October 2009
Booster Briefing
Can I Provide A Meal For Current Le
Moyne Student-Athletes?
Questions have been asked about Booster's providing meals for Le
Moyne Student-Athletes. The answer to these questions is yes, under
a specific set of guidelines. NCAA rules permit a student-athlete
or the entire team to receive an occasional meal from institutional
staff members in the locale of the institution on infrequent and
special occasions. Boosters are also permitted to provide such
meals. However, an occasional meal provided by a booster must be
provided in the booster's home and may not be held in a restaurant.
This meal may be catered and reasonable local transportation may be
provided for student athletes to attend the meal.
Would it be permissible for an alumni
club to provide meals to our student athletes
and teams when traveling for
competition?
No, not directly, but options to provide meals to
Le Moyne teams do exist:
Not surprisingly, NCAA rules permit an institution to provide meals
to student athletes while traveling for away competition. If
boosters or alumni are interested in providing a meal to traveling
Le Moyne teams, the occasional meal option previously discussed
does not exist. However, the booster or alumni has other options.
The boosters or alumni can either work in conjunction with the Le
Moyne Gold Wave to provide a donation covering such a meal or make
a restricted gift to the particular athletics team for the cost of
this meal. Any donation to the team should be made through the Le
Moyne Athletics Department and clearly outline the restricted
purpose of the gift to provide a meal for the team. These options
are permissible because, following the donation, the meals are now
being provided by the institution. If you have questions about
meals or other issues, please feel free to contact the NCAA
Compliance Office at 315-445-5478.
Booster is anyone who:
- Has ever been a member of an organization promoting Le Moyne Athletics
- Has ever made a financial contribution to Le Moyne College
- Has ever been involved in the recruitment of a prospect
- Has ever provided benefits to enrolled student-athletes
September 2009
POLICY AGAINST HAZING AND INITIATION
The Department of Athletics at Le Moyne College has established a
Code of Conduct that applies to each student-athlete participating
on an intercollegiate athletics team. This code requires respect
for human dignity. The Department of Athletics believes that hazing
demeans those who participate and is fundamentally incompatible
with the standard of integrity expected by the College and its
athletics program. In accordance New York State Law and Le Moyne
College’s policy, hazing or initiations are strictly
prohibited, whether or not the person has consented to
participation in the activity. Thus, any student-athlete cannot be
required, expected, or allowed to participate in any hazing
activity for any reason. CONSENT CANNOT BE USED AS A REASONABLE
DEFENSE. Each student-athlete will or has signed a Student-Athlete
Handbook Responsibility Affirmation at the beginning of each season
that indicates their understanding of the meaning of and rules
against hazing, their commitment from participating in hazing, and
their willingness to bring information regarding occurrences of
hazing to the attention of the appropriate entities.
Examples of such activities include, but are not limited
to, a student-athlete being:
1. Yelled at, cursed or sworn at, humiliated, ridiculed, or
physically or psychologically abused;
2. Forced or expected to participate in tattooing, piercing, head
shaving, or branding;
3. Forced or expected to wear embarrassing clothing;
4. Forced or expected to drink alcohol;
5. Instructed to participate in calisthenics not related to
required conditioning for the sport in which the student-athlete
participates;
6. Required to act as personal servant to players;
7. Transported and abandoned;
8. Forced or expected to consume inappropriate concoctions;
9. Expected to associate only with specified people;
10. Required to conduct hunts or quests;
11. Forced to engage in public stunts or buffoonery;
12. Required to engage in or simulate sexual acts;
13. Threatened or physically restrained or abused (such as being
held down, tied or taped up, or confined in a small place);
14. Required to appear nude or semi-nude in either public or
private places; and/or
15. Expected to damage, destroy, or steal property.
The Department of Athletics is firmly committed to vigilant
enforcement of this policy, and will
promptly and thoroughly investigate any allegation of hazing or
initiation. Should a violation be found, the student-athlete(s)
involved will be expelled or suspended from the team for a
specified time.You are a part of a community that supports
individual integrity and celebrates its diversity. Le Moyne College
does not condone harassment directed toward any individual.
Behaviors that denigrate a person(s) because of race, religion,
sexual orientation, gender, age, or physical/mental disability will
be dealt with quickly and severely. HAZING is against the law and
will not be tolerated.
Suspected incidents of hazing or initiation, as well as any related
concerns, should be reported as soon as possible to Matt Bassett,
Director of Athletics. Please contact this office at (315)-445-4450
if you have any questions or concerns.
August 2009
Extra Benfits and Sports
Wagering
Welcome back! As we begin a new year at the Heights, we want to
remind everyone about “extra benefits” and sports
wagering involving fantasy leagues.
WHAT IS AN EXTRA BENEFIT?
A recruiting inducement or extra benefit is any special
arrangement by a Le Moyne College employee or booster to provide a
prospect, a student-athlete or their relatives or friends a benefit
not expressly authorized by the NCAA. Examples of impermissible
extra benefits include but are not limited to:
• Cash or any type of gifts;
• Loans or cosigning of loans;
• Vehicle or the use of a vehicle;
• Payment for or arrangement of transportation costs;
• Free or reduced cost goods or services;
• Free or reduced cost housing; or
• Concert or sporting event tickets
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES?
Le Moyne College is responsible for the actions of its employees
and boosters. If an employee or booster provides an impermissible
benefit t to a prospect, a student-athlete, or their relatives or
friends, Le Moyne College may be subject to penalties, even if the
student-athlete has completed his or her eligibility. The prospect
or student-athlete who accepts an impermissible benefit jeopardizes
his/her eligibility for intercollegiate competition. A booster who
provides an impermissible benefit may be disassociated from the
College’s athletics program. Disassociation results in a loss
of all benefits or privileges offered by the department of
athletics and may involve other penalties as appropriate
SPORTS WAGERING-FANTASY SPORTS/LEAGUES:
Fantasy sports/leagues are a continually growing reality
in today's sports world. The Fantasy Sports Trade Association
estimates that 18 million Americans participate in fantasy sports,
and it is likely that many included in that large figure are
current student-athletes, coaches or administrators at NCAA
institutions. Participation in any "fantasy” leagues in which
an entry fee is required and there is an opportunity to win a prize
is considered sports wagering and will constitute an NCAA violation
for those people involved. If AS A STUDENT-ATHLETE, you participate
in a fantasy league that requires an entry fee, you will be
jeopardizing your eligibility and your team’s ability to
participate
in intercollegiate athletics. Even if you just participate in a
friendly fantasy sports wager amongst friends, you will not be
eligible to compete for Le Moyne.
Thank you for your cooperation and attention to these issues. If
you have any questions, please contact the Office of NCAA
Compliance.
April 2009
FAQ’s Regarding Interaction with Prospective
Student-Athletes after signing the National Letter of
Intent
With the start of the April National Letter of Intent signing
period, please be aware of the following information concerning
prospective student-athletes that have signed an NLI:
Q. How long is a prospective student-athlete considered to
be a prospect?
A. A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect even after
signing a National Letter of Intent or financial aid agreement to
attend Le Moyne. The prospect, the College, and boosters are all
governed by the recruiting regulations until the prospect reports
for regular season practice or attend his/her first day of classes
in any regular term (i.e., fall or spring).
Q. Is it permissible for a Le Moyne coaching staff member
to correspond with a prospect via text messaging after the prospect
has signed an NLI?
A. Yes. Once a prospect signs an NLI, institutions are permitted
to send other forms of electronically transmitted correspondence
(instant messaging, text messaging, and message boards) in addition
to electronic mail and facsimiles.
Q. Is it permissible for boosters to contact a prospect
who has signed an NLI?
A. No. Only coaching staff members can make recruiting calls to a
prospective student-athlete, including those who have signed an NLI
to attend Le Moyne. No on- or off-campus contact (including written
or electronic correspondence and telephone calls) may be made by
boosters.
Q. Is it permissible for a booster to employ a prospect
who has signed an NLI?
A. Yes. NCAA rules permit prospective student-athletes who have
signed NLIs to be employed by boosters during the summer following
their graduation from high school, prep school, or junior college.
Prior to employing prospects, however, boosters must check with the
coaching staff and the Office of NCAA Compliance to make sure all
regulations are being followed.
Q. Is it permissible for a booster to arrange summer
housing for a prospect who has signed an NLI?
A. No. NCAA rules prohibit boosters from making housing
arrangements for student-athletes or prospects, even if they have
signed an NLI to attend Le Moyne. For example, it is not
permissible to offer reduced-rate rental opportunities to
prospects.
Q. Is it permissible for a booster or Le Moyne employee to
assist a prospect who has signed an NLI with precollege
expenses?
A. No. Neither Le Moyne nor its boosters are permitted to offer,
provide, or arrange financial assistance to cover a
prospect’s expenses (educational or otherwise) for any period
prior to his or her enrollment. This applies even to those
prospects who have signed an NLI or financial agreement to attend
Le Moyne.
Please remember that the same prohibitions against the provision
of extra benefits to currently-enrolled student-athletes also
extend to all prospects. If you have any questions about NCAA
regulations pertaining to prospects who have signed the NLI, please
do not hesitate to contact the Office of NCAA Compliance at (315)
445-5478. Le Moyne’s Department of Athletics appreciates your
efforts to ensure compliance with established NCAA rules and
regulations.
March 2009
Inducements/Extra Benefits:
Continuing Relationships with Prospects and/or
Student-Athletes
Le Moyne's Office of NCAA Compliance and Student-Athlete
Success sometimes field questions regarding the permissibility of
continuing relationships with prospects that originated prior to
the individual reaching prospect status (e.g. enrolled in grades
9-12, preparatory school, or junior college).While those involved
have good intentions, it is possible certain actions could violate
NCAA inducement and/or extra-benefit regulations.
Accordingly, the NCAA has established the following guidelines for any situation in which a prospect and/or student-athlete has received benefits prior to or during collegiate enrollment from someone other than a family member, legal guardian, or relative:
- Did the relationship between the student-athlete (or the
student-athlete's parents, legal guardian, or relative) and the
individual providing the benefit(s) develop as a result of the
student-athlete's participation in athletics or notoriety related
to athletics?
- Did the relationship between the student-athlete (or the
student-athlete's parents, legal guardian, or relative) and the
individual providing the benefit(s) predate the student-athlete's
status as a prospective student-athlete?
- Did the relationship between the student-athlete (or the
student-athlete's parents, legal guardian, or relative) and the
individual providing the benefit(s) predate the student-athlete's
status achieved as a result of his or her athletics ability or
reputation?
- Was the pattern of benefits provided by the individual to the student-athlete (or the student-athlete's parents, legal guardian, or relative) prior to the student-athlete attaining notoriety as a skilled athlete similar in nature to those provided after attaining such stature?
The NCAA noted that the origin and duration of a relationship and the consistency of benefits provided are key factors in determining whether the benefits provided are contrary to the spirit and intent of the inducement and/or extra-benefit legislation.
Due to the possible ramifications that could result from violations of the inducement and extra-benefit legislation, the above four questions should be discussed with the Office of NCAA Compliance and Student-Athlete Success before providing any benefits to prospects or student-athletes. Please contact this office at (315)-445-5478 if you have any concerns and as always, ASK BEFORE YOU ACT.
