GUIDELINES FOR BOOSTERS
Supporters of Warrior Athletics Alumni, Donors, Boosters and Friends (non-athletic department staff)
Dear Supporters of Warrior Athletics, At CSU Stanislaus we are committed to achieving in the classroom, while abiding by all National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules. Your support is important to our compliance effort. As an NCAA member, CSU Stanislaus is responsible for the actions of those whom the NCAA considers “representatives of its athletics interests,” or Supporters of Warrior Athletics. The CSU Stanislaus athletic department appreciates your continued support and interest. The attached information has been developed to provide you with the basic information concerning the NCAA rules, and to answer questions you may have regarding the recruitment of prospective student-‐athletes and contact with currently enrolled student-‐athletes. Please review the guide and share the information with others who support Warrior Athletics. Sincerely, Mike Matoso CSU Stanislaus Director of Intercollegiate Athletics INSIDE Definitions to Know “Supporter”………..………………………………... 2 “Prospect”…………………………………………… 2 Do’s and Don’ts Five Important Rules…………………………….. 3 Prospects at Alumni Events………………………. 3 Contact with Recruitable Prospects………...……3-4 Employment of Prospects and Student Athletes. 5 Current Student Athletes………………………….. 6 Examples of “Extra Benefit” Don’ts……………… 7 1
Definitions to Know Athletics Interest ("Supporter")
(NCAA 13.02.11)
Supporters of Warrior Athletics are officially considered “representative of the institution's athletics interest.” Supporters are individuals or businesses known (or should be known) by the CSU Stanislaus Athletics Department to have participated in any of the following: • Participate in or been a member of an organization promoting CSU Stanislaus Athletics; • Contribute financially to the CSU Stanislaus Athletic Department, individual athletic programs or any other CSU Stanislaus Athletics or sport-‐specific booster organization; • Assist in the recruitment of prospects; • Provide NCAA permissible benefits to enrolled student-‐athletes or their families; • Promote the CSU Stanislaus Athletics Department in other ways. Once identified as a Supporter of Warrior Athletics, an individual or business retains that identity for life.
Prospective Student Athlete ("Prospect")
(NCAA 13.02.10.1)
A "prospective student athlete" is considered a prospect if the student has started classes for the ninth (9th) grade. A younger student may become a prospect if the institution provides such an individual (or relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits not provided to prospective students generally. Prospects become "recruited prospects" when any of the following occurs from actions by Athletics staff or by Supporters of Warrior Athletics: • Providing the prospect with an “official visit”* to CSU Stanislaus; • Having arranged, in person, off-‐campus encounter with the prospect or the prospect's relatives; • Initiates or arranges telephone contact with the prospect or relatives for the purpose of recruitment; • Issuing a National Letter of Intent or the University's written offer of athletically related financial aid to a prospect. *An official visit to CSU Stanislaus by a prospective student athlete is a visit financed in whole or in part by the
CSU Stanislaus Athletics Department.
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Supporter "Do's and Don'ts" Five Important Rules 1. Supporters who are not employed by CSU Stanislaus are not permitted to contact a prospect (or family members) by letter, telephone or in person for the purpose of soliciting their participation in the CSU Stanislaus athletics program. (NCAA 13.01.04) 2. A prospect remains a prospect even after signing a Letter of Intent or financial aid agreement to attend CSU Stanislaus. Only until the prospect starts classes or begins an official team practice does the prospect change status to "current student athlete." 3. Do not do ANYTHING for prospects without specific authorization from the CSU Stanislaus Athletic Department. 4. If you meet a prospect during the normal course of business, there is no problem with the contact as long as CSU Stanislaus is not a topic of that contact. The same holds true for parents and family members of prospect. 5. If a prospect accepts any benefits based on special consideration as an athlete, the prospect will lose all eligibility for intercollegiate athletics participation.
Prospects at Alumni Events Do's: • Tell CSU Stanislaus athletic department staff invited to speak at alumni events if prospects will be in attendance. There are certain time periods when coaches are prohibited from any prospect contact off campus. Don'ts: • Do not invite prospects to alumni events. NCAA rules prohibit contact between alumni and supporters of Warrior athletics at on-‐campus and off-‐campus sites. Prospects can be entertained under certain conditions that do not involve singling out prospects for special treatment , such as inviting all high school seniors to an alumni or scholarship event; • Do not bring your child or any guest to an alumni gathering event if they would be considered prospects.
Contact with Recruitable Prospects Do's: • Feel free to attend junior and senior high school and community college athletic events; to engage in normal activities; and to offer assistance to any CSU Stanislaus coach who is recruiting a prospect in your community (such as, offering transportation for the coach or suggesting people to contact for information about prospects). • Do all described in the bullet point above without initiating any contact with the prospect or the prospect's family. If incidental contact does occur, be sure to explain that you cannot discuss the University's athletic program with them and explain that NCAA rules prohibit you from doing so. Also, inform the CSU Stanislaus Director of Compliance to ensure that NCAA rules were not violated.
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Don'ts:
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Do not telephone or write to a prospect for the purpose of soliciting their participation in the athletics program. Should a prospect initiate a telephone conversation with you, you are obligated to refer all questions regarding the University's athletics program to the athletics department staff. Do not make in-‐person contact with prospects on or off campus.
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Do not contact a prospect's coach, principal or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospect.
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Do not directly or indirectly become involved in making arrangements for a prospect, their family or friends, to receive money, financial aid or benefits, or arrangements that may be available to prospective students in general (such as providing a ride to campus to a "general student", where that ride would be prohibited for a prospect).
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Do not provide any of the following prohibited inducements to prospects. These include, but are not limited to the following:
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-‐ cash or loans -‐ employment after college graduation -‐ special discounts or payment arrangements on loans -‐ involvement in arranging for free or reduced charges for professional or personal services -‐ purchases or charges -‐ use of an automobile -‐ providing transportation to or from a summer job or to any other site -‐ signing or co-‐signing a note for a loan -‐ the loan or gift of money or other tangible items (such as clothes, cars, jewelry, electronics, etc.) -‐ guarantees of bond -‐ purchase of items or services from a prospect or prospect's family at inflated prices -‐ Providing transportation, directly or indirectly, in order to enroll at CSU Stanislaus -‐ Any financial aid other than that administered by CSU Stanislaus -‐ the promise of financial aid for post-‐graduate education -‐ Free or reduced-‐cost housing arrangements in payment of transportation costs incurred by relatives/friends of prospect Do not contact enrolled student-‐athletes from other four-‐year institutions for the purpose of discussing transfer to CSU Stanislaus. Do not pay or arrange for payment of transportation costs incurred by prospects, or friends/relatives, or offer transport to any of those persons. The Athletic Department is allowed a limited number of expense-‐paid visits to prospects and each prospect is limited to accepting a maximum of five such visits (no more than one per institutions).
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Do not provide free tickets to prospects to home or away games or to any event.
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Do not establish any fund for the purpose of recruiting prospects.
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Do not entertain, provide tickets, gifts or other benefits to prospects at any time.
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Do not pay, in whole or part, or lend funds for the payment of registration fees for any prospect to attend a summer sports camp.
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Do not mail anything to a prospect.
Employment of Prospects and Student Athletes Do's: •
Provide employment for prospects and current student athletes during permissible time periods and at regular rates of pay. All enrolled student athletes must maintain a written employment record with the Athletics Department.
Don'ts: •
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Do not provide employment to prospects or current student athletes without first checking with the CSU Stanislaus Athletics Department. The Athletics Department is permitted to arrange employment during permissible time periods. Do not employ a prospect prior to the completion of that prospect's high school senior year.
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Do not employ a current student athlete during the academic year without Athletics Department permission. Such earnings would be countable against NCAA scholarship limits and must be carefully monitored.
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Do not provide free transportation to and from jobs for student-‐athlete employees unless such transportation is provided to all employees.
Current Student Athletes Do's: •
Feel free to invite a team for dinner or to meet with alumni or friends in a city where they play. Student-‐ athletes may participate in many events and are allowed to receive, as a team, benefits which individual student-‐athletes may not. Always make arrangements for such activities through the head coach or an Athletics Department administrator. See bylaw 16.11.1.4 (b) as this outlines the specifics regarding where a rep. of athletics interest can provide a meal to a team.
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Don'ts: •
Do not provide room, board or transportation costs for friends or family of a current student athlete who visit campus or attend away events.
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Do not provide or pay for typing or other costs associated with school projects or reports.
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Do not provide any payment of expenses or the loan of an automobile for a student-‐athlete for any reason.
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Do not provide an "extra benefit" or special arrangements to student-‐athletes or their friends/relatives. (SEE BELOW for examples)
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Do not provide professional services where a fee would normally be charged.
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Do not expend funds to entertain student-‐athletes or their friends/relatives.
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Do not permit student-‐athletes or their friends/relatives the use of your phone for long-‐distance phone calls at your expense.
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Do not provide gifts or awards to a student-‐athlete for their athletic performance. All awards must be approved by CSU Stanislaus Athletics Department.
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Do not use the name or picture of a student-‐athlete to directly advertise, recommend or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind. Such use will render the student-‐athlete immediately ineligible.
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Do not provide an honorarium to a student-‐athlete for any speaking engagement. They must be approved by the Athletics Department and may only cover necessary travel expenses.
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Do not give money.
Examples of "Extra Benefit" Don'ts Extra Benefits: (NCAA 16.02.2) An extra benefit is any special arrangement by institutional employee or a Supporter of Warrior Athletics to provide a student-‐athlete or the student-‐athlete’s relatives/friends a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Receipt of a benefit by student-‐athletes or their relatives/friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation ONLY if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution’s students or their relatives/friends or to a segment of the student body determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability. Below are examples of prohibited extra benefits. These include, but are not limited to the following: -‐ Special discounts -‐ A loan of money, gift or use of -‐ Free use of a copy or fax machine credit card
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-‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐
Any signing or co-‐signing arrangements Transportation to or from work or school Office or home telephone use Free or reduced cost on any items Complimentary tickets to events/entertainment Guarantee of bond Free typing services Use of automobile Birthday/Wedding gifts Shoes or apparel Payment for work not performed Rent free or reduced cost housing Christmas or birthday gifts
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Ways to Support Warrior Athletics: If you wish to contribute financially to Warrior Athletics, you can make a tax deductible contribution to the CSU Stanislaus Athletics Department and indicate how you would like your contribution to be used. All funds used for recruiting must be administered by the University. Donations to any Warrior athletics teams (Men's & Women's Basketball, Soccer, Track & Field, Cross Country, Tennis, Golf, Women's Volleyball, Baseball, and Softball) is greatly appreciated. Now more than ever, as public sector funds continue to remain scarce, our athletic programs must rely on private sector contributions to maintain competitiveness. For Questions Regarding your Involvement with CSU Stanislaus Student-Athletes or NCAA RULES: Contact: Mike Matoso, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, or Kim Duyst, Associate Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator California State University, Stanislaus One University Circle Turlock, CA 95382 Phone: (209)667-‐3581 E-‐mail: mmatoso@csustan.edu or kduyst@csustan.edu
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