NCAA, ACC and UVA Athletics Compliance Information for Fans, Friends, Alumni and Boosters

Because of the complexity of NCAA rules, this brief guide should not be relied upon exclusively. Compliance with NCAA regulations is of the highest priority for our athletic programs. We need your help in complying with these rides. If you have questions, you should contact the University of Virginia Compliance Office at 434-982-5018.

Contents

• Introduction
• Part 1 -- Institutional Control and Responsibility
• Part 2 -- A Brief Guide to NCAA Rules
• Part 3 -- UVA Student-Athlete Handbook "Boosters" Entry
• Part 4 -- Extra Benefit Rule
• Part 5 -- Precollege Expense Rule
• Part 6 -- Summer Jobs and Summer Camps
• Part 7 -- NCAA Legislative Staff Interpretations

Money is always a concern for students. Maybe especially for student-athletes. Their sources of income are often more restricted than anything the others students have to put up with.

And student-athletes do so much for their schools. They work harder than most people can even imagine to bring pride, prestige and honor to the University. To help support student-athletes in these endeavors is itself a source of pride to anyone who loves the school.

So, if a student-athlete needs somebody to co-sign for a car loan when the parents are so far away, isn't that the perfect time for a booster to step in and make sure the athlete gets what she needs?

And what about prospects? Wouldn't it be great if the best high school player in the region, in the state, in the whole country, could be persuaded that this university is the place where he needs to be? Shouldn't somebody let him know what he's passing up if he goes to that other school? Since coaches can't be everywhere, isn't this a perfect situation for a booster to just step in and write a letter on behalf of the school? Or even visit the prospect and make the case in person?

How ever well-intended these actions may be, the result of co-signing the loan or of writing or visiting the prospect can be the player's loss of eligibility to compete and a prohibition on the university's further recruiting of the prospect.

The actions violate NCAA rules. The rules are different for student-athletes because they're not just anybody any more.

What, then, should an alumni, a fan, or a booster do about a sincere, well-intended impulse toward generosity when that generosity is directed toward prospects and student-athletes?

The following information is provided to assist the alumni, friends and boosters of the University of Virginia Athletics Department in helping the University comply with NCAA rules and regulations.

As a booster, you are bound by NCAA rules and the University is responsible for your actions.

The University of Virginia is a member institution of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. UVA President John Casteen serves as a member of the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, representing the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Responsibility for Control: It is the responsibility of each member institution to control its intercollegiate athletics program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Association. The institution's chief executive officer is responsible for the administration of all aspects of the athletics program, including approval of the budget and audit of all expenditures.

Scope of Responsibility: The institution's responsibility for the conduct of its intercollegiate athletics program includes responsibility for the actions of its staff members and for the actions of any other individual or organization engaged in activities promoting the athletics interests of the institution.

Independent Agencies or Organizations: An institution's "responsibility" for the conduct of its intercollegiate athletics program shall include responsibility for the acts of an independent agency or organization when a member of the institution's executive or athletics administration, or an athletics department staff member, has knowledge that such agency or organization is promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program.

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Virginia Student Aid Foundation (VSAF) is UVA's only legitimate booster group

Fund-raising by informal groups for a particular sport is not permissible at UVA. As noted in the 1992 "Self-Report of Loans Made to Student-Athletes through the VSAF," the University restructured its relationship with booster organizations. All booster organizations were consolidated under the umbrella of the VSAF. The VSAF became the only recognized booster organization.

As a preventative measure, the report indicates, "the University and its Athletic Department will bring the administration and fiscal operations of all booster organizations under the control of, and the new system of controls on, the VSAF. VSAF will be the only recognized, constituted booster organization."

Thus, any group of people (such as parents, alumni or fans) that assembles in order to fund-raise for a particular sport program is not permissible in accordance with this policy.

 

Who is an Athletics Department Booster?

You are considered a "Representative of the University's Athletic Interests" (a booster) if you have ever:

• Participated in an organization promoting UVA athletics.
• Contributed to the Athletic Department, the Virginia Student Aid Foundation, or any booster organization.
• Assisted in recruiting prospects.
• Provided benefits (e.g., summer jobs) to enrolled student-athletes.
• Otherwise promoted the University's athletics program.

You never lose this status.

As a booster, you are bound by NCAA rules and the University is responsible for your actions. Any nonpermissible activities that you engage in could result in:

• A prospect being ineligible to represent UVA.
• A student-athlete being ineligible to compete.
• A University team's being ineligible to compete in any ACC or NCAA competition.
• NCAA sanctions imposed on the University.
• Your involvement with the UVA athletics program restricted.

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Booster contact with prospects is prohibited

The NCAA defines a "prospective student-athlete" (PSA) as a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. Also, any younger student-athlete who receives any benefits from the University is considered a prospect. A "contact" is any face-to-face encounter between a booster and a prospect or a prospect's family members in which any conversation more than a greeting occurs.

Boosters may not, directly or indirectly:

• Make in-person on- or off-grounds recruiting contacts.
• Write or telephone a prospect or a prospect's parents on behalf of the University.
• Give cash or a like item to a prospect.
• Co-sign a loan for a prospect.
• Provide a loan to a prospect's relatives or friends.
• Provide clothing, equipment or any other tangible item to a prospect.
• Provide free or reduced-cost services, rentals, purchases or housing to a prospect.
• Entertain a prospect's relatives or friends at any site off-grounds.
• Make contact with a prospect and his/her parents during an official visit to the grounds.
• Be involved in the on-grounds entertainment of a prospect and his/her parents during an official visit.
• Provide cash or the use of a vehicle to the prospect or student-host on his/her official visit to the grounds.
• Reimburse the coach of a prospect for expenses incurred in transporting a prospect to visit the grounds.
• Entertain high school, prep school or junior college coaches at any location.
• Pay in whole or in part registration fees associated with summer sports camps.
• Arrange for the use of the University's athletics equipment by a prospect (e.g., for a high school all-star game).

These and other prohibitions are covered under the NCAA "Precollege Expense Rule."

 

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Booster contact with student-athletes is restricted

If a booster comes in contact with an enrolled student-athlete, the booster may not pay for the student-athlete's meals, snacks or entertainment.

Boosters may infrequently, or on a special occasion, invite a student-athlete or an entire team for dinner in their home. However, only the booster or a Virginia staff member may transport the student-athletes to attend the meal.

Boosters may provide a summer job to a student-athlete as long as it is at a normal rate of pay for that position and the student-athlete is paid for work actually performed.

Boosters may not provide any benefit or special arrangement to an enrolled student-athlete or a student-athlete's family or friends. The NCAA considers such special arrangements as "Extra Benefits" and they are prohibited. Examples of extra benefits include:

• A special discount on an item or service.
• Credit on a purchase.
• A loan of money in any amount.
• A guarantee of bond.
• Use of an automobile.

Further, boosters may not:

• Expend funds to entertain a student-athlete and friends.
• Employ or use the name or picture of a student-athlete to advertise or promote sales or use of a commercial product or service.
• Pay or provide the actual and necessary expenses incurred by relatives or friends to visit an enrolled student-athlete.
• Provide a gift or award to a student-athlete for his/her athletics performance.

 

The following information is published in the UVA Student-Athlete Handbook and is addressed to all UVA student-athletes:

Contacts and relationships between student-athletes and athletic program boosters are restricted by a number of NCAA rules. A wide range of penalties for violating the rules may be applied to the student-athlete, the student-athlete's team, the team's coaching staff, the Athletic Department and the University as well as individual boosters.

In NCAA legislative language, a booster is a "representative of an institution's athletic interests." Boosters may be alumni, season ticket holders, those who have made financial contributions to the Virginia Student Aid Foundation, or those who have made personal contributions of time and other resources to athletic programs. Once an individual has been identified as an athletic representative, he or she retains that identity forever and is governed by the same NCAA, ACC and University of Virginia rules and regulations as our athletic staff members.

The University of Virginia Department of Athletics is responsible for the control and conduct of the intercollegiate athletics program, and this responsibility includes accountability for the acts of athletic representatives.

Neither athletic representatives nor institutional staff members are permitted to provide student-athletes with extra benefits.

The term "extra benefit" refers to any special arrangement by an institutional employee or athletic representative to provide the student-athlete or his or her relatives with a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.

 

An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a representative of the institution's athletics interest to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete's relative or friend a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.

Receipt of a benefit by student-athletes or their relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution's students or their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the student-body (e.g., foreign students, minority students) determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability.

Boosters should also be aware that the "Extra Benefit Rule" applies to former student-athletes as well as current student-athletes.

Extra benefits specifically prohibited by NCAA rules include:

• A special discount, payment arrangement, or credit on a purchase (e.g., airline ticket, clothing) or a service (e.g., dry cleaning, laundry).
• A professional service without charge or at a reduced cost (e.g., typing of papers for athletes).
• The use of a telephone or credit card for personal reasons without charge or at a reduced rate.
• Services (e.g., movie tickets, dinners, use of car) from commercial agencies (e.g., movie theaters, restaurants, car dealers) without charge or at reduced rates.
• Free or reduced-cost admission to professional athletic contests from professional sports organizations.
• A loan of money.
• A guarantee of bond.
• Use of an automobile.
• Signing or co-signing a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan.
• Preferential treatment, benefits, or services (e.g., loans on a deferred payback basis) for your athletic reputation or skill or pay-back potential as a future professional athlete.

The University of Virginia or a representative of its athletics interests shall not offer, provide or arrange financial assistance directly or indirectly to pay the cost of a prospect's educational or other expenses for any period prior to his/her enrollment or so the prospect can obtain a postgraduate education.

(A) Nonpermissible Involvement in Fund-Raising Activities for High-School Athletics Program/Prospect's Team:

Donation of Institutional Memorabilia to Assist in Fund-Raising Activities: The University may not provide funding, directly or through paid advertisements, to benefit a high-school athletics program. It is not permissible for us to provide items, such as autographed balls, jerseys, etc., to assist high-schools in raising money for its athletics program.

Donation of Institutional Memorabilia to Raise Funds for Scholarship Program: The University may not donate institutional memorabilia (e.g., jerseys, hats, t-shirts) to any organization for the purpose of being auctioned to raise funds to provide financial assistance to high-school students to attend a collegiate institution of their choice.

Institution Placing Sports Camp or Clinic Advertisement in High-School Game Program: The University may not purchase or arrange for the placement of an advertisement related to its sports camp or clinic in a high-school or two-year college game program, even if a camp directory is included in the publication.

Purchase of Advertisement in High-School Game Program: The University or its athletics representatives (or booster organization) may not purchase an advertisement in a high-school program congratulating our intercollegiate team.

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(B) Permissible Involvement in Fund-Raising Activities for High-School Athletics Program/Prospect's Team:

Institution Providing Items to Athletics Youth Groups for Fund-Raising: The University may provide items to assist in the fund-raising efforts for athletics youth groups composed of individuals who have not started classes for the 9th grade without causing such individuals to become prospects.

Virginia's Athletics Interests: A booster may provide funding to benefit a high-school athletics program located in the community in which the athletics representative resides, provided:

• The representative acts independently of the University;
• The funds are distributed through channels established by the high-school or the organization conducting the fund-raising activity; and
• The funds are not earmarked directly for a specific prospect.

Further, a booster may donate funds to his/her former high-school, even if the high-school is not located in the community in which the booster resides.

UVA Coach or Athletics Representative Contributing to Organization that Consists in part of Prospects: A Virginia coach or representative of its athletics interests may contribute to an organization that may consist in part of prospects (e.g., YMCA, Boys' Club), provided the assistance is not earmarked for a particular prospect and is made in conjunction with that organization's regular fund-raising activities.

Summer Jobs

A member of the VSAF may provide a student-athlete with a summer job as long as it is at a normal rate of pay with a similar position.

There can be no excessive benefit.

There should be no compensation for the value that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that the student-athlete has obtained because of his/her athletic ability.

This provision prohibits a student-athlete from many commission-based sales positions.

Only those benefits available to all employees of similar position may be provided to the student-athlete. This would prohibit the provision of transportation to and from the work site unless such a benefit was generally available to other employees.

After a prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent with UVA, it is permissible for the student-athlete and you to make contact for the purpose of arranging for summer employment, but that employment may not begin until after high school graduation.

Any type of "recruiting" contacts between you and a prospect remain improper until the prospect enrolls at UVA on the opening day of classes.

Summer Camps

There may be no free or reduced admission privilege to summer camps. A VSAF member may not pay a prospect's expenses to summer camps nor pay for his/her transportation to those camps.

The NCAA Manual is the authority for NCAA Bylaws. Specific situations often require interpretations of the text, intent and meaning of bylaws. Following are some interpretations from the NCAA Legislative Services staff related to boosters.

Athletics Representatives Writing to Prospects, Coach: NCAA Bylaw 13.01.5 was designed to preclude boosters from being involved in the athletics recruitment process. Therefore, representatives of an institution's athletics interests are prohibited from making in-person, on- or off-grounds recruiting contacts, or written or telephonic communications with a prospect, the prospect's relatives or legal guardians, or the prospect's coach. Email correspondence is considered written correspondence and thus is not permissible.

Boosters Providing Benefits to AAU Coaches: Boosters are not permitted to provide any material benefits (e.g., meals, cash) to the coach of any prospect, including AAU coaches.

Booster who Works with a Media Entity having Contact with Prospects: A radio or talk-show host, newspaper reporter, etc., who also is a representative of Virginia's athletics interests, may have contact with a prospective student-athlete, provided the contact is through a normal working relationship and not for the purpose of recruiting the prospect.

Individual Becomes a Representative When Benefits are Provided to a Student-Athlete: Boosters are prohibited from arranging for another individual to provide benefits for an enrolled student-athlete (or the student-athlete's relatives or friends), inasmuch as such activity constitutes a special arrangement by an athletics representative to arrange for an extra benefit not authorized by NCAA legislation. Further, the individual providing the benefit also becomes an athletics representative of the institution.

Athletics Representative Making In-Person Recruiting Presentation to Prospects: It is not be permissible for an alumnus or alumnae who was a former student-athlete to make a generic in-person recruiting presentation to a group of prospective student-athletes.

Athletics Representative Providing Room and Board to a Student-Athlete: A student-athlete may receive room and board from an athletics representative of the institution with the understanding that the member institution is required to document and ensure that the room and board cost charged by the athletics representative and paid by the student-athlete is consistent with the cost for similar room and board arrangements in that locale. Further, meals provided to the student-athlete under such an arrangement should be comparable to the meals served in the institution's on-campus facility.

Student-Athlete Receiving Referral Money from an Apartment Complex: In regard to a situation in which an apartment complex provides cash incentives to its residents for any referrals (i.e. new residents): a student-athlete is be permitted to receive such cash incentives, provided the referral policy is not arranged by the institution or a representative of its athletics interests to benefit student-athletes and such a benefit is available to any residents in the complex.

Athletics Representative Arranging Entertainment for a Student-Athlete Employee: Regarding whether a booster who employed a student-athlete during the summer may arrange a party for the student-athlete based on a special achievement (e.g., making the Junior Olympic Team): such an arrangement is precluded, unless it is demonstrated that the representative provides such entertainment to all employees for a special achievement.

Functions Organized by Booster Groups Surrounding National Letter of Intent Signings: Regarding functions designed to celebrate the institution's signees in the applicable sport: such functions may be open to the working media only if the function is conducted on the institution's campus and the announcement of signings is considered the institution's one-time press conference to the media.

Booster Group Makes Generic Comments on Prospects in a Newspaper Advertisement: A member institution's booster group is not be permitted to place in a newspaper an advertisement that is targeted to local prospects (e.g., "good luck during sports season.") It is permissible for a member institution's booster group to place an advertisement in a local newspaper congratulating the member institution's student-athletes.

Prospect's Parents Receive Booster Club Newsletters: The parents of a prospective student-athlete are permitted to receive materials from an institution's booster club (e.g., newsletter), provided the parents have joined the booster club and received materials that are sent to all members of the booster club.

Booster Providing Information Regarding Insurance Against Disabling Injury: A booster who also is a player agent may provide information to a student-athlete to indicate which lending institutions and insurance companies would be interested in providing services for securing insurance against a disabling injury that would prevent the individual from pursuing a chosen career, inasmuch as such an arrangement is not contrary to the provision that a representative of an institution's athletics interests may not be involved in the arrangements for securing a loan.

Booster Providing Services for Coaches on Recruiting Trips: A booster is not precluded from providing free services (e.g., lodging accommodations, use of car) to a member institution's coach on a recruiting trip, provided the institution has knowledge and approves of such arrangements. Further, it is permissible for the coach to entertain (e.g., dinner) the booster in exchange for these services, provided such expenses are properly documented and approved.

Parents of Prospective Student-Athletes Calling Parents of Student-Athletes: Parents of prospective student-athletes are not precluded from telephoning parents of currently enrolled student-athletes, provided such communication is not done at the direction of the athletics department. Further, any conversation is permitted under these circumstances, with the understanding that parents of enrolled student-athletes may become representatives of their child's institution's athletics interests if they assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes. This interpretation was confirmed through the legislative services conference contact program.

Prospective Student-Athlete Introduced to Mayor of Community: Bylaw 1-2-(b) [booster ban] does not permit a member institution to introduce a prospective student-athlete to a mayor of the institution's home community, inasmuch as it is inherent in such a meeting that the mayor would be involved in promoting the institution's athletics program, or would be assisting in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes and, thus, through such actions, would become a representative of an institution's athletics interests.