Division II Recruiting Regional Rules Seminars Chris Brown and Amanda Conklin

Summary Publicity Official and Unofficial Visits Newly Adopted Legislation

Publicity

“There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” ~Phineas T. Barnum “There is such a thing as bad publicity.” ~Joyce Brothers

Presence of Media During Recruiting Contact It is not permissible for a media entity to be present during any recruiting contact made by an institution’s coaching staff member. NCAA Bylaw

Comments Prior to Signing A member institution may only confirm PSA’s recruitment. No comments regarding PSA’s ability or contribution to team. Bylaw

PSA’s Visit to Campus May not publicize a PSA’s visit to the institution's campus. May not arrange for the publicity of a PSA’s visit. Bylaw

Introduction of PSA An institution may not introduce a visiting PSA at an event that is open to the general public or the media. Bylaw

Photograph of PSA An institution may take a picture of a prospect during a campus visit to be used in the institution’s permissible publicity and promotional activities (e.g., press release, media guide) after the PSA has signed a NLI, written offer of admission or financial aid or the institution has received his or her financial deposit in response to its offer of admission. Bylaw

Eliminates the restrictions on publicity related to a PSA after he or she has signed a NLI or the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution has received his or her financial deposit in response to its offer of admission. Effective Date: Immediate. NCAA Proposal No : Recruiting – Publicity After Commitment

Signed Prospective Student-Athlete Attendance at a Press Conference or Celebratory Event Outside the Locale of the Institution Clarifies that if your institution hosts an event outside the locale of the institution, the PSA and his or her relatives can attend and receive a meal. Institution cannot provide transportation to the event. Official Interpretation [Reference: 1/22/15, Item No. 11] Recruiting – Publicity After Commitment

Type of EventCan a meal be provided? Can transportation be provided? Celebratory event in the locale of the institution. YESYES from the institution to the event. Celebratory event outside the locale of the institution. YESNO

Institutional Staff Member Attendance at an Off-Campus Press Conference or Celebratory Event Staff member may attend an off-campus institutional press conference or celebratory event held for the purpose of announcing regardless if media are present. Not permissible for an institutional staff member to attend a noninstitutional press conference or celebratory event if media are present. Official Interpretation [Reference: 3/26/15, Item No. 3-d] Recruiting – Publicity After Commitment

Case Studies

Case Study No. 1 The local Boys & Girls Club is attending your institution’s women’s basketball game. Several of the Boys & Girls Club attendees are prospect-aged.

Case Study No. 1 Is it permissible for the announcer to recognize that the group is in attendance? Yes, as long as the group is visiting campus on a basis unrelated to recruitment and the PSAs are introduced by group name only. S taff Interpretation [Reference: 2/26/13, Item No. a]

Case Study No. 2 LeBron Durant is a current Division I SA who is transferring to your institution in the fall. Your city’s local newspaper released an article about LeBron transferring to your institution.

Case Study No. 2 Your sports information director wants to repost the article on your department’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Is this permissible?

Case Study No. 2 We cannot render a decision. We are missing some information. What information are we missing? What do we need to know? Has LeBron Durant signed an NLI, written offer of admission and/or financial aid, or paid a financial deposit?

Case Study No. 2 Provided the PSA has signed a NLI, written offer of admission and/or financial aid or paid a financial deposit, your institution is permitted to publicize a PSA’s commitment. The publicity is not limited in number or content and may be released to media outlets at the institution’s discretion. Bylaw

Media Releases May occur only after PSA has signed an NLI, institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid or paid a financial deposit. Not limited in number or content. Subject to press conferences legislation. Bylaw

Recruiting/Scouting Service An institution may include a quote by a recruiting/ scouting service about a PSA in a media release, provided: There is no indication that the institution endorses the recruiting/scouting service; and The PSA has signed a NLI or the institution’s written offer of admission or financial aid or the institution has received his or her financial deposit in response to its offer of admission. Official Interpretation [Reference: 3/4/14, Item No. 1]

Recruiting/Scouting Service It is not permissible for an institution’s website to include a video from or hyperlink to either the website of a noninstitutional publication that reports primarily on the institution’s athletics program or a recruiting/scouting service. Official Interpretation [Reference: 3/4/14, Item No. 1]

Case Study No. 3 “Conklin University has announced the signing of Karen Lovely to its program.” “Brown Scouting Services rated Lovely the number 1 prospect in the state, and noted the immediate contribution Lovely is expected to make at CU.” “For more information about Karen, visit Is this permissible?

Case Study No. 3 – Answer Not entirely. While it is permissible to use the quote from CB Scouting Services, it is not permissible to include a hyperlink to CB Scouting Services’ website.

Official and Unofficial Visits

Student Hosts SA’s ClassificationRequirements to be a Student Host Current student-athlete.Full-time enrollment. Partial qualifier.Full-time enrollment. Nonqualifier.Not eligible to serve as a student host. Bylaw and Staff Interpretation [Reference: 3/25/13, Item No. d]

Student Hosts Occasional Meals Team or team members may get occasional meal in conjunction with a visit.

Entertainment Entertainment must be comparable to that of normal student life and not excessive in nature. Entertainment expenses can only be provided to the PSA and his or her immediate family. Bylaw

Entertainment Per Bylaw (student host), a maximum of $30 a day can be provided for covering all actual costs of entertaining a PSA and his or her immediate family. If no student host is used, $30 per day still remains the maximum amount for entertainment of a PSA/immediate family (excluding meals).

Transportation to an Off-Campus Meal in Conjunction with an Unofficial Visit An institutional staff member may provide a PSA (and the PSA’s relatives or legal guardians) transportation to a permissible meal off campus in the locale of the institution during an unofficial visit. Official Interpretation [Reference: 4/15/14, Item No. 2-d]

Local Transportation During an Unofficial Visit Occurring During a Quiet or Evaluation Period An institutional staff member may provide a PSA (and the PSA’s relatives or legal guardians) transportation to view: Practice and competition sites in the PSA’s sport; Other institutional facilities; and To attend an institution's home athletics contest within the locale of the institution during an unofficial visit occurring during a quiet or evaluation period. Official Interpretation [Reference: 12/12/14, Item No. 13]

Official Visit for Two-Year or Four-Year College Prospect Two-year or four-year college prospects are required to present academic credentials prior to an official visit. A qualifier in his or her first semester or quarter at a two-year or four-year institution would be required to present a high- school transcript, inasmuch as a college transcript is unavailable. Staff Interpretation [Reference: 9/23/94, Item No. a]

Case Study No. 4 Basketball PSA Stephanie Willett is coming on an official visit to Lennon University Saturday. Lennon University is also hosting its conference basketball tournament in which the team will be participating. The university would like to provide tickets to Stephanie while she is on her visit. Is this permissible?

Case Study No. 4 – Answer Maybe. It is impermissible to provide complimentary admissions to conference tournaments, NCAA championships and any other postseason contests. Bylaw

Case Study No. 4 – Answer However, student host money may be used to purchase tickets to the conference tournament. Provided, tickets are not reserved and purchased in the same manner as the general population.

Newly Adopted Legislation

Submission of Financial Deposit Proposal No. NC After an institution has received an individual’s financial deposit in response to its offer of admission, the individual shall be provided the same exceptions to the legislation that are applied to an individual who has signed a NLI or written offer of admission and/or financial aid, as specified in the legislation.

A PSA may participate in institutional fundraisers prior to his or her initial collegiate enrollment provided the PSA has graduated from high school and has signed a NLI or a written offer of admission and/or financial aid. Effective Date: Immediate. Proposal No : Participation of Signed PSAs in Institutional Fundraisers or Promotional Activities

Participation of Signed PSAs in Institutional Fundraisers or Promotional Activities PSA is required to graduate from high school prior to participation. Institutions may provide expenses to a PSA to participate, however, institutions cannot provide transportation to enroll per Bylaw PSA that signs multiple offers of admission and/or financial aid, may participate in fundraisers and promotional activities at multiple institutions.

Participation of Signed PSAs in Institutional Fundraisers or Promotional Activities PSA’s ClassificationRequirements for Participation Incoming first-year student, qualifier.Sign NLI or a written offer of admission and/or financial aid or make a financial aid deposit; and Graduate from high school. Incoming first-year student, partial qualifier. Not eligible to participate. Incoming first-year, nonqualifier.Not eligible to participate.

PSA’s ClassificationRequirements for Participation Incoming first-year student, has not yet received final academic certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center. Sign NLI or a written offer of admission and/or financial aid or make a financial aid deposit; and Graduate from high school. Two-year college transfer student.Sign NLI or a written offer of admission and/or financial aid; and Meet applicable two-year transfer requirements (Bylaw ). Four-year college transfer student.Receipt of permission to contact; sign written offer of admission and/or financial aid or make a financial aid deposit. Participation of Signed PSAs in Institutional Fundraisers or Promotional Activities

Proposal No : Permission to Contact and One- Time Transfer Exception – Hearing Requirements If institution does not respond within 14 calendar days, a violation has occurred and the request is automatically granted. If an institution denies a SA’s written request for permission to contact or use of the one-time transfer exception SA must be provided the opportunity to actively participate in the hearing. Effective Date: August 1, 2015.

Permission to Contact and One-Time Transfer Exception – Hearing Requirements Hearing must be conducted within 30 calendar days of the SA’s written request. If the SA’s request to use the one-time transfer is granted by default, he or she must meet all other requirements of the one-time transfer exception (Bylaw ) to be immediately eligible for competition.

Clarifies that the written request must be submitted by the SA. Failure to respond to a written request from another institution or from an individual other than the SA does not constitute a violation. Official Interpretation [Reference: 12/12/14, Item No. 9] Permission to Contact and One-Time Transfer Exception – Hearing Requirements

Recent Interpretation

Coaching Staff Member Donating Funds or Participating in Fundraisers for a High School Attended by the Coach’s Child It is permissible for an institution’s coaching staff member to donate funds or participate in fundraising activities for the high school his or her child currently attends (regardless of whether the donated funds are intended to benefit athletics or nonathletics programs), provided certain conditions are satisfied. Official Interpretation [Reference: 7/24/14, Item No. 1]

Coaching Staff Member Donating Funds or Participating in Fundraisers for a High School Attended by the Coach’s Child The coaching staff member acts independently of the institution; The donated funds are distributed through channels established by the high school or the organization conducting the fundraising activity; and The donated funds are not earmarked for a specific PSA. Official Interpretation [Reference: 7/24/14, Item No. 1]

Questions???