Official and Unofficial Visits
NLI and CARA
Social Media and Correspondence
Camps and Clinics
Wildcard
100
John Reisman is a student-athlete at Arizona State. John wants to transfer to GSU this fall. Before he commits, he would like to visit campus and meet with the coaches. There are only 3 dates in July when John is available to visit. All 3 dates happen to fall in a dead period. Is it permissible for John to take an official visit to GSU during a dead period?
No. NCAA Bylaw 13.02.5.5 - a dead period is a period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the institution’s campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by PSAs to the institution’s campus.
100
GSU's head women’s golf coach attended a local high school’s “Senior Day” event involving Victoria Franco, a PSA. Coach participated in a public announcement of Victoria's signing a national letter of intent with GSU. Is this permissible?
No. NCAA Bylaw 13.10.9.3 - press conferences to announce a signing may be arranged independently by the PSA (or the PSA’s family), provided there is no arrangement or involvement whatsoever by the institution or representatives of its athletics interests.
100
Two local volleyball recruits signed NLIs with GSU earlier this week. They will be attending GSU’s home opener on Saturday, and the GSU staff would like to have them introduced during the game. GSU can use social media to publicize the signees’ visit to campus for the game. GSU can have the signees introduced during the game as long as the media and/or the coaches are not with the signees during the introduction. True or False?
True. NCAA Bylaw 13.10.3 – there are no restrictions on publicity related to a PSA after he or she has "committed," except as set forth in Bylaw 13.10.1.
100
The men’s soccer coaches at GSU are hosting a winter clinic. One of the camp attendees will be taking an official visit to GSU immediately following the camp. GSU may pay the expenses for the PSA to travel home. True or False?
True. NCAA Educational Column (1/8/16) - in general, it is permissible for a PSA to participate in an institution’s camp or clinic in conjunction with an official visit, but the institution cannot pay for both legs of the trip if it exceeds the 48-hour window. [References: NCAA Division I Bylaws 13.1.6.2.3 (athletics events outside contact period – football and basketball), 13.5.2.1 (general restrictions), 13.6.4 (length of official visit), 13.6.4.1 (48-hour period defined), 13.6.5 (transportation on official visit), 13.12.1.5 (recruiting calendar exceptions); official interpretation (10/19/12); and staff interpretation (12/19/14)]
100
The athletic trainers at GSU would like to have all of the 2016 NLI signees undergo the required mandatory medical exams prior to arriving on campus for summer school and/or preseason practice. GSU may pay the expenses associated with these exams. True or False?
True. NCAA Staff Interpretation (3/23/16) - an institution may pay the cost of a mandatory medical exam or sickle cell solubility test for a PSA who has "committed."
200
John has signed a written offer of admission. Is it now permissible for John to take an official visit to GSU during a dead period?
Yes. NCAA Bylaw 13.02.5.5.2 - a PSA is no longer subject to the application of a dead period after the PSA has "committed."
200
Glenn Gilpin is a soccer prospect that is going to sign a NLI with GSU during the NLI signing period. If Glenn signs the NLI this morning, is she permitted to take an official visit at GSU later today and attend a home basketball game at 7pm?
Yes. NCAA Bylaw 13.02.5.5.2 - a PSA is no longer subject to the application of a dead period after one of the following events occurs: (Adopted: 1/16/10 effective 8/1/10, Revised: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11, 1/19/13 effective 8/1/13, 11/25/13) (a) The PSA signs an NLI or the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid; or (b) The institution receives a financial deposit in response to the institution’s offer of admission.
200
Coach wants to send friend requests and/or follow requests to certain PSAs, some of which are not of permissible age to receive electronic correspondence from the coaches. Is this permissible?
Yes. NCAA Staff Interpretation (12/5/13) – an institutional staff member is permitted to initiate or accept a “friend” or “follow” request to a PSA (or his or her parents or legal guardians) through a social networking site at any time, including prior to the first permissible date to send electronic correspondence, even if the social networking website sends an automatically-generated electronic notification (e.g., email, text message, push notification), provided the staff member does not modify the automatically-generated electronic notification and no additional communication is included.
200
A PSA may be employed in an institution’s camp or clinic only if he or she has "committed" (NCAA definition). True or False?
True. Bylaw 13.12.1.7.1.1 - an institution may employ a PSA in a camp or clinic, provided he or she has "committed."
200
It is permissible for GSU to pay the expenses for a PSA to attend an SAT/ACT test preparation class. True or False?
False. Bylaw 13.15.1.9 - an institution shall not provide academic expenses or services (e.g., tutoring, test preparation) to assist a PSA in completing initial-eligibility or transfer-eligibility requirements or in improving his or her academic profile in conjunction with a waiver request.
300
Are all of the following statements regarding unofficial visits true? A. PSA can have contact with coaches and SAs at an off-campus practice/competition site without it counting as an off-campus contact. B. PSA can have a meal at an off-campus practice site as long as the prospect pays for his/her own meal. C. PSA can receive transportation to an off-campus practice/competition site.
Yes. An unofficial visit may begin or end at an off-campus practice or competition facility (e.g., golf course, boathouse). PSA is permitted to eat a meal at an off-campus practice or competition facility, provided he or she pays the actual cost of the meal. Contact during the unofficial visit between institutional staff members or student-athletes and the PSA at an off-campus practice or competition facility is not considered an off-campus contact. [References: NCAA Bylaws 13.02.15.2 (unofficial visit), 13.1.6 (contacts), 13.5.3 (transportation on unofficial visit) and 13.7.2.1.1 (meals); staff interpretation (6/9/89, Item No. i); and official interpretation (4/28/94, Item No. 4)] NCAA Bylaw 13.5.3 states that during any unofficial recruiting visit, the institution may provide the prospective student-athlete with transportation to view practice and competition sites in the prospective student-athlete’s sport and other institutional facilities and to attend a home athletics contest at any local facility. An institutional staff member must accompany the prospective student-athlete during such a trip. Payment of any other transportation expenses, shall be considered a violation. [R] (Revised: 1/11/89, 4/27/00, 3/10/04, 4/28/05, 1/9/06 effective 8/1/06, 4/27/06)
300
Postseason competition (conference tournaments, NCAA championships, etc.) are the only exceptions to the "One day off per week" rule as it pertains to CARAs. True or False?
False.
300
The GSU softball team has a home competition this weekend. Because it is one of the few home games GSU has in the month of February, there will likely be many parents in attendance. GSU is also hosting 2 prospects on official visits this weekend. Is it permissible for the parents of GSU SAs and the PSAs and their families to have contact on-campus?
Yes. NCAA Bylaw 13.1.2.2(h) - on-campus contacts between a PSA or his or her relatives (traditional or nontraditional) or legal guardians accompanying the PSA and the relatives (traditional and nontraditional) or legal guardians of an enrolled SA.
300
May an individual who becomes a SA due to enrollment in summer school attend the institution’s camps as a participant?
No. NCAA Educational Column (4/3/14) - an enrolled SA (including one who initially enrolls in summer school prior to their initial full-time enrollment in a regular term at the certifying institution) may not participate as a camper in his or her institution’s camps or clinics.
300
It is permissible for GSU to pay transportation expenses for student-athletes to attend a yoga/conditioning session during an out-of-season period. True or False?
False. Bylaw 16.8.2.2 - an institution shall not provide expenses (e.g., travel, lodging, meals) to SAs in conjunction with permissible conditioning activities that may occur outside the playing season during the academic year.
400
Volleyball is hosting 4 prospects this weekend on official visits. The assistant coaches want to place Halloween decorations and candy all over the prospects’ hotel room, but will not include the prospects’ names in any of the decorations. Is this permissible?
No. NCAA Bylaw 13.6.7.9 (or 13.7.3 for unofficial visits) - an institution may not arrange miscellaneous, personalized recruiting aids (e.g., personalized jerseys, personalized audio/video scoreboard presentations) and may not permit a prospective student-athlete to engage in any game-day simulations (e.g., running onto the field with the team during pregame introductions) during an official visit. Personalized recruiting aids include any decorative items and special additions to any location the prospective student-athlete will visit (e.g., hotel room, locker room, coach’s office, conference room, arena) regardless of whether the items include the prospective student-athlete’s name or picture. (Adopted: 8/5/04, Revised: 5/14/05)
400
Samson Posey is a baseball prospect that signed an NLI this past November with GSU. Samson lives near GSU’s campus and wants to begin learning the team’s workouts, plays, etc. GSU may provide Samson with the team’s playbook and allow Samson to watch on-the-field practices, even if they are closed to the general public. True or False?
True. NCAA Bylaw 13.4.1.7.4 - an institution may provide any necessary pre-enrollment information (that is not otherwise considered to be general information related to an institution or its athletics programs) regarding orientation, conditioning, academics and practice activities in a video format (e.g., video playbook, games clips) to a PSA, provided he or she has "committed." Such information may be provided via a digital media storage device (e.g., DVD, flash drive).
400
A local high-school prospect is very torn between Georgia State and Georgia Southern. Is it permissible for current SAs, acting on their own initiative, to meet with/talk with the recruit, and try to persuade them to commit?
Yes. A current SA and a PSA connect and communicate via a social media platform at any time and publicly communicate with or about the PSA, provided the communication does not occur at the direction of a coach or other athletics department staff member and the communication does not relate to the PSA's recruitment (e.g., a SA may not publicly comment on a PSA's verbal commitment, a SA may not post any information that would publicize a PSA's visit to campus), including information that was initially generated by the PSA (e.g., share or "retweet").
400
The GSU baseball coaches purchased apparel from Nike for their summer camps this year. As a thank you for their business, Nike sent GSU ten dozen towels to give out during their camps. Can the coaches give the towels free of charge to the campers?
No. Bylaw 13.12.1.7.4 - PSAs may receive awards from a member institution’s sports camp or clinic with the understanding that the cost of such awards is included in the admissions fees charged for participants in the camp or clinic.
400
GSU's tennis team is hosting an NCAA Regional this weekend. Because the team is playing at home, are the GSU SAs permitted to receive the $30/day incidental expenses?
Yes. NCAA Staff Interpretation (5/22/15) - an institution participating in an NCAA championship or national governing body championship in an emerging sport conducted in the locale of the institution (i.e., the proximity of the competition site to the institution does not necessitate travel) may provide $30 per day to each member of the squad to cover unitemized incidental expenses during a period not to exceed the maximum number of days of per diem allowed for the involved championship as established by the applicable sport committee.
500
Robert T. Jefferson is a highly-ranked soccer recruit. Robert arrived on campus Thursday afternoon. It is now Saturday afternoon and Robert wants to the spend the rest of the weekend. The coaches know that they cannot pay for Robert's hotel after the 48-hour window expires, but it would be permissible for Robert to stay with current team members so long as the coach does not require it. True or False?
False. Bylaw 13.6.4 - An athlete may stay in the area of the institution but must depart campus after the 48-hour official visit window has ended. The institution may NOT pay for Robert's expenses (or arrange for extra benefits) incurred after the end of the 48-hour window.
500
Bona fide leadership training and/or teambuilding activities, conducted as part of life skills programming, that include physical components incidental to the leadership/teambuilding exercise (e.g., carrying a teammate) may occur during the in-season segment but not out of season. True or False?
False, bona fide leadership training and/or teambuilding activities can occur at any time. NCAA Bylaw 17.1.7.3.6 states that daily and weekly hour limitations do not apply to countable athletically related activities occurring during an institution’s term-time official vacation period, as listed in the institution’s official calendar, and during the academic year between terms when classes are not in session. If such vacation periods occur during any part of a week in which classes are in session, the institution is subject to the daily and weekly hour limitations during the portion of the week when classes are in session and must provide the student-athletes with a day off (see Bylaw 17.1.7.4), which may be a vacation day. (Adopted: 1/10/91 effective 8/1/91, Revised: 1/10/92)
500
August 2014 - PSA initially enrolls at Florida Atlantic University. April 2015 - PSA officially withdraws from FAU. We may contact PSA in February 2016 without PTC. True or False?
False. Bylaw 13.1.1.3.2 - a member institution may contact a SA who has withdrawn officially from a 4-year school without obtaining permission from the first institution only if at least 1 academic year has elapsed since the withdrawal.
500
During camps and clinics, can coaches provide private campus tours to enrolled campers?
No. NCAA Official Interpretation (6/25/15) - it is not permissible for an institution’s athletics department to conduct a campus tour during an institutional sports camp or clinic.
500
A booster is permitted to have a prearranged contact with a PSA who is making an official visit to campus, but would not be permitted to do so for a PSA on an unofficial visit. True or False?
False. Bylaw 13.1.2.1 - All in-person, on- and off-campus recruiting contacts with a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians shall be made only by authorized institutional staff members. Such contact, as well as correspondence and telephone calls, by representatives of an institution's athletics interests is prohibited.