EIU COMPLIANCE BROCHURE | NCAA Website
INTRODUCTION
The NCAA mandates that Eastern Illinois University is responsible for ensuring that those associated with Panther athletics are in compliance with all pertinent rules & regulations. This responsibility also extends to the athletics department staff in accordance with any individual or organization that is associated with the promotion of Eastern Illinois University Athletics.
This brochure is a quick reference to a number of the NCAA rules and regulations that apply to representatives of athletics interest for Eastern Illinois University. However, due to the complexity of the NCAA rules and regulations, this brochure does not include all possible situations and should not be relied upon exclusively. We are extremely appreciative of your support for Panther athletics and urge you to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations of the NCAA.
For more information contact:
Jason Hall,Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Academic Services
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
217.581.6992
jrhall@eiu.edu
ARE YOU A REPRESENTATIVE OF ATHLETICS INTEREST FOR EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY?
You are considered a representative of athletic interest if you:
• Are or have ever been a member or participated in an organization supporting Panther athletics.
• Have assisted or asked to assist in the recruiting of student-athletes.
• Have ever made a donation to the athletics department of Eastern Illinois University or a booster organization.
• Have ever provided benefits to enrolled student-athletes, prospects, parents, or relatives.
Once you are identified as a representative of athletics interest, you will retain that identity perpetually.
Definitions
Student-Athlete:
A student-athlete is a student whose enrollment was solicited by a member of the athletics staff or representative of athletics interests with a view toward the student’s ultimate participation in the intercollegiate athletics program.
Prospective Student-Athlete:
A prospective student-athlete is an individual that has begun classes for the ninth grade. An individual who has not started classes can still be considered a prospective student-athlete if the institution provides the individual, their relatives, or family with financial benefits that are not provided to other students.
Recruiting:
Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospective student-athlete or a prospective student-athlete’s family by an institutional staff member or by a representative of athletics interest for the purpose of securing the prospective student-athlete’s enrollment and/or participation in the institution’s athletics program.
Contact:
A contact is a face-to-face meeting between a prospective student-athlete, legal guardian, or relative and an institutional staff member or representative of athletics interest which any dialogue is more than a greeting. Also, any face-to-face encounter that is prearranged or takes place on the prospective student-athletes educational institution, site of organized competition, practice or all-star team.
Extra Benefit:
An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a representative of the institution’s athletics interests to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete’s relative or friend a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Receipt of extra benefits is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to a particular segment of the student body determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability.
What is Permitted in Recruiting
• A representative of athletics interest is permitted to speak to a prospective student-athlete by telephone only if the prospective student-athlete initiates the telephone conversation and the call is not for the recruiting purposes. All questions about the institution’s athletics program should be referred to the athletics department staff.
• A representative of athletics interest is permitted to view a prospective student-athlete’s athletics contest on his or her own initiative, subject to the understanding that the athletics representative may not contact the prospective student-athlete on such occasions.
• A representative of athletics interest is permitted to send any information regarding a prospective student-athlete to the coaching staff at Eastern Illinois University.
• A representative of athletics interest is permitted to continue established relationships with friends and neighbors as long as they are not made for recruiting purposes.
What is Prohibited in Recruiting
• A representative of athletics interest is prohibited from making in-person, on- or off-campus recruiting contacts, or written or telephone communications with a prospect or the prospects legal guardians or relatives.
• A representative of athletics interest is prohibited from making contact with the student-athlete of another institution, directly or indirectly, to encourage the transfer or participation in the athletics program. The second institution must first obtain the written permission of the first institution’s athletics director to talk with the student-athlete, regardless of who makes the initial contact.
• A representative of athletics interest is prohibited from contacting a prospective student-athlete’s coach, principal, or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospective student-athlete.
• A representative of athletics interest is prohibited from visiting a prospective student-athlete’s educational institution to pick up film/videotape or transcripts pertaining to the evaluation of the prospective student-athlete’s academic eligibility or athletics ability.
• A representative of athletics interest is prohibited from entertaining a prospective student-athlete and/or a family member, relative, or friend at any site, either on- or off-campus.
• A representative of athletics interest is prohibited from arranging or paying for transportation for a prospective student-athlete, a family member, relative, or friend to visit the institutions campus.
Examples of Extra Benefits
• Discounts and Credits: A student-athlete may not receive a special discount, payment arrangement or credit on a purchase (e.g., airline ticket, clothing) or a service (e.g., laundry, dry cleaning) from an institutional employee or a representative of its athletics interests.
• Free or Reduced Cost Services: An athletics representative may not provide a student-athlete with professional services (for which a fee normally would be charged) without charge or at a reduced cost except as permitted elsewhere in this bylaw. Professional services provided at less than the normal rate or at no expense to a student-athlete are considered an extra benefit unless they are available on the same basis to the general student body.
• Telephones and Credit Cards: It is not permissible to allow a student-athlete to use a telephone or credit card for personal reasons without charge or at a reduced cost.
• Entertainment: A student-athlete may not receive 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, or free or reduced-cost admission to professional athletics contests from professional sports organizations, unless such services also are available to the student body in general.
• Other Prohibited Benefits include, but are not limited to: (a) A loan of money; (b) A guarantee of bond; (c) Use of an automobile; (d) Transportation; or (e) Signing or cosigning a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan.
