Compliance Question of the Week - 2007 Fall Semester

Dec. 3
Q. Can a student-athlete use YSU facilities in order to conduct fee-for-lessons with middle or high school-age students?
A. No. A student-athlete may receive compensation for teaching or coaching sport skills on a fee-for-lesson basis, PROVIDED: 1) YSU facilities are not used; 2) YSU obtains documentation of the name of the recipient and the amount being charged; 3) the compensation is paid by the recipient and not another individual or entity; and 4) the student-athlete does not use his or her name, picture or appearance to promote or advertise the availability of fee-for-lesson sessions.

Nov. 26
Is it permissible to provide a prospect the $30 per day entertainment money if student host is not available?
A. NO. A prospective student-athlete is not permitted to receive case for entertainment purposes. Only a student host or coach may be provided the $30/day cash allowance for entertaining the prospect.

Nov. 12
Would it be permissible for a non-coaching athletic staff member (e.g.
academic advisor, athletic trainer, etc.) to work (voluntary or paid) as a play-by-play announcer for a high school athletic contest?
A. No. A member of the athletics staff of a member institution may not serve as an announcer or commentator for any athletics contest in which a prospective student-athlete is participating, or appear (in person or by means of film, audio tape or videotape) on a radio or television broadcast of such contest.

Nov. 5
Q. True or False: A prospect may be provided a National Letter of Intent, as long as the prospect is provided a copy of our graduation-rate data, academic progress rate, graduation success rate, and initial eligibility standards no later than the day prior to the prospect’s signed acceptance of the athletic offer.
A. FALSE: The prospect must also be registered with the Eligibility Center (formerly Clearinghouse) and the prospect’s name must appear on our Institutional Request List (IRL) prior to a National Letter of Intent being offered.

Oct. 29
Q. Can a coaching staff member observe an individual who has not started classes for the ninth grade participate in athletically related activities?
A. Yes. PROVIDED such observation occurs during a contact or evaluation period when it is permissible to evaluate prospective student-athletes. It is not permissible to view such activities during quiet or dead periods.

Oct. 22
Q. Would it be permissible to review one of our playbooks or game films with a prospect?
A. No. A staff member shall not engage in any practice activities (e.g. review of playbook, chalk talk, film review) with prospective student-athletes. A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect until the first day of official practice or the first day of school, whichever is earlier, regardless of whether an NLI is signed.

Oct. 15
Q. Is it permissible to direct Dr. Sweet or Ron Strollo to call a prospective student-athlete as one of our permissible calls?
A. No. The president or athletics director may return (as opposed to initiate) telephone calls from prospective student-athletes (or their parents/legal guardians). Any return call is subject to the applicable limitations on the number of telephone calls that an institution may place to prospective student-athletes.

Oct. 8
Q. Is it permissible for a booster to pay for a meal incidental to participation at an away from home contest right then and there with his/her credit card, cash, etc?
A. No. The booster or representative of athletics interests must donate the “gift in-kind” to the institution through appropriate channels (e.g. depost into sport restricted account) and then the institution may pay for the meal.

Oct. 1
Q. Would it be permissible for a non-qualifier in his/her initial year of residence to conduct a tour of campus for a recruit on a visit to campus?
A. NO. A nonqualifier may not serve as a student host during his of her first academic year of residence.

Sept. 24
Q. Can the rec center or any other department on campus other than the athletics department employ a high school athletics award winner?
A. YES. Provided the employment was arranged through normal institutional employment procedures (e.g local newspaper, bulletin board listing) and no intercollegiate staff members are involved with the hiring and supervision of these employees.

Sept. 17
Q. If a former player is on campus visiting during the same time a recruit in on campus for an official visit, can the former athlete (alum) join the recruit and coach for lunch?
A. NO. Representatives of Athletics Interest (alumni, boosters, financial supporters, etc.) cannot be involved with the recruitment of a prospect.

Sept. 10
True or False: A senior prospect may be provided an official visit if the prospect provides a high school transcript and test score to YSU prior to the visit.
A. FALSE: The prospect must also be registered with the Eligibility Center (Clearinghouse) and the prospect’s name must appear on YSU’s Institutional Request List (IRL).

Sept. 4
Q. What are the NCAA regulations regarding institutional note cards that are used to send to prospects?
A. The card may not exceed 8 ½” X 11” when opened in full - The outside of the card may only contain (1) YSU’s name, and (2) one logo – either a YSU logo or athletics/sport logo -No printed information may appear on the inside of the card - Only handwritten information on the inside The color and texture of the YSU logo is not restricted; however any picture of YSU facilities, etc. are not permitted.

August 27
Q. Can a YSU athletics department staff member have recruiting information on his/her personal web site or personal page on a website?
A. Any information related to YSU’s athletics program on a staff member’s personal website is subject to the same restrictions that apply to the YSU athletics website. It is not permissible for staff member’s personal website to include a hyperlink to the website of a recruiting/scouting service or a non-YSU publication that reports on our athletics program.