What makes an Athletic Program Compliant in the NJCAA?

 

1.       High School Graduation/GED Accreditation

§          Is the institution accredited or satisfies one of Article V, Section 3.A?

§          Where to start researching? 

                                                         i.            U.S. Department of Education – www.ed.gov

~      Council for Higher Education - www.chea.org

                                                        ii.            State Department of Education in that school’s state.

                                                      iii.            Regional and National Institutional Accrediting Agencies - www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg7.html

 

2.       Knowing and Understanding the Eligibility Rules in Article V.

§          If you don’t know – Ask!

§          Tools to help you with eligibility: NJCAA Casebook, Cases of the Week emails, your RD’s, the National Office.

 

3.       Gathering and Determining Eligibility

§          Delay and Break of Enrollment Statements – use the Eligibility Affidavit.

§          College Transcripts.  Cannot use college credits that do not show on a college transcript.

§          Transfer Tracking Form – can use this form to verify the participation of a transfer student.

§          Amateur Status – use the Amateurism Questionnaire then do your research.

§          If you do not have all information to correctly determine eligibility, it is recommended that you should not give the student a uniform because once you have given them a uniform they will no longer be as cooperative in getting you the information that you need.

 

4.       Correct Documentation on Exceptions to the Rules

§          All hardships, part-time rule, certified learning disabilities, audits, withdraws, 18 calendar month rule, participation, physicals, etc.

§          Awards – all information must be complete in order to have a student considered for an award (All-American, Academic All-American, etc.)

 

5.       Transferring

§          Who is a transfer? – one who has been full-time at another college and/or has participated at another college.

§          To be immediately eligible the transfer must meet two things as a transfer from a member college:

                                                         i.            Be academically eligible.

                                                        ii.            Meet one of the 5 provisions:

1.       Previous college does not have the sport.

2.       Obtain the Transfer Waiver.

3.       Transfer has not participated and transfers from first CC to a CC in their home district.

4.       Transfers to a CC with a brand new athletic program (not team) in their home district.

5.       Transferring from a CC that has been placed on probation in that sport.

§          Transfer Waiver

                                                         i.            If the waiver is not obtained the student must serve one entire season in that sport.  (Article V, Section 10.B.2, page 42).

                                                        ii.            If the student has the Transfer Waiver but is academically eligible then he/she must be full-time at the college where they will be participating.

§          Non-member college transfers only need to be academically eligible and have eligibility remaining to be immediately eligible.  If not, then the 16-week probationary period must be served earning 12 hours with a 2.0.

 

6.       Meeting Deadlines

§          Eligibility form deadlines: Article V, Section 13.D (page 45).

§          Audit deadlines:  Article V, Section 13.C.3 (page 44).

§          Letters of Intent: Article VIII, Section 1.D (page 54).

 

7.       Non-US Citizen Student-Athletes (not holders of Green Cards).

§          Determine amateur status.

                                                         i.            Amateurism Questionnaire

§          Limited scholarship numbers for international students – Sports Procedures.

§          NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly known as the Clearinghouse).

                                                         i.            Amateur part of the Clearinghouse is new to the 07-08 academic year. 

                                                        ii.            As per our email and emergency ruling on July 19, 2007, an NJCAA member college may provide the funding for the NCAA initial eligibility/amateur clearinghouse under the following conditions:

·          The student-athlete must be signed to a valid NJCAA Letter of Intent, prior to the funding of this fee. 

·          The college must pay the fee directly to the clearinghouse agency and not to the student-athlete.

·          The student-athlete agrees to share the results of the clearinghouse process with both the NJCAA member institution and the NJCAA National Office.

§      Citizenship

                                                         i.            Green Cards and US Passports issued by the US government will allow a student to be considered as a permanent resident.  (VISA’s, I-94 and I-20 cards do not give a student permanent resident status – these just give them permission by the government to be in the country legally.)

 

8.       Letters of Intent

§      What can be offered in an athletic scholarship?

                                                         i.            Article VIII, Section 1.A

§      Submitting on time.

§      Signing process.

                                                         i.            Correct order of signatures.

                                                        ii.            Entering all information: personal, scholarship information, athletic director’s signature, all other signature dates.

                                                      iii.            Final submission.

§      When a student-athlete becomes recruitable.

                                                         i.            When a student is Released.

                                                        ii.            At the end of the season or last term of the year whichever is later.

§          Who is a counter towards overall number of athletic scholarships/signees.  (Sports Procedures, pages 48-49.)

§          Manager Scholarships.

 

9.       Release Agreement

§          When can you release? 

§          Why can you release a student? 

§          Replacing a scholarship?  When?

 

10.    Recruiting

§          Knowing when a student becomes recruitable.

§          What to do when a student-athlete has contacted you from another college – Contact Notification Form.

§          Obtaining the Release.

§          Recruiting Visits

 

11.    Practice – Off Season Athletic Activities (Article VIII, Section 6.G, page 57)

§          During the off season what can and cannot happen?

                                                               i.      All activities must be on campus.

                                                              ii.      Al activities must be voluntary.

                                                            iii.      Any participants in these activities must be enrolled/registered at the college and have a valid physical on file.

                                                             iv.      No college funds may be used for any current or prospective student-athlete during the off season.

                                                              v.      No college equipment may be used off campus for any current or prospective student-athlete.

                                                             vi.      No member of the college coaching staff may have off campus athletic contact with any current student-athlete or one who has signed a valid LOI with the following exceptions:

1.       Coach may observe, maybe coach against, and/or participate against the student but cannot may not be involved with the activity itself (coaching, practicing, or participating with) with the student.

                                                           vii.      Any college without an on campus facility must send in the appropriate documentation of the college using a facility off campus approved by the national office.

                                                          viii.      All activities are limited to 4 hours per week during the off season.

§          See the Sports Procedures for more on what defines the off season.  Also refer to Article VIII, Section 6.G.D.

 

12.    Audits

§          A way for the National Office to check on how our colleges are doing with eligibility and letters of intent. 

§          Refer to the list of items and details of audits on page 44 in Section 13.

 

13.    Other information

§          Appeal process – Article VII.

§          How a proposal becomes a bylaw – Article XVII

§          Ejection Policy and Code of Conduct – Articles XVIII and XX.

 

REMEMBER YOU MAKE YOUR ATHLETIC PROGRAM COMPLIANT, NOT THE RECORD AT THE END OF THE SEASON.