half of season; AND You can play in only 30% of scheduled contests (4 games). One game/one play/one second over the limits and you are not eligible for a medical hardship waiver.
Financial Aid NCAA limits what you may receive to attend college: Limit is generally the value of a full scholarship. Compliance will review athletic scholarships, institutional grants, federal grants, outside aid to ensure that you never exceed your maximum financial aid limit. Be sure to let the Compliance Office and the Financial Office know of ALL outside scholarships that you receive. If you exceed the individual or team limits, your scholarship may have to be reduced.
Financial Aid - Employment If you work, you must come to the Compliance Office to fill out paperwork BEFORE you start working (including official vacation periods). You can only be paid for work actually performed; You must be paid at a rate commensurate with the going rate for anyone else performing the same job with similar experience; and You cannot be paid for any value you might have for the employer because of any fame or reputation you have because you are a student-athlete.
Financial Aid- Fee-for-Lesson Student-athletes can give lessons and be paid for those lessons under the following conditions: You cannot use any BC facilities (that means Athletic Department or general university facilities, such as the Plex); You cannot give playing lessons (e.g., a basketball lesson cannot be a game it has to be actual instruction); BC has to document who received the lesson, how much was paid and who made the payment; Payment has to be made by the lesson recipient (or the recipient s family); If you give a group lesson, instruction to each individual must be similar; and You may not use your name, picture or appearance to promote or advertise that you are available to give lessons.
Financial Aid Student Assistance Fund The SAF is open to all student-athletes, regardless of financial need and is used to directly benefit student-athletes. If you receive a Pell Grant, SAF may be used to pay for BC health insurance or for up to $500 in clothing and other essential expenses. Expenses for family emergencies. Other examples: Nutritional screening, drug/alcohol education, medical/dental expenses, family emergency expenses, Life Skills training, BC health insurance, educational testing, resume books, SAAC expenses, welcome back picnic, all sports banquet.
Playing and Practice Rules Playing & Practice Rules In-season limits Out-of-season limits Definition of countable athletically related activities (CARA): any required activity with an athletics purpose involving student-athletes and at the direction of, or supervised by one or more of BC s coaching staff (including strength coaches).
Countable Athletically Related Activities Practices (not more than four hours per day). Athletics meetings with a coach initiated or required by a coach (e.g., end of season individual meetings). Competition (and associated activities, regardless of their length, count as three hours). [Note: No countable athletically related activities may occur after the competition.] Field, floor or on-court activity. Setting up offensive and defensive alignment. On-court or on-field activities called by any member of the team and confined primarily to members of that team. Required weight-training and conditioning activities. Required participation in camps/clinics. Visiting the competition site in the sports of cross country, golf and skiing. Participation outside the regular season in individual skillrelated instructional activities with a member of the coaching staff. Discussion or review of game films. Participation in a physical activity class for student-athletes only and taught by a member of the athletics staff (e.g., coach). Noncountable Athletically Related Activities Compliance meetings. Meetings with a coach initiated by the student-athlete (as long as no countable activities occur). Drug/alcohol educational meetings or CHAMPS/Life Skills meetings. Study hall, tutoring or academic meetings. Student-athlete advisory committee/captain's Council meetings. Voluntary weight training not conducted by a coach or staff member. Voluntary sport-related activities (e.g., initiated by studentathlete, no attendance taken, no coach present). Traveling to and from the site of competition (as long as no countable activities occur). Training room activities (e.g., treatment, taping), rehabilitation activities and medical examinations. Recruiting activities (e.g., student host). Training table meals. Attending banquets (e.g., awards or postseason banquets). Fundraising activities or public relations/promotional activities and community service projects.
In-Season Limitations When you are in-season, you have practices and competitions with the following limits: 4 hours of CARA in a day; 20 hours of CARA in a week; 1 day off per week (travel day can be your day off); Days of competition count = 3 hours; No classes missed for practice activities; No limits during vacation periods.
Out-of-Season Limitations When you are out-of-season, you may engage only in strength & conditioning activities and film review, with the following limits: 8 total hours of CARA in a week. Film review can be up to 2 of the 8 hours in a week. 2 days off per week.
Voluntary Workouts In order for any athletically related activity to be considered "voluntary," all of the following conditions must be met: (a) Must not be required to report back to a coach or other staff member (e.g., strength coach, trainer, manager); (b) Non-coaching staff members who observe the activity (e.g., strength coach, trainer, manager) may not report back to the coach any information related to the activity; (c) Must be initiated and requested solely by the student-athlete (NOT required); (d) Attendance and participation (or lack thereof) may not be recorded for the purposes of reporting such information to a coach or teammates; (e) Must not be subjected to penalty if you elect not to participate in the activity; and (f) No recognition or incentives can be given based on attendance or performance.
Recruiting - Official Visits BC pays for the prospect to visit for up to 48 hours. A student host: May entertain the prospect within 30-mile radius of campus. May receive up to $40/day to be used on the prospect (cannot purchase items that the prospect can take home with them). May receive a free meal and a complimentary admission, provided the student host accompanies the prospect. If you are issued a meal card as a host, the meal card can ONLY BE USED IF YOU ARE WITH THE PROSPECT The meal cards can only be used for three meals a day Misuse of meal cards IS A VIOLATION and you will be deemed INELIGIBLE TO COMPETE No impermissible/inappropriate entertainment activities.
Recruiting - Unofficial Visits Prospect visits BC, but pays for their own expenses. A student host may not provide anything to the prospect (e.g., meal, transportation). No impermissible/inappropriate entertainment activities.
What happened in the last year? Eastern Michigan WBB coaching staff required student-athletes to practice beyond the practice limitations. Penalty: Maximum of 14 hours per week for one year; maximum of 18 hours per week with maximum of three hours per day in second year. During one year, two days off per week during conference season. Maximum of four hours per week during off-season for one year. Central Florida A booster paid $11,000 tuition for one student-athlete and smaller amounts for three other student-athletes, purchased laptop for a student-athlete, provided travel expenses for two student-athletes to go home. Penalty: Forfeited all records for three year period because of ineligible studentathlete. One year post season ban. Scholarship reductions.
Questions?