A POCKET GUIDE TO NCAA REGULATIONS
The University of North Carolina
Department of Athletics
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF CAROLINA ATHLETICS
2008-2009
The University of North Carolina
Mission Statement
The Department of Athletics has offered high quality athletics programs for many years. Through a dedicated commitment to educational interests, competitive athletics programs, and integrity in all areas, the student-athletes, coaches, and staff strive to bring credit and recognition to the University.
The mission of the Department is to sponsor a broad-based athletics program that provides educational and athletic opportunities that allow young men and women to grow and develop, and to serve the interests of the University by complementing and enhancing its diversity and quality of life. Coaches, as educators, are fundamental to this process. In keeping with the University’s efforts to offer programs of regional and national acclaim, the Department’s athletics programs strive for competitive excellence within the Atlantic Coast Conference and with other similar institutions. Through its athletics programs, the University seeks to unite students, faculty, staff, and alumni in a common and shared experience. The Department seeks to contribute to the diversity of the University by offering opportunities for enhanced racial/ethnic, cultural, and geographic representation.
Fulfilling this mission requires strong dedication and commitment from all who participate in, coach in, and support the Department of Athletics.
Do you want to help UNC succeed?
This brochure has been developed by The University of North Carolina Department of Athletics to serve as a guideline for NCAA legislation governing alumni and friends of NCAA institutions. This brochure summarizes rules and regulations involving situations encountered by alumni and friends and their requests for assistance in complying with NCAA legislation. Your efforts to follow this legislation are greatly appreciated, because violations could affect the eligibility of involved prospects or student-athletes, result in NCAA penalties being imposed on UNC, and lead to restrictions regarding your involvement in UNC’s athletics program.
All NCAA legislation cannot be covered in a limited brochure such as this. Therefore, any additional questions should be forwarded to the Rams Club or the Compliance Office in the Department of Athletics. Please refer below for telephone listings.
We appreciate your interest and continued support of our program.
Richard A. Baddour
Director of Athletics
Compliance Office: 919-962-6000
- Amy Herman, Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance
- Susan Maloy, Assistant Athletics Director for Certification and Eligibility
- Lance Markos, Director of Compliance
Rams Club: 919-843-2000
Are you a "Representative of UNC’s Athletics Interests"?
You are a representative of UNC’s athletics interests, more commonly known as a "booster," if you meet any of the following conditions:
You are a member of any organization that promotes UNC’s athletics program (e.g., Rams Club).
You have made a financial contribution to the UNC Department of Athletics or any of its booster organizations.
You have ever assisted in the recruitment of prospects for UNC.
You have provided benefits (e.g., summer jobs or occasional meals) to enrolled student-athletes.
You have ever, in any way, promoted the athletics program at UNC. NOTE: Please remember that once you become a booster, you retain that identify indefinitely.
Who is a "Prospective
Student-Athlete"?
A prospective student-athlete, commonly known as a "prospect," is any individual who has started classes for the 9th grade. In addition, individuals enrolled in preparatory schools or two-year colleges are considered prospects. Ultimately, a student remains a prospect until enrollment at a four-year collegiate institution. Who can recruit for The University of North Carolina? Only University of North Carolina coaches who successfully complete the annual NCAA Coaches Certification Exam, which tests their knowledge of NCAA recruiting legislation, are permitted to be involved in the recruiting process.
As a booster, you:
*MAY NOT make any recruiting contacts with prospects or their relatives. This includes telephone calls, letters, emails, and facsimiles, along with any face-to-face contact either on- or off-campus.
*MAY NOT assist UNC coaches by picking up transcripts, films, or any other information pertaining to a prospect’s ability from the prospect’s educational institution.
*MAY forward information about prospects to the appropriate coaching staff member.
*MAY view a prospect’s athletics contest on your own initiative, provided you do not contact the prospect or his/her relatives, coach, principal, or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the academic or athletic abilities of the prospect. You are responsible for all incurred costs or fees at a contest.
*MAY speak to a prospect on the telephone ONLY if the prospect initiates and places the call. You are not permitted to have a recruiting conversation, but you may exhibit normal civility. Under such circumstances, you must refer all questions about the athletics program to the coaching staff. NCAA Rules Regarding Booster Involvement with Prospects You may not provide benefits of any kind (e.g., clothing, special discounts, lodging, meals, transportation, tickets, loans of money) to prospects or their relatives.
You may not make contact with a prospective student-athlete or his/her parents when the prospect is on campus for an official or unofficial recruiting visit.
You may not contact a prospective student-athlete to congratulate him/her on signing a National Letter of Intent to attend UNC.
You may not provide transportation or arrange for payment of transportation costs for a prospect or his/her relatives or friends to visit campus.
You may not earmark funds for specific prospects to attend a UNC summer camp. Instead, you may donate funds to a high school, and that school and its students will decide which camps they will attend.
You may not employ or arrange for employment of a prospect prior to the completion of his/her senior year in high school or official withdrawal/graduation from junior college or prep school. Only at that time may you employ a prospect, provided compensation is for work actually performed and at a rate commensurate with experience and the going rate.
You may not provide ANYTHING to a prospect or his/her family or friends without prior approval from the Compliance Office. NCAA Rules Regarding Booster Involvement with Enrolled Student-Athletes You may not pay for or arrange for payment of room, board, or any type of transportation at any time for currently enrolled student-athletes, their relatives, or their friends.
You may not provide student-athletes with any sort of extra benefit, which refers to any special arrangement to provide a student-athlete or his/her relatives or friends with a benefit unavailable to the general student population.
You may not provide student-athletes with any special discounts (e.g., free or reduced meals, housing), payment arrangements (e.g., cosigning a loan), credits on a purchase (e.g., airline ticket, clothing), or services (e.g., dry cleaning, transportation, use of telephone).
You may not provide awards or gifts to student-athletes for any reason. This also prohibits honorariums for speaking engagements. All awards to student-athletes must meet NCAA legislation and be approved by the Compliance Office.
You may not entertain student-athletes or their family or friends. The only exception to this is that you may, on an occasional basis, provide a student-athlete or team (not family members or friends) with a meal. That meal can be catered, but it must be in your home, and you must notify the coach and receive prior approval from the Compliance Office.
NOTE: These rules apply throughout the student-athlete’s entire enrollment at UNC (including summer break). NCAA Rules Regarding Student-Athlete Employment Prospects may be employed by boosters during the summer prior to their enrollment at UNC. Please note that this employment may not begin until the prospect has graduated from high school or withdrawn/graduated from junior college or prep school.
Current student-athletes may seek employment during both the academic year and summer. All employment arrangements must meet the following regulations: (a) The student-athlete’s compensation must not include any remuneration for the value or utility the student-athlete may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame, or personal following that he or she has obtained because of athletics ability; (b) The student-athlete must be compensated only for work actually performed; and (c) The student-athlete must be paid at a rate commensurate with the going rate for similar services in that locale. Provided these regulations are met, there is no limit on the amount of money student-athletes can earn; however the Compliance Office maintains records verifying all student-athlete employment. If you intend to hire a student-athlete at your place of business, please remind the student-athlete that he/she must consult with the Compliance Office regarding the employment arrangements and complete all required paperwork. NCAA Rules Regarding the Internet
Correspondence via the internet is considered similar to letters, email, or telephone calls. Therefore, the internet may not be used by boosters to contact prospects, their families, or their coaches. Participating in chat rooms, blogs, instant messaging, or social networking sites with prospects is strictly prohibited.
NCAA Rules Regarding Promotional Activities for Student-Athletes
Student-athletes are not permitted to be involved in the advertisement, recommendation, or promotion of commercial products or services, as it would affect their amateur status. However, there are certain instances in which student-athletes are permitted to be involved in charitable, educational, or non-profit promotional activities. These events must be approved by the Compliance Office prior to the student-athletes’ participation. If you are interested in involving student-athletes in this sort of activity, please contact the Compliance Office at 919-962-6000.
Consequences for Boosters who
Violate NCAA Regulations
Under NCAA rules, UNC is responsible for all actions of its boosters. Therefore, it is also our responsibility to make you aware of consequences for violating the rules contained within this brochure. Boosters found in violation are subject to losing benefits and privileges, including season tickets. In addition, the NCAA Committee on Infractions, in some cases, has required institutions to disassociate boosters from the institution.
Common Questions
Q: Can a booster be involved when a prospect is on an official or unofficial visit to campus?
A: NO. Boosters are precluded from all recruiting activities, including face-to-face contacts with a prospect or his/her relatives at any time.
Q: Can boosters contact prospects to encourage them to attend UNC?
A: NO. Any such contact could result in the prospect being declared ineligible to participate in athletics at UNC.
Q: May a booster engage in evaluation activities on behalf of the institution?
A: A booster may view a prospect’s contest on his/her own initiative, provided no contact is made with the prospect or his/her family. However, this evaluation may not take place at the request or direction of a UNC staff member, and a booster is not permitted to contact anyone associated with the prospect in an effort to evaluate him/her.
Q: May a booster attend a public event (e.g., high school awards banquet or dinner) at which prospects are in attendance?
A: Yes. However, contact with prospects or their families may not occur, and no attempt can be made to recruit the prospect.
Q: May a student-athlete’s name, picture, or appearance be used in a promotional activity?
A: It depends on the situation. Please contact the Compliance Office at 919-962-6000 with your specific scenario.
How can I help?
If you know of a prospective student-athlete who might be interested in attending UNC, we encourage you to call the appropriate coach, as this is the only permissible recruiting activity for boosters.
Baseball ....................................... 919-962-2351
Men’s Basketball ........................ 919-962-1154
Women’s Basketball .................. 919-962-5187
Fencing ........................................ 919-962-5221
Field Hockey .............................. 919-962-5230
Football ....................................... 919-966-2575
Men’s Golf ................................. 919-962-0753
Women’s Golf ........................... 919-962-4273
Gymnastics ................................. 919-962-5213
Men’s Lacrosse .......................... 919-962-5216
Women’s Lacrosse .................... 919-962-0740
Rowing ........................................ 919-962-8278
Men’s Soccer .............................. 919-962-5739
Women’s Soccer ........................ 919-962-4100
Softball ........................................ 919-962-5223
Swimming/Diving ..................... 919-966-5340
Men’s Tennis .............................. 919-962-6060
Women’s Tennis ........................ 919-962-6262
Track/Cross Country ............... 919-962-5199
Volleyball .................................... 919-962-5228
Wrestling ..................................... 919-962-5212
TWO FINAL REMINDERS:
1) Please contact the Compliance Office at 919-962-6000 if you need a specific rule interpretation.
2) If in doubt, remember that, in most cases,
CONTACT AND/OR PROVISION OF ANY BENEFIT IS PROHIBITED!
Winning with Integrity
On behalf of The University of North Carolina, we would like to thank each of you for your tremendous support of our entire athletics program. Our administration, coaches, and, most importantly, our 750 student-athletes are very appreciative of the spirit with which you embrace UNC and our 28 sports programs.
With that support, however, comes a very important responsibility for you as a UNC booster. UNC embraces the concept of shared compliance, whereas members of the athletics department, other institutional staff members, student-athletes, and UNC boosters are responsible for ensuring UNC’s commitment to integrity and rules compliance. Your adherence to applicable NCAA regulations, therefore, is essential to the continuation of the success that UNC has enjoyed.
Our Compliance staff is prepared to help you along the way should you have a concern regarding any situation. We encourage you to contact us with any questions, as your commitment to integrity will ensure that the eligibility of prospects and enrolled student-athletes is both protected and maintained.
Again, we thank you for your cooperation and ongoing support of UNC Athletics.
GO TAR HEELS!