Indiana University Athletics
Compliance Question Of The Week
Compliance Question Of The Week
Question:
What are some key things to remember as I host prospects and parents on campus this fall?
Answer:
First, the NCAA has two main points of emphasis when it comes to recruiting visit rules: 1) visits must be free from outside influences (like boosters and media), and 2) visits should reflect what normal student-athlete life would be like for that prospect should he/she choose to attend our institution. These general concepts are the outline for all the regulations surrounding campus visits as they attempt to allow a prospect a uninterrupted view of their academic and athletic future.
There are obviously specifics that apply, and we covered all of these in our Official Visit rules ed meeting in August. The presentations for Official and Unofficial Visits are available on the U:Drive as well. Go HERE or HERE to see them. The NCAA ed column below was published as a refresher for coaches in 2010, and focuses on the idea that visits should expose prospects to normal student-athlete life, and therefore shouldn't include things like personalized stadium signs, helicopters and excessive entertainment of any variety.
Title: Campus Visits (I)
Date Published: September 14, 2010
Educational Column:
In response to several high profile recruiting incidents that occurred during the 2003-04 academic year, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors created a Task Force on Recruiting to address the application of recruiting standards. The task force was charged with conducting a thorough review of recruiting legislation and practices. The findings of the Task Force on Recruiting noted that visits to campus are designed to provide a prospective student-athlete the opportunity to evaluate the campus environment in order to assess academic and athletics compatibility. The evaluation allows a prospective student-athlete to make an informed decision about attendance at the institution and participation in the athletics program. Specifically, the task force noted that official and unofficial visits should be used to promote the academic and athletics mission of the institution and ensure integrity in the recruiting process while placing accountability on the institution.The intent of the legislationregarding campus visits is to provide an experience for prospective student-athletes during the recruiting process that is similar to what they can expect if they enrolledas a student-athlete. An institution is expected to provide a reasonable and acceptable environment for campus visits, as opposed to creating an experience that isdesigned to bring attention to individual prospective student-athletes.
As a result, current legislation adopted in 2004 by the Division I membership in response to the task force findings is intended to prohibit the excesses, entitlement and celebrity associated with campus visits.
Division I institutions should note that the following provisions continue to apply to all campus visits:
1. NCAA Bylaws 13.6.6 and 13.6.7.7 require that lodging and meals provided to a prospective student-athlete during an official visit are comparable to those received by enrolled student-athletes during the regular academic year. Lodging must be standard and may not include any upgrades or special amenities not generally available to guests (e.g., Jacuzzis, suites);[All hotels within the Bloomington community are considered "standard" for purposes of this rule, but upgrades may not be provided.]
2. Bylaws 13.6.7.9 and 13.7.3 state that during official or unofficial visits, a prospective student-athlete is not permitted to engage in any game-day simulations. Further, an institution may not arrange miscellaneous, personalized recruiting aides including, but not limited to, personalized jerseys and personalized audio/video scoreboard presentations. This provision also prohibits the use of decorative items and special additions to any location the prospective student-athlete will visit (e.g., locker room, hotel room, coach's office, arena) regardless of whether or not the items include the prospective student-athlete's name or picture. The areas a prospective student-athlete may visit should be maintained as they would normally appear; [Lockers may be set up with game day apparel, and visitors are permitted to try on a jersey as long as it is not personalized. Our staff may take photos of the prospect in IU gear, but ONLY for publication purposes after they have signed an NLI.]
3. Bylaw 13.10.5 states that a prospective student-athlete may not participate in team activities that would make the public or media aware of the prospective student-athlete's visit to the institution, including but not limited to, wearing game jerseys while observing practice or competition activities, running out of the tunnel with the team, celebratory walks to/around the stadium/arena, and on-field pregame celebrations. A prospective student-athlete may, however, be present in the locker room prior to or subsequent to competition and may stand on the sidelines during pregame activities prior to being seated in regular seating areas during competition;[Prospects may participate in pre-game or post-game locker room discussions, but should not participate in any other game-day activities that would otherwise identify them as a prospect or allow them to act as a student-athlete.]
4. Bylaw 13.6.1 states that an institution is required to have written policies regarding official visits that apply to student-athletes, student hosts, coaches and other athletics administrators that are approved by the institution's chancellor/president and kept on file at the institution and conference office. Further, the institution is required to have its written policies evaluated by an outside entity once every four years; and[IU's recruiting policy includes the official visit rules which each host and prospect sign off on at the time of the visit. It also includes the requirement that each prospect meet with a member of our academic staff, or faculty member on campus during their official visit.] The entire policy is available HERE.
5. Bylaw 13.6.7.5 states that a student host must be either a current student-athlete or a student designated to provide campus tours or visits to prospective students in general. In this regard, individuals are considered hosts if they are involved in traditional hosting duties such as tasks that require specific interaction with the prospect (e.g., entertaining, escorting, etc.). [At IU, the only students allowed to host outside of those on your sport roster, are students who are employed as campus tour guides by the Admissions Office.]
Should you have questions about any of these rules related to visits, make sure you check in with Anne or Jenna. As always, paperwork for these visits is required - unofficial visits may be documented on THIS form, and records should be maintained in your office, while official visit paperwork is found HERE and may be turned into Anne before (pre-approval) and after the visit.
Question:
What are some key things to remember as I host prospects and parents on campus this fall?
Answer:
First, the NCAA has two main points of emphasis when it comes to recruiting visit rules: 1) visits must be free from outside influences (like boosters and media), and 2) visits should reflect what normal student-athlete life would be like for that prospect should he/she choose to attend our institution. These general concepts are the outline for all the regulations surrounding campus visits as they attempt to allow a prospect a uninterrupted view of their academic and athletic future.
There are obviously specifics that apply, and we covered all of these in our Official Visit rules ed meeting in August. The presentations for Official and Unofficial Visits are available on the U:Drive as well. Go HERE or HERE to see them. The NCAA ed column below was published as a refresher for coaches in 2010, and focuses on the idea that visits should expose prospects to normal student-athlete life, and therefore shouldn't include things like personalized stadium signs, helicopters and excessive entertainment of any variety.
Title: Campus Visits (I)
Date Published: September 14, 2010
Educational Column:
In response to several high profile recruiting incidents that occurred during the 2003-04 academic year, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors created a Task Force on Recruiting to address the application of recruiting standards. The task force was charged with conducting a thorough review of recruiting legislation and practices. The findings of the Task Force on Recruiting noted that visits to campus are designed to provide a prospective student-athlete the opportunity to evaluate the campus environment in order to assess academic and athletics compatibility. The evaluation allows a prospective student-athlete to make an informed decision about attendance at the institution and participation in the athletics program. Specifically, the task force noted that official and unofficial visits should be used to promote the academic and athletics mission of the institution and ensure integrity in the recruiting process while placing accountability on the institution.The intent of the legislationregarding campus visits is to provide an experience for prospective student-athletes during the recruiting process that is similar to what they can expect if they enrolledas a student-athlete. An institution is expected to provide a reasonable and acceptable environment for campus visits, as opposed to creating an experience that isdesigned to bring attention to individual prospective student-athletes.
As a result, current legislation adopted in 2004 by the Division I membership in response to the task force findings is intended to prohibit the excesses, entitlement and celebrity associated with campus visits.
Division I institutions should note that the following provisions continue to apply to all campus visits:
1. NCAA Bylaws 13.6.6 and 13.6.7.7 require that lodging and meals provided to a prospective student-athlete during an official visit are comparable to those received by enrolled student-athletes during the regular academic year. Lodging must be standard and may not include any upgrades or special amenities not generally available to guests (e.g., Jacuzzis, suites);[All hotels within the Bloomington community are considered "standard" for purposes of this rule, but upgrades may not be provided.]
2. Bylaws 13.6.7.9 and 13.7.3 state that during official or unofficial visits, a prospective student-athlete is not permitted to engage in any game-day simulations. Further, an institution may not arrange miscellaneous, personalized recruiting aides including, but not limited to, personalized jerseys and personalized audio/video scoreboard presentations. This provision also prohibits the use of decorative items and special additions to any location the prospective student-athlete will visit (e.g., locker room, hotel room, coach's office, arena) regardless of whether or not the items include the prospective student-athlete's name or picture. The areas a prospective student-athlete may visit should be maintained as they would normally appear; [Lockers may be set up with game day apparel, and visitors are permitted to try on a jersey as long as it is not personalized. Our staff may take photos of the prospect in IU gear, but ONLY for publication purposes after they have signed an NLI.]
3. Bylaw 13.10.5 states that a prospective student-athlete may not participate in team activities that would make the public or media aware of the prospective student-athlete's visit to the institution, including but not limited to, wearing game jerseys while observing practice or competition activities, running out of the tunnel with the team, celebratory walks to/around the stadium/arena, and on-field pregame celebrations. A prospective student-athlete may, however, be present in the locker room prior to or subsequent to competition and may stand on the sidelines during pregame activities prior to being seated in regular seating areas during competition;[Prospects may participate in pre-game or post-game locker room discussions, but should not participate in any other game-day activities that would otherwise identify them as a prospect or allow them to act as a student-athlete.]
4. Bylaw 13.6.1 states that an institution is required to have written policies regarding official visits that apply to student-athletes, student hosts, coaches and other athletics administrators that are approved by the institution's chancellor/president and kept on file at the institution and conference office. Further, the institution is required to have its written policies evaluated by an outside entity once every four years; and[IU's recruiting policy includes the official visit rules which each host and prospect sign off on at the time of the visit. It also includes the requirement that each prospect meet with a member of our academic staff, or faculty member on campus during their official visit.] The entire policy is available HERE.
5. Bylaw 13.6.7.5 states that a student host must be either a current student-athlete or a student designated to provide campus tours or visits to prospective students in general. In this regard, individuals are considered hosts if they are involved in traditional hosting duties such as tasks that require specific interaction with the prospect (e.g., entertaining, escorting, etc.). [At IU, the only students allowed to host outside of those on your sport roster, are students who are employed as campus tour guides by the Admissions Office.]
Should you have questions about any of these rules related to visits, make sure you check in with Anne or Jenna. As always, paperwork for these visits is required - unofficial visits may be documented on THIS form, and records should be maintained in your office, while official visit paperwork is found HERE and may be turned into Anne before (pre-approval) and after the visit.