WELCOME to the Summer 2008 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, 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.  Previous issues of Compliance Corner can be found on our website, wbca.org, under DI Legislation.  Feel free to offer any suggestions or feedback to make this tool more useful.  We encourage you to contact your compliance officers on campus with any questions.

Thank you,
WBCA

NCAA President’s Report

• The NCAA along with the NBA has announced a wide-ranging initiative to provide more structure to youth basketball. This initiative is intended to benefit everyone who participates in youth basketball programs and will not only focus on enhancing the participants' basketball skills but will focus on academic preparation and life skills. This initiative, which will operate as a business, will benefit from the involvement of key stakeholders in basketball who believe this initiative is vital to the future of the game. See September issue of Coaching Women's Basketball (CWB) for Helen Wheelock's article.

APR Release

• The NCAA's Academic Performance Program (APP) is creating positive behavioral change among Division I institutions, according to new four-year data released May 6. Fewer teams are receiving penalties than anticipated, with 218 teams from 123 institutions falling below established benchmarks. Only about 3.5 percent of 6,272 teams will receive penalties this year. Overall, the Division I single-year APR has risen nearly four points since data collection began. For the first time, the average eligibility and retention rates both showed increases as well. Another positive trend revealed by the data is a continual decrease in the number of student-athletes earning neither the eligibility or retention points (the so-called "0-for-2") each year. Additionally, since the reform structure was implemented four years ago, more than 4,000 student-athletes have earned a graduation bonus point for their institution by returning to their school to graduate after leaving early. The complete article and to view the APR scores can be found on the NCAA website.
• The average three-year APR for Women's Basketball teams is 960. The penalties that were publically announced on May 6, 2008 stated that no women's basketball teams were subject to occasion-two penalties, two teams were subject to an occasion-one penalty, and ten teams were subject to a penalty.

WBCA Foresight Committee

• In 2006, the WBCA started an internal legislative process by which issues are gathered through the Foresight Committee from April through September. This year the WBCA added a new submission window in March to allow for any other issues that arise during the season. 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 a minimum 70% of the membership institutions are then forwarded to the Division I Women's Basketball Issues Committee (WBIC) for consideration and submission in to the DI legislative cycle. The WBIC then asks the Championship/Competition Cabinet (which is being renamed the Championships/Sports Administration Cabinet in the new Division I structure) to review and consider sponsoring the legislation. Please see the "For Your Information" section to track on the supported issues and current status.
• A Hot Topic at the WBCA National Convention was the issue of reducing the number of permissible counters (scholarships) in women's basketball from 15 to some other number (e.g.14, 13). The WBCA membership voted on the issue and did not support a reduction. Coaches felt overall that the men's model does not have sufficient data to indicate reduction in the maximum number of permissible counters helped parity. The one-year out of the top players in the men's game seems to be the driving influence of any parity. The coaches were very concerned about the number of ACL injuries and how that can drastically affect a team in any given year and need to have more players on scholarship to prepare for those injuries. A number of schools discussed their financial model; where they are allowed to use a portion of their scholarship dollars for summer school and if reduced they would be at a huge disadvantage for offering summer school. Coaches also felt they fought too hard to give up any counters without substantial evidence that it would help grow our sport.
  • At the suggestion of the Division I Women's Basketball Committee, the Women';s Basketball Issues Committee also examined the issue and released the following statement:
    • The current financial aid model for women's basketball, which provides for a limit of 15 counters (head count), is appropriate for Division I women's basketball, given the current level of development of the game, the general rate of funding for the game within Division I and the related issues regarding women's basketball student-athlete injury rate.
• The comprehensive list of the 2008-09 women’s basketball related proposals submitted by the July 15 deadline will be available on the wbca.org DI Legislation page in late August.

Management Council (which is being renamed and divided into two groups: the Legislative Council and Leadership Council in the new Division I governance structure)

• Legislation submission deadline for NCAA Division I conferences and cabinets is July 15th. Division I has an annual legislative cycle with proposals being considered by the Legislative Council first in January at the NCAA Convention. Any proposals supported by the Legislative Council at that time are forwarded to the NCAA Board of Directors for possible adoption. As a result of the January Legislative Council and Board of Directors meetings, proposals are either adopted, defeated, (followed by a 60-day override period). Proposals may also be sent out for a 60-day comment/amendment period. Proposals that are sent out for comment/amendment are reviewed for a second time by the Legislative Council in April. Again, any proposals supported by the Legislative Council at that time are forwarded to the NCAA Board of Directors for possible adoption or defeat (followed by a second 60-day override period). We are currently in the second 60-day override period, which will expire June 23, 2008.
• For a complete list of the NCAA 2007-08 Division I WBB legislation final results go to wbca.org.

WBCA Pink Zone/Kay Yow

• The WBCA's "Think Pink" was a phenomenal success this year. It started in 2007 with 120 schools participating. The numbers were finalized right before this year’s convention and had over 1,200 participants involved that raised close to $1 million for cancer awareness and research. The initiative also reached over 800,000 spectators in venues and events this past year. To keep the momentum going and to gear the initiative to be more sport-oriented, the WBCA decided to rebrand "Think Pink" to Pink Zone. Pink Zone week for the upcoming basketball season is February 13-22, 2009. Every campus has the opportunity to decide what they want to do and how they want to distribute the money within the community or donate it to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
• 4Kay Events-In-A-Box - During the 2008 WBCA National Convention in Tampa, FL, the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, in partnership with The V Foundation, introduced the "Events-in-a-Box" campaign. This campaign encourages all WBCA members, sponsors, institutions, communities and fans to implement one event a year to raise monies for the Fund. The Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund challenges you to run an event on your campus to raise money for cancer research. The Events-in-a-Box campaign is available on a CD. This CD includes four event ideas that you can run locally. The information on the CD will give guidelines, a timeline, forms, design samples, radio spots, and most of the necessary framework you will need to run one of the four events. The four events include: 4Kay Run/Walk; 4Kay Menu, which is a food and beverage event; Kids 4Kay, which suggests numerous ways to engage kids in your community; and the WBCA Pink Zone. To get your Events-in-a-Box CD, please email kayyowfund@wbca.org.

USA Basketball U18 National Team

• USA Basketball issued a memorandum in reference to the USA Basketball U18 National Team Trials, training, and competition dates.. If interested, please reference wbca.org for more information. If you are considering attending this year's events, please go to wbca.org for more information and permissible evaluation dates in relation to the women's basketball recruiting calendar and regulations.

Questions from Our Coaches

Recruiting in July 2008!

In women's basketball, during the July evaluation periods, all communication with a prospective student-athlete, the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians, the prospective student-athlete's coach or any individual associated with the prospective student-athlete as a result of the prospective student-athlete's participation in basketball, directly or indirectly, is prohibited. [NCAA Division I Bylaw 13.1.7.2.2 - (c)]

1. Q:  What are the July Evaluation periods for 2008?
A:  July 6-15, 2008 and July 22-31, 2008.

2. Q:  May I call a prospect (if she has not signed a National Letter of Intent) during a July evaluation period if I know she is not participating in a certified event?
A: No. Bylaw 13.1.7.2.2 - (c) specifies that during the July evaluation periods, ALL communications are prohibited. This provision prohibits all forms of communication, including in-person contact, general correspondence (e.g. letters, faxes, instant messages, e-mail, text messages), and telephone calls.  

3. Q: May I call or write a prospective student-athlete who has signed the National Letter of Intent with our institution, but is not attending summer school, during the July evaluation periods?
A:  Yes (see No. 4 for information about a prospect who has signed a National Letter of Intent). Proposal No. 2007-33-A was adopted in January, effective immediately, stating that in women's basketball, an institution is permitted to communicate with a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives, legal guardians, or coach) during the July evaluations periods, provided the prospective student-athlete has graduated from high school and has signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) with the institution or for those institutions not using the National Letter of Intent in women's basketball or for those prospective student-athletes who are not eligible to sign the National Letter of Intent, the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid (Bylaws 13.1.3.1.3.2.1 and 13.1.7.2.2.2).

4. Q: If a PSA is participating in a summer event, has signed an NLI and has graduated from high school, when is it permissible for me to have contact with this PSA?
A:  Coaches are not permitted to have contact with a PSA who has signed an NLI and has graduated from high school prior to any athletics competition in which the prospective student-athlete is a participant during the day or days of competition. Contact includes the passing of notes or verbally relaying information to a prospective student-athlete by a third party on behalf of an institutional staff member. Coaches are not able to have contact (including telephone or text messaging) with this PSA until after the competition and the PSA has been released by the appropriate authority and departs the dressing and meeting facility. (Bylaw 13.1.7.2)

5. Q: Proposal No. 2007-18, which was adopted and effective August 1, 2008, addresses recruiting coordination functions of noncoaching staff members after a prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or other written commitment to our institution. What is a noncoaching staff member?
A:  Per NCAA Bylaw 11.7.1.1.1.1, noncoaching athletics department staff members (e.g., academic advisor, life-skills coordinators, administrative assistants, directors of operations) are institutional staff members who do not count in the institution's coaching limitations, provided such individuals are not identified as coaches, do not engage in any on- or off-field coaching activities (e.g, attending meetings involving coaching activities, analyzing videotape or film involving the institution's team or an opponent's team), and are not involved in any off-campus recruitment of prospective student-athletes or scouting of opponents.

6. Q: Are noncoaching staff members permitted to send any form of electronic correspondence (e.g., instant messages, text messages) to prospective student-athletes who have signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) or, for those not eligible to sign an NLI, a written offer of admission and/or financial aid?
A:  Yes, but not until August 1, 2008. Even though Proposal No. 2007-47 was adopted effective immediately, Proposal No. 2007-18 is not effective until August 1, 2008. Therefore, as of August 1, 2008, a noncoaching staff member may send any form of electronic communication to a prospective student-athlete who has signed a National Letter of Intent or, for those not eligible to sign a NLI, a written offer of admission and/or financial aid (Bylaws 11.7.1.2.2 and 13.4.1.2.1).

7. Q: Am I permitted to send instant messages or text messages to prospective student-athletes during the July evaluation periods who have graduated from high school and signed an NLI?
A:  Yes. Proposal No. 2007-33-A was adopted and effective immediately stating that it is permissible for an institution to communicate with a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives, legal guardians or coach) during the July evaluation periods, provided the prospective student-athlete has graduated from high school and has signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) with the institution or for those institutions not using the National Letter of Intent in women's basketball or for those prospective student-athletes who are not eligible to sign the National Letter of Intent, the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid. Also, Proposal No. 2007-47 was adopted and effective immediately, specifying that after the calendar day on which a prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent (NLI), there shall be no limit on the forms of electronically transmitted correspondence sent by the institution with which the prospective student-athlete has signed; further, to specify that for an institution not using the NLI, or for a prospective student-athlete who is not eligible to sign the NLI, there shall be no limit after the calendar day on which the prospective student-athlete signs the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid (Bylaws 13.1.3.1.3.2.1, 13.1.7.2.2.2, and 13.4.1.2.1).

8. Q:  Does this include when a PSA, who has signed an NLI and has graduated from high school, is playing in a certified event?
A:  No. Coaches are not permitted to talk, text, or instant message a PSA participating in a certified event until after the competition and the PSA has been released by the appropriate authority and departs the dressing and meeting facility. (Bylaw 13.1.7.2)

9. Q: Bylaw 13.1.3.1.3 specifies that I may call a prospective student athlete three (3) times during the month of July following the PSA’s junior year in high school with no more than one telephone call per week. Are we able to make three (3) phone calls in July this year?
A: Yes, it is possible to get all three (3) phone calls in July 2008. NCAA membership services staff interpretations outline a principle that allow a calendar week to be “split” when applying telephone call restrictions/limitations. The following specifies the dates when it is permissible to call a prospective student athlete mid-June through July, 2008:

• June 21-30: one call • July 1-5: one call (Even if the one call permitted between June 21-30 occurs on Sunday, June 29 or Monday, June 30, one call is permitted July 1-5).
• July 16-19: one call (No more than one call per week is permitted and that telephone call must occur outside of an evaluation period. In 2008, this is the Wednesday through Saturday of a calendar week).
• July 20-21: one call (No more than one call per week is permitted and that telephone call must occur outside of an evaluation period. In 2008, this is the Sunday and Monday of a calendar week). (Note: As noted above, a coach may telephone and communicate via any form of electronic communications with a PSA who has graduated from high school and has signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) with the institution or for those institutions not using the National Letter of Intent in women’s basketball or for those prospective student-athletes who are not eligible to sign the National Letter of Intent, the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid.)

10. Q: A prospective student-athlete who just finished her junior year in high school calls me collect in June. May I accept the call?
A:  Yes. Proposal No. 2007-37 was adopted and effective immediately stating that in women's basketball, institutional coaching staff members are permitted to accept collect and toll-free telephone call placed by a prospective student-athlete and the prospective student-athlete's parents and legal guardians, provide the calls are not placed earlier than the date on which an institution may begin placing telephone calls to the prospective student-athlete. (Bylaw 13.1.3.6.2)

11. Q:  A prospective student-athlete is going to walk-on the team in the fall. She is going to summer school and asked if she could workout with our strength and conditioning coach. Is the PSA, who will be enrolled in summer school, allowed to do this?
A:  Yes. Proposal No. 2007-44 was adopted and effective immediately, eliminating the requirement that a prospective student-athlete must have a signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) (or, for an institution that does not use the NIL, a written offer of admission and/or financial aid) in order to receive academic support services and use the institution's training room facilities; further to specify that a student who is enrolled in the institution's summer term prior to the student's initial, full-time enrollment at the certifying institution may be provided such services and , in football and basketball, participate in voluntary conditioning activities during the summer with an athletic department's strength and conditioning coach. (Bylaws 13.2.7 and 13.2.9)

12. Q: When preparing to go evaluate prospective student-athletes at certified events this summer, how do I know which events I am able to attend?
A:  Bylaw 30.16 lists the criteria that must be met by each event in order to be certified for basketball event certification in women's basketball. Coaches should go to ncaa.org -- Winter Sports -- Women's Basketball -- scroll to the bottom of the page under special programs and click on Certified Events and Leagues. This will take you to the page that goes over certified events and the link to 2008 Women's Summer Events where the approved certified events listed are.

13. Q:  Do I have to pay the price of the packet for the camp/clinic that is posted?
A:  Yes, if you want to attend the event an event operator may require you to pay the posted cost of the packet. Adopted in 2007, Bylaw 30.16-(o) states that the price of an event packet must be listed on the event certification application and the price must be made available to coaches prior to their arrival at the event. Following the same steps on ncaa.org, as stated in the answer to the question above, will get you to the page with the 2008 Women's Summer Events. Click on that link and you will get a list of the certified events with the price of coaches' packet.

14.  Q: If I was at a July certified event in close proximity to an institution, is it permissible for that institutions' student-athletes to be at the event and talking to prospects?
A:  There are no rules that directly preclude student-athletes from attending a basketball contest or event or simply talking to the prospects. However, if the student-athlete is directed by a coaching staff member to seek out the prospects and engage in conversations with them, that is a violation of NCAA recruiting regulations. (Bylaw 13.02.5.1)

The following is a list of the legislative issues brought forth through the WBCA Foresight Committee that received a minimum of 70% majority vote during the WBCA 2008 DI Business Meeting voting session. All legislative issues receiving 70% majority vote were then forwarded to the Women's Basketball Issues Committee for their possible consideration and submission into the DI legislative cycle. The WBIC then asks the Championships/Competition Cabinet (which is being renamed the Championships/Sport Administration Cabinet in the new Division I governance structure) to review and sponsor the legislation for the 2008-09 NCAA Division I legislative cycle.

1. Don't have to touch home before going back in the gym to evaluate.

Rationale:  The current legislation is very costly for institutions with four coaches. Presented as an all sport proposal, the rule change will allow more flexibility for coaches to go out and recruit, while also saving coaches a lot of time and money. The legislation is in place with the notion that there is a least one coach on campus for the student-athletes in case there is a problem, however, in practice this is not happening. If an institution only has three coaches, all three of those coaches are out recruiting. If an institution has four coaches, the coach not recruiting is either traveling to the next event or is traveling back to campus to touch home. The initial recommendation will still only allow three (3) coaches, in women's basketball, at one time can be out recruiting, whether an institution has three or four coaches. (Bylaw 11.7.4 and 11.7.4.3)

Women's Basketball Issues Committee Action:  Supported the issue and forwarded to the Championships/Competition Cabinet with request to sponsor the proposal for the 2008-09 legislative cycle.

2. Allow an institution to provide expenses associated with team building activities and to permit such team building activities to occur once classes begin, which will count against eight (8) hour rule, versus waiting till official start of practice in October.

Rationale:  Current legislation allows for teams to do activities on campus once classes begin. This proposal will allow for team building activities to happen off campus. Off campus facilities and facilitators provides a more professional setting for team building activities than what can be experienced on campus prior to the October 15 official start date. The expertise of professionals will help to provide a more impactful and meaningful bonding experience. (Bylaw 16.8.1.1.and 17.02.1)

Women's Basketball Issues Committee Action:  Supported the issue and forwarded to the Championships/Competition Cabinet with request to sponsor the proposal for the 2008-09 legislative cycle.

Contact: Permissible during official visits and unofficial visits.  Unofficial visits may occur earlier than a prospect's senior year. 

Correspondence: Recruiting materials, both printed recruiting materials and written correspondences, such as e-mail, may be sent to a prospect beginning September 1st of the prospects junior year. Hardcopy correspondence may only be sent first-class or at a lesser    

Evaluations: Permissible to be involved in off-campus activities designed to assess the academic qualifications and playing ability of prospective student-athletes. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall be made with the prospective student-athlete during an evaluation period. [Summer 2008 Evaluation Period: July 6-15, 2008 and July 22-31, 2008]

Official Visits: Permissible at any time, except during Dead Periods, during the July evaluation periods, and only once the prospect has begun her senior year. A prospect may not make more than five expense- paid visits to NCAA Division I and Division II institutions. Institutions may provide 12 official visits on an annual basis August 1 - July 31.

Unofficial Visits: Permissible at any time except Dead Periods, during the July evaluation periods, and unlimited number of visits at the prospect's expense. May occur before and during the prospect's senior year.  

Quiet Period:  Permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the member institution's campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during the quiet period.

April 23 through July 5, 2008:  Quiet Period

July 6 through July 15, 2008:  Evaluation Period

July 16 through July 21, 2008:  Dead Period

July 22 through July 31, 2008:  Evaluation Period

2008-09 Recruiting Calendars should be available by June 1, 2008.

2008/2009 National Testing Dates:
SAT:  October 4, 2008, November 1, 2008, December 6, 2008, January 24, 2009, March 14, 2009, May 2, 2009, June 6, 2009.
ACT:  September 13, 2008*, October 25, 2008, December 13, 2008, February 7, 2009, April 4, 2009, June 13, 2009
*Only in selected states.