WELCOME to the 2009 Summer Compliance Corner!

Welcome to Compliance Corner – the official WBCA publication for Division I legislation! In collaboration with the NCAA academic and membership affairs 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 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 legislative questions.

Thank you,
WBCA

WBCA Foresight Committee Process

• The WBCA internal legislative process started in 2006 by which issues are gathered through the Foresight Committee in the fall. The WBCA compiles the issues into groupings and gathers pros and cons of each issue through the WBCA Legislative Subcommittee. Last year, the WBCA added a new submission window in March to allow for any other issues that arise during the season to be submitted. Issues are sent to all DI members before the holiday break in December and an updated copy is posted on wbca.org, DI legislative page. Issues are discussed throughout the season and then are discussed at the open forum, during the WBCA National Convention DI Business Meeting, prior to electronic voting. Attendees at this year’s WBCA National Convention DI Business Meeting were involved in a lively and educational discussion on all of the Foresight Issues. Coaches were then able to make sound and educated decisions when electronic voting took place during the afternoon session. Issues supported by a minimum 70% of the member institutions present and voting are then forwarded to the Division I Women’s Basketball Issues Committee (WBIC) for consideration and possible submission in to the DI legislative cycle. If the issue(s) are supported by the WBIC, it then requests the Championships/Sports Administration Cabinet to review and sponsor the legislation into the legislative cycle. Please see the “For Your Information” section to track on the supported issues and current status.
• A Hot Topic at the DI Business Meeting was the issue of open gyms. The WBCA membership voted to support the elimination of evaluating prospects at open gyms during the summer. The WBCA membership did not support eliminating the opportunity to evaluate at open gyms throughout the academic year, similar to the current legislation in place for men’s basketball.
• The comprehensive list of the 2009-10 women’s basketball related proposals sponsored for the Division I legislative cycle by the July 15 deadline will be available on the wbca.org Legislation/DI in late August.
• This year, the WBCA is planning on surveying the Division I membership on all NCAA women’s basketball related proposals at the end of August. This will help us with generating the membership’s opinion on all legislative proposals, especially those that were sponsored by conferences.

Youth Basketball Initiative (YBI) Update

• The WBCA recently had the opportunity to sit down with Youth Basketball Initiative (YBI) CEO, Kevin Weiberg, to discuss the progress of the program. YBI is in the process of completing the hiring of their staff. Announcements concerning next steps are expected to be made during the NBA Finals.
  
  YBI’s program focus is to improve the environment in youth basketball for boys and girls, parents and guardians, coaches and officials. The initiative is intended to create a platform for teaching youth the value of education and the important lessons of fair play. The YBI staff is currently in the process of building a robust website to serve the youth basketball community. They have also been working closely with the NCAA and NBA on programs and initiatives. Roll out of the new website is expected this fall. It is important to note that running events is not in the immediate future. The plan is to try to work with and implement standards for non-scholastic events. For more information on the NCAA YBI initiative, please visit the www.ncaa.org.

Academic Performance Rate (APR) Update

• APR scores were released at the end of April. The most recent APR scores are multi-year rates based on the scores from the 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 academic years. Forty-one women’s basketball teams received public recognition awards for posting APR scores ranging from 991 to a perfect 1,000 over the data collection period. Only 10 women’s basketball teams were subject to penalties. A few concerns for women’s basketball that need to be addressed are: a 31% increase in the number of 0-for-2s (student-athletes earning neither the eligibility point nor the retention point) from 2006-07 to 2007-08; overall eligibility rates have decreased from 975 in 2005-06, to 971 in 2007-08 (3rd lowest among women’s squads); lowest average retention rate among women’s squads; and teams being issued penalties have also increased. The following are some women’s basketball APR sport-specific statistics:
• Number of WBB squads below 925 in 2008 = 47
• Number of WBB squads at or above 925 in 2008 = 292
• 4yr APR average for WBB = 962
• Current year’s overall average (2008) = 967* [*Average does not take into account the formula change related to squad size adjustments that occurred in 2007-08 academic year.]
  
  • Number of delayed graduation points received by WBB squads in 2008 = 43
• 2007 average = 963
• 2006 average = 962
• 2005 average = 959
• 2004 average = 959
• Coaches APR Portfolio – In January 2009, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved the development of a publically available website that will post each Division I head coach with their team’s APR score for each year. The DI Committee on Academic Performance, at its April 27-28 meeting, approved a procedure by which institutions will submit and confirm information and a method for head coaches to review their information. It was decided that interim head coaches would not be included in the database. Schools will submit information for head coaches in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, football, and women’s indoor and outdoor track this fall, with the database made publically available with the release of the APR data in spring 2010.
• A concern about coaches in their first year taking over a program and the penalties that are assessed by the NCAA with respects to the APR was brought to the WBCA’s attention. We contacted the NCAA and found out that generally, coaching changes are considered as part of the waiver process in the event a team is subject to an APP penalty. A coaching change is not the only factor that is considered in the waiver process, though. The NCAA looks at APR trends; incoming academic profiles of student-athletes; is the low APR an anomaly or is it a pattern; etc.

Men’s Basketball Summer-School Proposal Finalized

• The 30-member Division I Men's Basketball Academic Enhancement Group (BAEG) was assembled in 2007 and charged with developing and implementing strategies to improve academic performance in the sport of men's basketball. The group includes presidents, head coaches, commissioners, athletics directors and faculty representatives from the Division I membership. Over the past two years, the group has discussed strategies related to the use of mandatory summer school enrollment to help facilitate APR improvements in the sport of men’s basketball. The BAEG finalized recommendations during their last meeting April 6th in Detroit. As an overview, the summer school portion of the recommendations calls for an institutional-based system that assesses the need for summer school enrollment. Incoming student-athletes would be required to be enrolled in six credit hours, passing at least three of those hours to be eligible for the fall semester. Continuing student-athletes would be required to be enrolled and pass at least six credit hours to be eligible for the fall semester.
  
  Enrollment in summer school terms would permit coaches to have access to those student-athletes for eight hours of conditioning, weight training and skill instruction activities per week, with no more than two of those hours devoted to skill instruction. BAEG has currently forwarded the recommendations to all conferences requesting feedback and plans to submit the report to the NCAA Board of Directors at their August 2009 meeting for possible sponsorship of the legislative concepts into the 2009-10 legislative cycle. For more information see wbca.org or ncaa.org.

USA Basketball 2009 Summer Events

• Many of the athletes participating on the U16 National Team and U19 National Team (list can be found www.usabasketball.com) are prospective student-athletes as defined by NCAA recruiting regulations. According to NCAA Division I Bylaw 13.1.8.18, “coaching staff members may attend Olympic, Pan American, World Championships, World Cup or World University Games competition that occurs outside the permissible contact and evaluation periods. However, attendance at qualifying competition for such events, including tryouts, remains subject to the applicable recruiting calendars”. Therefore, college coaches are not permitted to attend the U16 National Team Trials since it occurs outside of the permissible evaluation period. See wbca.org for memorandum sent out by USA Basketball listing team trials and competition dates.

NCAA Legislative Council/Board of Directors April Final Actions

• Legislative proposal 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. As a result of the January Legislative Council and Board of Directors meetings, proposals are either adopted or defeated and then placed in a 60-day override period. If no action is taken on a proposal during January, the proposal is sent out to the membership for further comment (placed in a 60-day comment/amendment-to-amendment period). Proposals that are sent out for comment/amendment-to-amendment are reviewed for a second time by the Legislative Council in April. Proposals acted on in April are currently in a 60-day override period, which will expire June 29, 2009.
• The following are the results from the April 2009 NCAA DI Board of Directors meeting of the three women’s basketball related proposals that we have been tracking: 2008-12 – Adopted, 60-day override period; 2008-25-D – Adopted, 60-day override period; 2008-45 – Defeated. For a complete list of the NCAA 2008-09 Division I WBB legislation FINAL results see wbca.org Legislation/DI.

  
  

Questions from Our Coaches

Q:  What are the July Evaluation periods for 2009?
A:  July 6-15, 2009 and July 22-31, 2009.

Q:  Is it true that during the July evaluation periods, we may have four (4) coaches off campus recruiting on any day?
A:  It is true, but ONLY for the designated JULY evaluation periods.  Proposal No. 2008-12 was adopted in April, with an immediate effective date.  Therefore, it is applicable in July 2009.  The result of the proposal is that a coach replaced for the purpose of off-campus recruiting activities is not required to return to the institution’s campus before engaging in additional recruiting activities.  However, no more than three (3) coaches may engage in off-campus recruiting activities each day.  This means that during the July evaluation periods, splitting days is no longer allowed (i.e., institutions must designate which three coaches are scheduled to engage in off-campus recruiting activities on each day during the July recruiting periods), however, coaches do not have to return to campus before re-engaging in recruiting activities.  (Bylaws 11.7.4.3 and 11.7.4.3.1)

Q:  Could you give me an example of how this would work?
A:  Example – On Saturday, Julie, Lynn, and Wendy are recruiting off campus in Florida.  Stacey departs for New York.  On Sunday, Julie and Lynn recruit off campus in Florida.  Wendy stays at the hotel.  At 2 p.m. on Sunday, Stacey begins to recruit in New York.  At 5 p.m. on Sunday, Julie stops recruiting and flies to an event in Texas.  Since three coaches have recruited on Sunday (Julie, Lynn and Stacey), Wendy may not start recruiting until Monday. 

Q:  May I call a prospect 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. 

Q:  May I call or write a prospective student-athlete who has signed the National Letter of Intent (NLI) with our institution, but is not attending summer school, during the July evaluation periods?
A:  Yes,  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).

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 permitted to have contact with a 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)

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, signed an NLI and are not participating in a certified event?
A:  Yes, 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).

Q:  Would the answer to the question above be the same for a PSA who has signed an NLI, has graduated from high school, and 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)

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.  This will take you to the page that goes over certified events and the link to 2009 Women’s Summer Events where the approved certified events are listed.

Q:  During the July evaluation periods, may I talk (in-person contact) to a parent of a prospective student-athlete who is the nonscholastic coach, about the players on the nonscholastic team?
A:   No. 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.  Thus, during the July evaluation periods, no form of communication may occur with any coach or parent of a PSA, including a parent who may happen to be on the staff of a nonscholastic team.  This includes telephone calls or contact with a parent of a PSA who is a nonscholastic coach or is on the nonscholastic team staff.   (Bylaws 13.1.3.1.3.2  and 13.1.6.4.2)

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 2009.  The following is the list of options of times to call prospects.  Warning – There are four options to get the three permissible telephone calls; one per week. 

• July 1-5:  Quiet Period
• July 1 (Wednesday)-July 4 (Saturday):  One Call
• July 5 (Sunday):  One Call
• July 6-15:  Evaluation Period – NO telephone calls.
• July 16-21:  Dead Period
• July 16 (Thursday)-July 18 (Saturday):  One Call
• July 19(Sunday)-July 21(Tuesday):  One Call
• July 22-31: Evaluation Period – NO telephone calls.

Q:  Which institutional staff members may make telephone calls regarding institutional camp and clinic logistical issues?
A:  Any institutional staff member (e.g., countable coach, volunteer coach, administrative assistant, noncoaching staff member with sport-specific responsibilities) may make telephone calls regarding institutional camp and clinic logistical issues since these calls are not intended to be for recruiting purposes.  Accordingly, these calls may not include any recruiting conversation or solicitation of particular individuals to attend the institution’s camp or clinic.  If a call includes any recruiting conversation or solicitation of particular individuals to attend, then the legislated telephone call restrictions apply including the restrictions on who is permitted to make and receive telephone calls. 

Q:  Is there a limit on the number of calls that may be made to a prospective student-athlete regarding institutional camp and clinic logistical issues? 
A:  No.  Since these calls are not intended to be for recruiting purposes, they are not subject to the time period limitations for telephone calls that may be made to prospective student-athletes.  However, if a call includes any recruiting conversation or solicitation of particular individuals to attend, then the legislated telephone call restrictions apply including the time period limitations. 

Q:  What are some examples of logistical issues regarding institutional camps and clinics?
A:  Camp logistical issues may include but are not limited to:

• Incomplete, insufficient or illegible payment information;
• Incomplete or unsigned paperwork or forms;
• Questions regarding accommodations;
• Questions regarding required vs. optional items to bring to camp;
• Questions regarding transportation or meal options at camp; or
• Medical questions.

Q:  The institution’s director of women’s basketball operations returns a telephone call from a prospective student-athlete’s parent regarding room arrangements at the institution’s camp.  May the director of operations also inquire about the prospective student-athlete and her younger sister’s last game and/or ask if the student-athlete’s younger sister will also be attending the camp?
A:  No, the director of operations may not initiate any conversation that may be considered a recruiting conversation and/or solicitation of a particular individual to attend the camp.  At the point that a recruiting conversation or solicitation begins, the call is subject to applicable telephone call restrictions, including limitations regarding permissible callers and permissible time periods. 

Q:  Is it permissible for a coach to invite certain prospective student-athletes to a camp that is open to any and all entrants?
A:  Yes, an institution’s coach may invite certain prospective student-athletes to a camp, provided the camp is open to any and all entrants.  However, an institution may not provide any type of priority registration for specific prospects.  Additionally, an institution must abide by all applicable recruiting legislation when inviting certain prospects to a camp.  For example, a coach may not call or write a specific prospective student-athlete in ninth grade to extend a camp invitation. 

Q:  May an institution reserve spots at a camp or clinic for specific prospective student-athletes?
A:  No, an institution is not permitted to reserve spots at a camp or clinic for specific prospective student-athletes.  For example, if a camp is limited to the first 100 entrants, the institution may not reserve 25 of the 100 places for the coach’s top recruits.  The coach would be permitted to invite those 25 recruits; however, if any of them are not within the first 100 to register, they would to be permitted to attend the camp or clinic. 

Q:  I would like to employ a local successful high school women’s basketball coach to speak on a specific topic at my camp this summer.  If I pay her the going rate for speakers, is this permissible?
A:  No, an institution shall not employ (either on a salaried or volunteer basis) as a speaker or presenter at any athletically related event or activity an individual who is involved in:  coaching prospective student-athletes or is associated with a prospective student-athlete as a result of the prospective student-athlete’s participation in basketball.  (Proposal 2008-30-B was Adopted and effective immediately)

Q:  Am I still able to employ a high school coach as a camp counselor and have him/her speak to the campers during the week?
A:  Yes, you may still employ a high school coach as a camp counselor as long as you are paying him/her the going rate for a camp counselor.  The camp counselor can also speak during the camp as long as no extra compensation is giving to them for speaking and/or presenting.  

Q:  May I call a PSA on the USA Basketball U19 National Team during the July dead period (July 16-21), after they have reported to training camp on July 9th but before she travels to the FIBA U19 World Championship?
A:  No.  The PSA has reported for a trip that includes competition.  The PSA reported for training camp on July 9th and goes straight to competition at the World Championship, July 23 through August 2.  Division I coaches may not have recruiting contact (including telephone contact) with a PSA who has reported on call for competition related activities.  Also, if a PSA calls a coach and the coach is aware that she is involved in competition related activities, the coach should cease the call.  This does not preclude a coach from calling a parent during the dead period, even if the PSA is involved in competition related activities.  A call to a parent does count towards the telephone call limits.  Recruiting contact with the PSA on the U19 National Team would not be permissible until the competition was finished and the PSA was released by the appropriate authority.  (Bylaw 13.1.7.2)

Q:  I have a prospective student-athlete who has signed an NLI to attend my institution.  This PSA has decided to take summer school prior to her initial full-time enrollment this fall.  The PSA has asked me if she can work out in the gym and with the strength and conditioning coach.  Is this permissible?
A:  Yes.  A PSA may engage in voluntary summer workouts conducted by the institution’s strength and conditioning coach with department-wide duties, may receive workout apparel (issuance and retrieval basis), use the training-room facilities, may receive medical expenses (including rehab and physical therapy) if the PSA sustains an injury while participating in voluntary workouts as mentioned above, and may be provided academic support services as long as the PSA has signed an NLI and is ENROLLED in summer school prior to initial full-time enrollment.  [Bylaw 13.2.6, 13.2.8, 13.11.3.9]

For Your Information

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 2009 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/Sport Administration Cabinet to review and sponsor the legislation for the 2009-10 NCAA Division I legislative cycle. 

1. Fall and spring non-scholastic weekends are limited to Friday, Saturday, Sunday not on test weekends.

Women’s Basketball Issues Committee Action:Supported

2. Fall and spring non-scholastic weekends are limited to Friday, Saturday, Sunday events not on Easter.

Women’s Basketball Issues Committee Action: Not Supported

3. Prohibit evaluations at non-institutional non-organized events (e.g., pick-up games, open gyms) during the summer evaluation period.

Women’s Basketball Issues Committee Action: Supported

4. Allow incoming freshman to play on a foreign tour if they have or are currently attending summer school. (Feedback for WBIC Access Package)

5. Allow incoming freshman to work camps if they have or are currently attending summer school. (Feedback for WBIC Access Package)

The Foresight Issues below received between 60-69% majority vote.   If your conference strongly supports any of these issues, the WBCA encourages you to discuss with your conference coaches and administrators in an effort to build support for a proposal to be sponsored through your conference.

1. Support the model of a 40-day practice window prior to the start of the first permissible contest.

2. 30 days of practice in a 40 day period prior to the first permissible contest date (One day off per week)

3. Prohibit non-scholastic teams (with prospects) from practice at Division I institutions.

4. Institution’s basketball camp or clinic shall be conducted on the institution’s campus, within the state in which the institutions is located or, if outside the state, within a 50-mile radius of the institution’s campus. 

A complete list of the 2009 WBCA Foresight Process voting results are available on wbca.org.

Recruiting Basics

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 rate. (Bylaw 13.4)

Contact: Permissible during official visits and unofficial visits. Unofficial visits may occur earlier than a prospect’s senior year. (Bylaws 13.02.3, 13.6 and 13.7)

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. [July 2009 Evaluation Periods: July 6-15, 2009 and July 22-31, 2009]

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. (Bylaw 13.02.4.3)

Dead Period: Only permissible to write or telephone a PSA during a dead period (e.g., general correspondence, e-mail, fax). No in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations are permitted on or off campus. No official or unofficial visits by the prospect to the campus. (Bylaw 13.02.4.4)

Important Dates

Women’s Basketball Recruiting Calendar - www.ncaa.org

April 22 through July 5, 2009:  Quiet Period

July 6 through July 15, 2009:  Evaluation Period

July 16 through July 21, 2009:  Dead Period

July 22 through July 31, 2009:  Evaluation Period

2009-10 Recruiting Calendars should be available in Mid-June.

National Testing Dates:
SAT:  June 6, 2009, October 10, 2009, November 7, 2009, December 5, 2009.
ACT:  June 13, 2009, September 12, 2009, October 24, 2009, December 12, 2009.