Indiana University Athletics
Compliance Question Of The Week
Compliance Question Of The Week
Question:
Question: What else do I need to know about recruiting International Student-Athletes?
Answer:
Answer: You mean other than "please don't"?!! Oh relax - I'm kidding...I love Internationals! I'm one meself. But, what you should know are the following VITAL bits of info:
a. As soon as you get a "bite" from an International Student that you is recruiting, you should send them the International Student Questionnaire (attached for convenience, but use the one on the U:Drive as a rule, because we update that one quite often). This questionnaire should be completed in FULL and preferably in type, rather than handwriting - which is often illegible. Not ineligible, but equally hard to spell. This document is step one in your - and our - process and without it, we can't do much.
b. Obviously all and every transcript / academic record is vital - get the Questionnaire and other info to Jean (or Anitra) as early as possible.
c. For non North Americans, the rule is that we will continue to have our local friendly Law Firm, Ice Miller, do an Amateurism Background check on the athletes to make sure they haven't received impermissible monies or benefits. This background check costs $750 currently, and that can occasionally go higher if there's any red flags or problems. The cost is (eventually) charged to your recruiting budget as far as I know, and we do not begin the work until we know for sure your prospect is coming, so as to save you the money and them (Ice Miller) the pain. Let us know if any of these prospects drop us at any time after verbal commitment so we can save the work/money - and equally let the prospects know that they WILL be contacted by Ice Miller about this, and they should correspond quickly and honestly!
Question:
Question: How do I have a Tryout here?
Answer:
Answer: Thanks to your friendly Compliance Office who are (is?) here to serve, this process can be relatively painless (note the italics). A required form (also attached and of course on the U:Drive) helps explain this process. Keys are that any tryout person needs to be a FULLY ENROLLED student at IU (12 hours minimum) and needs to have a full time athletic trainer sign off on the form. Good news is that the medical/physical requirement can be satisfied by a recent (often H.S.) physical so as not to incur extra cost to a student who tries out for 2 hours and then is not invited back. Also:
a. Your Current playing and practice rules apply to tryout individuals, including: if you're out of season and thus only doing 2 hours of skill that week, the tryout person must adhere to that; if you're only allowed 4 people at a time (till next Monday 15th) then same for tryout-ers; and their hours/participation should be recorded on the ARA log. If you're in-season, then do the 20 hours if needed.
b. These tryouts have a very finite and very definite time limit of absolutely no more than 2 weeks - and we recommend much less. After 2 weeks of involvement with your team (or less, but never more) the individual must be added to your roster and processed fully by compliance. Or dropped.
c. Academic issues: before getting excited about having this diamond in the rough save your season, remember that all we do at first is check enrollment. Once you decided to add, we have to verify either Eligibility Center status (for freshmen, who have to join, pay and send academic stuff ASAP) or continuing Progress-toward-Degree standards for others. There's absolutely no guarantee of eligibility, and the process is not quick. Please don't expect anyone to be competing for a good period of time once you announce their inclusion on the roster. Also, sophomores who enrolled here after August 2007 (which they did) will ALSO have to join the Eligibility Center to get Amateurism Certification done. Bottom line - this all takes time.
d. And a full, self-financed physical will be required by the Sports Medicine department too, once the tryouter is added.
e. Communication and close work with the compliance office is required for tryouts to go right. Weekends are NOT recommended.
Question:
Question: What else do I need to know about recruiting International Student-Athletes?
Answer:
Answer: You mean other than "please don't"?!! Oh relax - I'm kidding...I love Internationals! I'm one meself. But, what you should know are the following VITAL bits of info:
a. As soon as you get a "bite" from an International Student that you is recruiting, you should send them the International Student Questionnaire (attached for convenience, but use the one on the U:Drive as a rule, because we update that one quite often). This questionnaire should be completed in FULL and preferably in type, rather than handwriting - which is often illegible. Not ineligible, but equally hard to spell. This document is step one in your - and our - process and without it, we can't do much.
b. Obviously all and every transcript / academic record is vital - get the Questionnaire and other info to Jean (or Anitra) as early as possible.
c. For non North Americans, the rule is that we will continue to have our local friendly Law Firm, Ice Miller, do an Amateurism Background check on the athletes to make sure they haven't received impermissible monies or benefits. This background check costs $750 currently, and that can occasionally go higher if there's any red flags or problems. The cost is (eventually) charged to your recruiting budget as far as I know, and we do not begin the work until we know for sure your prospect is coming, so as to save you the money and them (Ice Miller) the pain. Let us know if any of these prospects drop us at any time after verbal commitment so we can save the work/money - and equally let the prospects know that they WILL be contacted by Ice Miller about this, and they should correspond quickly and honestly!
Question:
Question: How do I have a Tryout here?
Answer:
Answer: Thanks to your friendly Compliance Office who are (is?) here to serve, this process can be relatively painless (note the italics). A required form (also attached and of course on the U:Drive) helps explain this process. Keys are that any tryout person needs to be a FULLY ENROLLED student at IU (12 hours minimum) and needs to have a full time athletic trainer sign off on the form. Good news is that the medical/physical requirement can be satisfied by a recent (often H.S.) physical so as not to incur extra cost to a student who tries out for 2 hours and then is not invited back. Also:
a. Your Current playing and practice rules apply to tryout individuals, including: if you're out of season and thus only doing 2 hours of skill that week, the tryout person must adhere to that; if you're only allowed 4 people at a time (till next Monday 15th) then same for tryout-ers; and their hours/participation should be recorded on the ARA log. If you're in-season, then do the 20 hours if needed.
b. These tryouts have a very finite and very definite time limit of absolutely no more than 2 weeks - and we recommend much less. After 2 weeks of involvement with your team (or less, but never more) the individual must be added to your roster and processed fully by compliance. Or dropped.
c. Academic issues: before getting excited about having this diamond in the rough save your season, remember that all we do at first is check enrollment. Once you decided to add, we have to verify either Eligibility Center status (for freshmen, who have to join, pay and send academic stuff ASAP) or continuing Progress-toward-Degree standards for others. There's absolutely no guarantee of eligibility, and the process is not quick. Please don't expect anyone to be competing for a good period of time once you announce their inclusion on the roster. Also, sophomores who enrolled here after August 2007 (which they did) will ALSO have to join the Eligibility Center to get Amateurism Certification done. Bottom line - this all takes time.
d. And a full, self-financed physical will be required by the Sports Medicine department too, once the tryouter is added.
e. Communication and close work with the compliance office is required for tryouts to go right. Weekends are NOT recommended.