DUCKS BOOSTERS

University of Oregon Compliance

NCAA Rules Education & Information

 1.  What is Compliance?
2a.  Meet the Oregon Compliance Office Staff
2b.  Mission Statement for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
 3.  Importance of Compliance - Letter from Bill Moos, Director of Athletics
 4.  Representative of Oregon's Athletics Interests (traditionally referred to as boosters)
 5.  Prospective Student-Athlete (information primarily for boosters)
 6.  Extra Benefits and the Enrolled Student-Athlete (information primarily for boosters)
 7.  Employment of Student-Athletes
 8.  NCAA Rules Regarding Fundraising Events
 9.  Permissible Promotional Activities
10.  Gambling
11.  Do You Want to Play for the University of Oregon?
12.  How Does NCAA Legislation Impact Representatives of Oregon's Athletics Interests?
13.  Always Ask Before You Act - Whom to Call With Questions?

1. What is Compliance?

One of the most important components of a compliance program is rules education. Keeping our student-athletes, boosters, and coaching staff members abreast of NCAA and Pac-10 legislation is the key to ensuring proper rules compliance. Compliance can be broken down into the following four primary components: 1) Rules Education, 2) Monitoring, 3) Investigations 4) Institutional Control.

Rules Education: Proper rules compliance is the concern of everyone associated with the University of Oregon, and every person plays a role, and that role begins with knowing all the rules. The Oregon rules education program takes place in a variety of ways, from compliance seminars for coaches, to team eligibility meetings, to this internet site which is primarily geared for our representatives of athletics interests.

Monitoring: This component involves making sure that the rules and institutional programs and systems that are in place are serving their purpose of red-flagging potential problems within the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Investigations: This aspect of compliance involves self-reporting those violations of NCAA and/or Pac-10 Conference rules that may occur. These violations can either be secondary or major in nature. A secondary violation is one that provides only a limited recruiting or competitive advantage and that is isolated or inadvertent in nature. A major violation is one that specifically provides an extensive recruiting or competitive advantage, and these generally carry a larger penalty. A large element of cooperating with investigations, and submitting any violations is a NCAA ethical conduct requirement for prospective student-athletes, enrolled student-athletes, and institutional staff members.

Institutional Control: This final component of any compliance program is the responsibility of all athletic constituents, and this area is led by the University of Oregon's chief executive officer, to control its intercollegiate athletics program, and to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations of the NCAA. Maintaining institutional control is imperative to continue the growth and success of Oregon athletics.

The University of Oregon wants to win only within the rules!

2a. Compliance Staff

Gary Gray has been an invaluable staff member for the Ducks since he first began working in the department in 1984. Gray helped build the Office of Academic Advising within the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. He first served as Assistant Coordinator, and then he moved into the position of Coordinator of Academic Advising in 1986, where he began to work closely with the Offices of Admissions and the Registrar.

Gray assumed the role of the department's authority on compliance and eligibility matters involving NCAA and Pac-10 Conference rules and regulations during the 1995-1996 academic year. He is well-respected on a national level in the area of rules compliance.

Compliance Staff
Mona Birnbaum -Undergraduate Compliance Intern
Leanne Brooks -Initial-Eligibility Coordinator
John E. Lucier, Jr. -Grant-in-Aid Coordinator

2b. Mission Statement for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics

Moreover, the existence of athletics produces ancillary services, which include but are not necessarily limited to providing:

• Resources for research in such academic areas as sports psychology, physiology of exercise, and athletic medicine;
• Events and activities which enrich and support the University of Oregon and the local and State of Oregon economy both directly and indirectly;
• A showcase for equality of opportunity, offering affirmative experiences and access for excellence to males and females;
• Increased institutional visibility through camps, clinics, and the hosting of major national and international events and contests; and
• A major focus by which the general public, alumni, and students come together to participate in pro-social activities of a bonding and identifying nature.

3. Importance of Compliance - A letter from Bill Moos, Director of Athletics

On behalf of the University of Oregon student-athletes, coaches, and staff, I would like to thank you for your continued interest in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Without the support of loyal alumni and friends, our athletic program could not be where it is today.

The University of Oregon is committed to continue reaching the highest levels of success, both academically and athletically. As an institution, we are dedicated to reaching these levels while maintaining our integrity. This includes adhering, in letter and spirit, to all of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10), and institutional rules and regulations governing intercollegiate athletics.

As a member of the NCAA, the University of Oregon is responsible for the actions of its representatives of athletics interests. The NCAA definition of a representative includes, but is not limited to, boosters, alumni, faculty, staff, and fans. Member institutions are held accountable for your actions as a representative. We value your interest and support, but we must remind you that a single violation of NCAA legislation resulting from an inappropriate action on your part, whether intentional or not, could jeopardize the eligibility of a student-athlete, a prospective student-athlete, and/or the compliance of the University of Oregon with NCAA and Pac-10 rules and regulations.

As the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics strives for academic and athletic excellence, we must always seek the highest standard of ethical conduct. With your help and cooperation in adhering to NCAA regulations, we believe that we can accomplish both of these objectives.

Thank you for your continued interest and support of the University of Oregon.

Sincerely,
Bill Moos
Director of Athletics

4. Representatives of Oregon's Athletics Interests (traditionally referred to as boosters)

• Participated in or been a member of any agency or organization that promotes University of Oregon intercollegiate athletics, such as an Oregon Club or any of the Oregon sport-specific support groups;
• Made financial contributions of any kind to the University of Oregon men's or women's athletic programs via the Duck Athletic Fund or any of the Oregon sport-specific support groups;
• Assisted or have been requested by a staff member of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics to be involved in the recruitment of a prospective student-athlete;
• Assisted in providing any benefit (e.g., summer jobs) to enrolled student-athletes or their families;
• Been involved in any other way in promoting any of Oregon's athletic programs.

According to NCAA legislation, once an individual has been identified as an "athletic representative," you retain that status forever. This is true even if you no longer contribute to the athletics program.

REMEMBER: As a representative of athletics interests, you are responsible for making the Oregon Compliance Office aware of any infractions of NCAA or Pac-10 rules you know have occurred, because even if a violation was unintentional, the eligibility of a prospective or enrolled student-athlete could be in jeopardy.

5. Prospective Student Athlete (information primarily for boosters)

A prospective student-athlete (PSA) is any student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, any student not yet in the ninth grade becomes a PSA if the institution provides such an individual, or their relatives or friends, any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally. Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospective student-athlete or the PSA's relatives or legal guardians by an University of Oregon staff member or by a representative of Oregon's athletics interests for the purpose of securing the PSA's enrollment and ultimate participation in the University of Oregon's intercollegiate athletics program. A recruiting contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospective student-athlete or the PSA's parents, relatives, or legal guardians and an University of Oregon staff member or a representative of Oregon's athletics interests during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged or that takes place on the grounds of the PSA's educational institution or at the site of an organized competition or practice involving the PSA or his/her high school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team shall be considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs.

Only University of Oregon coaches and staff members can be involved in the recruiting process. All in-person, on-and off-campus recruiting contacts with prospective student-athletes or their relatives or legal guardians shall only be made by authorized University of Oregon staff members. This means only coaches and staff members of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics that have successfully passed the annual coaches certification examination can be involved in the recruiting process for any given sport. All representatives of Oregon's athletics interests are prohibited from contacting a PSA or members of the PSA's family by letter, telephone calls, or in-person, either on or off the University of Oregon campus for the purpose of encouraging their participation in the University of Oregon athletic program.

An impermissible recruiting contact, even if unintentional, could subject the University of Oregon to penalties imposed by the NCAA. Prospects could lose eligibility for competition at the University of Oregon because of a recruiting violation by a booster.

A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect even after he or she has signed a National Letter of Intent or financial aid tender to attend the University of Oregon. The PSA does not lose this prospect status until the start of classes at the University of Oregon, or until the beginning of official team practice prior to the start of classes.

The following case studies will help illustrate this important piece of legislation:

Q. There is a prospective student-athlete in your hometown being recruited to play soccer at the University of Oregon. You know the PSA through your child who attends the same school. Is it permissible for you to discuss the University of Oregon with the PSA?

A. NO. You are not allowed to be involved in any recruiting activities, therefore, you may not discuss the University of Oregon with the PSA. However, you could still be of assistance by contacting the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics or a member of the Oregon women's soccer coaching staff to provide them with further information.

In addition, if you have an established family relationship with friends and neighbors, and their son or daughter happens to be a PSA, there is an exception which will allow you to have contact with these PSA's as long as they are not made for recruiting purposes, and they are not being initiated at the request of a member of the University of Oregon's coaching staff. Although you cannot discuss the University of Oregon athletic program with the PSA, you are still permitted to engage in your normal activities with prospects and their parents who are established family friends and neighbors.

Q. You are an alumnus of the University of Oregon and would like to bring your son to hear the Oregon men's basketball coach speak at an alumni function. Your child is a talented athlete with a possible interest in attending the University of Oregon as a student-athlete. May you bring him with you to this event?

A. YES. However, please do not introduce yourself or your child to the coach. This could place the coach in an awkward position, because the time period could be one in which the coach is not allowed to have contact with prospective student-athletes or their relatives or legal guardians. Institutional staff members certified to recruit off-campus may not have any off-campus recruiting contacts with a prospective student-athlete or their relatives or legal guardians prior to July 1 following the completion of the PSA's junior year in high school.

Q. You are traveling and happen to be in a city where a talented prospective student-athlete will be playing in a football game at their home stadium later that evening. Is it permissible for you to attend the game as a spectator?

A. YES. An athletics representative may view a PSA's athletics contest on his or her own initiative, subject to the understanding that the representative may not contact the prospect on such occasions. In addition, it would not be permissible for the representative to attempt to go to the high school early to evaluate the academic qualifications of the prospect. Therefore, you are not permitted to pick-up films, videotapes, or transcripts from the PSA's educational institution pertaining to the evaluation of the PSA's academic or athletics ability.

6. Extra Benefits and the Enrolled Student-Athlete (information primarily for boosters)

An enrolled student-athlete is an individual whose enrollment was solicited by a member of the athletics staff of the University of Oregon Department of Intercollegiate Athletics or other representatives of athletics interests with a view toward the student's ultimate participation in the intercollegiate athletics program. Any other student becomes a student-athlete only when the student reports for an intercollegiate squad that is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a representative of the institution's athletics interests to provide an enrolled student-athlete or the student-athlete's relatives or friends a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Receipt of a benefit by a student-athlete or their relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution's students or their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the Oregon student body (e.g., foreign students, minority students) determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability.

Important NCAA Legislation to Remember:

Representatives of Athletics Interests cannot provide an extra benefit to an enrolled student-athlete that is not available to all other students at the University of Oregon. The following are some examples of extra benefits to enrolled student-athletes that are prohibited by the NCAA:

• Providing the use of an automobile
• Providing tickets of any kind for entertainment, such as for an athletic, institutional, or community event
• Giving any type of gift, gift-in-kind, or money
• Providing free or reduced-cost room and/or board (this rule prevents student-athletes from "house sitting")
• Providing free or reduced-cost merchandise or services (i.e., clothing, haircuts, payment of long distance telephone calls, etc.)
• Allowing use of a copy or fax machine using equipment of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
• Providing or arranging any special discounts, credits, or special payment arrangements on any purchase or service
• Arranging, providing, or co-signing a loan
• Providing typing services or covering the related expenses for course-related papers or projects

If an enrolled student-athlete accepts any extra benefit based on his or her athletic ability, that student-athlete will lose all eligibility for further intercollegiate athletic participation. If the student-athlete has completed their eligibility, the institution is still responsible and may receive penalties applied to the specific athletic program in which the student-athlete participated. In addition, the booster or representative of athletics interests involved may be told to disassociate from the University of Oregon Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

The following case studies will help illustrate this important piece of legislation:

Q. Can boosters entertain enrolled student-athletes and/or the relatives and friends of student-athletes at any site, either on-or off-campus?

A. NO. In general, you are not allowed to entertain these groups of individuals, as this would be an extra benefit.

However, there is a limited exception to this general rule which will allow a student-athlete or the entire team in a sport to receive an occasional family home meal from an institutional staff member or representative of athletics interests if the following conditions are satisfied: