WELCOME to the Fall 2007 Compliance Corner!
Welcome to Compliance Corner - the official WBCA publication for Division I legislation! In collaboration with the NCAA membership services staff, this publication will be distributed on a quarterly basis and will contain NCAA Division I legislative news and notes affecting women's basketball, recruiting basics, questions from our coaches, Q & A, and other legislative information you need to know. The primary purpose of this publication is to help our coaches navigate the complexity of NCAA bylaws and legislation and serve as a quick and convenient reference. In this issue, we cover the first four months of the 2007-08 academic year (August, September, October and November of 2007). We will also bring you up to date on the issue of male practice players in Division I. In order to eliminate repetition, previous issues of Compliance Corner can be found on our website wbca.org under DI Legislation. If new legislation affects time periods we will note those legislative changes, otherwise we will focus on hot topics and keeping you abreast of the current legislative actions. Feel free to offer any suggestions or feedback to make this tool more useful. However, we encourage you to contact your compliance officers on campus with any questions.
Thank you,
WBCA
Text Messaging
• Proposal No. 2006-40 which specified that electronically transmitted
correspondence that may be sent to a prospective student-athlete is limited
to electronic mail and facsimiles was adopted in April and has an effective
date of August 1, 2007. More than 30 override requests were submitted
during the override period, therefore the NCAA Board of Directors are
required to review its action on the proposal during their August 9, 2007
meeting. If the Board upholds their earlier decision then electronically
transmitted correspondence is limited to electronic mail and facsimiles
until at least January 2008 when the Division I membership will conduct
an override vote on the proposal at the NCAA National Convention in Nashville,
Tenn. A five-eighths majority vote of individual active members present
and voting shall be required to override the legislative action taken
by the Board. A "yes" vote would indicate support for the override.
New Legislative
Proposals
• July 15 was the deadline for conference to submit proposed legislation
into the legislative cycle. There were approximately 80 Division I proposals
with approximately 10 being women's basketball specific. Proposals will
be posted in the Publication of Proposed Legislation (POPL) on the NCAA
web site on the legislative actions and issues page and individually through
the Legislative Services Database for the Internet (LSDBi) in mid-August
and women's basketball specific proposals will be posted on the wbca.org
site for all divisions by August 20, 2007.
• In September, the WBCA Foresight Committee will convene by conference
call for the second year of the new legislative process by which issues
are gathered through the Foresight Committee from April through October.
Issues are discussed throughout the season and then there is an open forum
during the WBCA National Convention DI Business Meeting prior to an electronic
vote taken on all of the issues in the afternoon session. Issues supported
by 70% of the WBCA membership institutions are then forwarded to the Division
I Women's Basketball Issues Committee for consideration and submission
into the DI 2008-09 Division I legislative cycle.
• The WBCA Foresight Committee is comprised of WBCA Division I Conference
Captains and the WBCA Division I Board of Directors. Once initial legislative
issues are compiled by the Foresight Committee, Conference Captains are
required to conduct conference calls with all conference coaches to discuss
and add additional concerns.
NEWLY ADOPTED LESGISLATION
AS OF AUGUST 1, 2007
The following are questions and answers that pertain to the rule changes
that were adopted during the 2006-07 legislative cycle and took effect
as of August 1, 2007.
Q: How many recruiting-person
days do we have in Division I women's basketball?
A: As of August 1, 2007 Division I women's basketball recruiting-person
days has increased from 85 to 100. Women's basketball staff members shall
not exceed 100 recruiting-person days during the academic year. In women's
basketball, a recruiting person day is defined as one coach engaged in
an off-campus recruiting activity of a women's basketball prospect on
one day (12:01 a.m. to midnight).
Q: Do those days
involving contact and evaluation of prospective student-athletes who have
signed an NLI count in recruiting person days?
A: Yes. In women's basketball, off-campus recruiting activities involving
a prospective student-athlete
who has signed a National Letter of Intent (or signed acceptance of the
institution's written offer of
admission and/or financial aid) must count toward the institution's 100
recruiting-person days limit.
Q: How many weekends
may Division I women's basketball coaches evaluate at non-scholastic events
during the academic year and when are those weekends?
A: Evaluations at non-scholastic events during the women's basketball
prospective student-athlete's
academic year are limited to two weekends. In the 2007-08 academic year
those weekends are
designated as September 28-30, 2007 and April 18-20, 2008, which allows
evaluations to occur Friday
through Sunday versus the old rule that limited evaluations to Saturday
and Sunday only.
Q: May we still
text or instant message prospective student-athletes?
A: No. Regardless of all the discussion surrounding the override vote,
as of August 1, 2007 electronically
transmitted correspondence that may be sent to psa is limited to electronic
mail and facsimiles.
Q: Can we use software
that lets prospective student-athletes receive emails as text messages?
A: No. It is not permissible for institutional staff members to use a
service or software that converts
electronic mail sent by an institutional staff member into a text message
when received by the prospect.
Q: Now that it
is permissible to produce a computer recruiting presentation to show to
a prospective student-athlete during an in-home visit or during an official
or unofficial visit, who may produce the presentation?
A: Any institutional employee may produce the presentation, including
noncoaching athletics department
staff members (e.g. academic advisor, life skills coordinator). The development
of the presentation
was not intended to place additional costs on the institution.
Q: Is it permissible
to show the presentation at other locations (e.g. prospect's educational
institution) or place the presentation on the institution's web site?
A: No. It is not permissible to show the presentation at locations other
than during in-home visits and
official and unofficial visits and may not be placed on the institution's
website.
Q: Beginning August
1, 2007, in addition to a prospective student-athlete presenting test
scores and an academic transcript prior to an official visit, what else
must be take place?
A: An institution may not provide an official visit to a high school prospective
student athlete until she
registers with the NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly Initial-Eligibility
Clearinghouse) and is placed on
the institutional request list.
Q: How does this
legislation apply to international prospective student-athletes?
A: International prospective student-athletes and domestic prospective
student-athletes are subject
to the same requirements as outlined in Answer No. 8.
Q: What qualifies
as being "registered" with the Eligibility Center?
A: A prospective student-athlete will be considered to be registered with
clearinghouse if the individual
has successfully submitted the Eligibility Center Student Release Form
electronically on the
Eligibility Center website.
Q: What about a
prospective student-athlete who qualifies for a fee waiver?
A: Prospective student-athletes who qualify for a fee waiver may still
be provided an official visit or
written offer of athletically related financial aid, even if the high
school official has not yet attested to
the fee waiver. However, the prospect must still be registered with the
Eligibility Center.
Q: While on an
official visit may the prospective student-athlete attend an informal
basketball practice scrimmage?
A: Yes. During an official visit in men's and women's basketball, a basketball
prospective student-athlete
and those accompanying the prospect may attend the institution's informal
basketball practice
scrimmage. However, this is NOT permissible during an unofficial visit.
Q: Beginning August
1, 2007, are we permitted to provide cash in lieu of any permissible meal
that is incidental to participation?
A: NO. Institutions are NOT permitted to provide the cash equivalent of
the permissible additional meal.
Q: If we plan to
play a maximum of 27 contests, plus one qualifying multiple-team event
this year can we play in a multi-team event in Canada?
A: Yes, as of August 1, 2007, qualifying regular-season multiple team
events may also occur in Canada
or Mexico.
Q: As of August
1, 2007, all institutional note cards that are provided to prospective
student-athletes may not exceed 8 1/2 by 11 inches when opened in full
and may contain only the institution's name and logo or athletics logo
on the outside and cannot include any preprinted information on the inside.
Can it be color paper or color stock for the note card? Does it have to
be rectangular? May I run it through a printer or copier to preprint some
information on the inside?
A: The color or type of paper is not limited by the legislation. The note
card can be any shape as long as when completely opened it fits inside
an 8 ½ by 11 inch rectangular area. It is not permissible to run
the note card through a copier or printer to preprint information on the
inside of the note card. Information on the inside of the note card must
be handwritten information.
MALE PRACTICE PLAYERS
For almost three years the debate over the use of male practice players
in collegiate women's athletics has been center stage. The WBCA membership
at all levels has been engaged in retaining the right of coaches to be
able to make decisions regarding the use of male practice players in the
"coaches' classroom". The WBCA has taken the initiative to remind
coaches through educational documents and sample practice plans how to
best use male practice players in the "coaches' classroom" to
ensure that they are being used to enhance opportunities for women student-athletes.
After examining the use of male practice players over the past year through surveys, the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet met June 26-27 and released the following report in reference to the use of male practice players in Division I :
(1) Recommendation: Based on a recommendation from the cabinet's Special Subcommittee Examining the Use of Male Practice Players, the cabinet recommended that the Management Council support the following plan to address the Council's charge to examine the use of male practice players. (For 43, Against 1)
(a) Statement of Expectation. That a statement of expectations be developed regarding the use of male practice players. This statement shall assist institutions in examining their own practices to ensure the practices do not diminish positive participation opportunities for women and helps enhance the participation experience of all involved. Institutions shall be encouraged to review this statement in relation to their institutional practices to determine if these expectations are adequately being met. (See 14 points listed below.)
(b) Education Materials. That the educational materials regarding current NCAA regulations pertaining to the permissible use of male practice players be disseminated to the Division I membership to ensure that the practice is in compliance with existing legislation. Survey results appeared to indicate there is not a consistent understanding in the Division I membership regarding existing regulations. Accordingly, efforts must be made to further publicize the current regulations to ensure more uniformity in practice. Educational materials should be provided to coaches, administrators, student-athletes and faculty athletic representatives; additionally, that an assessment tool be developed to assist institutions in reviewing the practice of the use of male practice players.
(c) Best Practices. That coaches associations be encouraged to work with their memberships to identify best practices regarding the use of male practice players, mindful of the fact that the focus of these practices should be on establishing positive participation opportunities for women.
(d) Periodic Oversight. That the practice of institutions using male practice players be periodically reviewed to assess trends and to ensure that women's participation opportunities are not being negatively impacted. This assessment process may include membership surveys, student-athlete exit interviews and further discussions with the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
(2) Rationale. The cabinet believes the examination regarding the use of male practice players over the course of the past year has been healthy for Division I. As a result of this examination, the Division has a better understanding of the current landscape regarding the use of such practice players. There is more transparency regarding the practice and an enhanced level of awareness regarding this issue. Based on the survey results, membership feedback and the cabinet subcommittee's examination, the cabinet does not believe that establishing legislative parameters will result in positively enhancing participation opportunities for women. Rather, the cabinet believes that participation opportunities can best be enhanced by establishing a clear set of expectations regarding the use of male practice players. These expectations will shape the practice at the national level and will ensure the practice is reviewed and discussed at the campus level.
Further, the cabinet believes that the Division I membership would benefit from the development of comprehensive and clear educational materials regarding permissible use of male practice players. Currently, there does not appear to be a consistent understanding.
In addition, the cabinet believes the practice of using male practice players should be reviewed periodically to ensure that positive participation opportunities for women are being promoted and trends are being reviewed.
STATEMENT OF EXPECTATIONS FOR INSTITUTIONS THAT CHOOSE TO USE MALE PRACTICE PLAYERS IN WOMEN'S SPORTS
Since intercollegiate sports for women exist primarily to enhance the higher education experience for those students who participate, it is expected that institutional policies and practices in all NCAA women's sports be designed to:
1. Be in compliance
with all applicable NCAA, conference and institutional rules regarding
the use of male practice players;
2. Ensure positive and quality participation experiences for all female
student-athletes;
3. Provide opportunities for growth and development as individual student-athletes
and as teams;
4. Include experiences for skill development in all segments of the academic
year regardless of starting position or role on the teams;
5. Furnish occasions to showcase skills acquisition and utilization in
competitive settings;
6. Make available opportunities to earn additional playing time through
continuing skills acquisition;
7. Create a safe environment in which to practice and compete;
8. Maintain roster sizes appropriate for practice and competition with
a full team of female student-athletes;
9. Present exposure to talented, committed female coaches and support
staff members such as trainers, managers, and equipment room staff;
10. Serve as pre-professional learning environments for women who aspire
to careers in coaching;
11. Result in long-term changes judged to be in the best interest of the
sport;
12. Reflect the mission and values of the athletics department and the
institution as a whole relative to equality and opportunity;
13. Foster an equitable environment among sports programs and student-athletes;
and
14. Send a positive message regarding the value of athletics participation
and the caliber of skill and competition in women's athletics;
In addition, afford
periodic review to ensure these goals continue to be met by:
a. Institutional review through such vehicles as student-athlete exit
interviews;
b. Ongoing NCAA research regarding the number of student-athletes on squads,
the number of grant-in-aid student-athletes and the number of male practice
players utilized; and
c. A membership survey regarding the general use of male practice players
conducted approximately every four years. (Note: If the general use survey
would indicate a concerning trend, a more detailed survey and examination
would follow.)
August 1 through
September 15, 2007: Quiet Period
September 16 through April 22, 2008: Evaluation Period (Except
1-6 below)
Women's basketball staff members shall not exceed 100 recruiting-person
days.
(1) Those days from September 16, 2007 through April 22, 2008 not designated
above for contact or evaluation: Quiet Period.
(2) September 16 through October 6, 2007: Contact Period
Note: Evaluations permitted at nonscholastic women's basketball events September 28-30, 2007
(3) November 12-15,
2007: Dead Period
(4) December 24-26, 2007: Dead Period
(5) March 1 through April 3, 2008: Contact Period
(6) April 4-17, 2008: Dead Period (except for (a) and (b) below)
(a) One women's basketball event certified by the NCAA held in conjunction with, and conducted in the host city of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship.
(b) April 11-13, 2008: Quiet Period
Note: Evaluations permitted at nonscholastic women's basketball events April 18-20, 2008.
2007 National Testing Dates: SAT Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1 ACT Sept 15,
Oct. 27, Dec. 8