Only UIS coaches who have successfully completed the NCAA Recruiting Rules Certification Test on an annual basis may be involved in the recruitment process. Representatives of our athletics interests may not make any recruiting contacts. This includes letters, telephone calls, e-mails or face-to-face contact on or off campus with a prospect or prospect’s parents.

DEFINITIONS:

Prospective Student-Athlete (Prospect)

A prospective student-athlete, or prospect, is any student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospect if the institution provides such an individual (or his/her relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally.

Recruiting

Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect (his/her family or legal guardian) by a coach or by a representative of the institution’s athletics interests for the purpose of securing the prospect’s enrollment (and ultimate participation) in the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program. A recruited prospective student-athlete triggers recruitment when an institution’s staff member(s) or an athletics representative do any of the following:

  • Provide the prospect with an official (expense paid) visit to the institution;
  • Arrange an in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospect (or his/her parents or legal guardians); or initiate or arrange a 2nd telephone contact with the prospect (or family member or guardian).

Contact

Any face to face encounter between a College representative and a prospect, a member of the prospect’s family, or legal guardian when the conversation entails reference to the athletics department and goes beyond a greeting. A greeting is considered “contact” if it occurs at the prospect’s home, school, during a prospect’s competition, or is pre-arranged. Any contact that occurs at a prospect’s home, school, or competition site is never considered incidental and will be considered a violation of NCAA regulations.

Unavoidable Incidental Contact

Sometimes boosters come in contact with prospects unavoidably, for purposes not related to recruiting. These contacts cannot occur in a prospect’s home, school, or at the site of an athletics practice or contest that involves the prospect. During an unavoidable incidental contact, any conversation with a prospect can involve only ordinary civility, and no recruitment can take place. For example, if you meet a high school student prospect or their parents, you can talk about anything that doesn’t relate to the athletics department.

Offers and Inducements

Institutional staff members or representatives of athletics interests may not directly or indirectly provide, arrange for the provision of, or offer any financial aid or other benefits to a prospect (or the prospect’s relatives, guardian or friends) other than expressly permitted by NCAA regulations. This shall apply regardless of whether similar financial aid benefits or arrangements are available to prospective students in general.

NCAA Compliance Guide for Representatives of Athletics Interest

Office of Athletics Compliance

The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) is fully committed to complying with all NCAA rules including those that apply to representatives of athletics interest. As a member of the NCAA, the college is responsible for the actions of its coaches, student-athletes, faculty & staff, alumni, donors, boosters, and friends. As a representative, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with these important items concerning NCAA rules.

Rules to remember

  • Only Coaches and Athletics department staff are permitted to be involved in the recruiting process. All inquiries regarding an institutions athletics program must be referred to the institution’s athletics department.
  • An athletics representative may observe a prospect’s athletics contest on his/her own initiative, but may not contact the prospect on such an occasion.
  • A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect even after he or she signs a letter of intent or financial aid agreement to attend UIS. The prospect remains classified a prospect until the first date of class or the first practice whichever occurs first.
  • If a student-athlete accepts any benefit or special consideration based on his or her status as an athlete or because of athletics ability, the student-athlete will lose eligibility for intercollegiate participation. Please contact the Compliance Officer prior to providing any form of benefit to a student-athlete.
  • Representatives of Athletics are reminded that all NCAA rules regarding enrolled student-athletes remain in effect throughout the entire year, including summer breaks. Upon completion of a student-athlete’s final season of eligibility, they must abide by NCAA rules until the completion of the academic year or until the student-athlete no longer receives athletics financial aid.
  • An unavoidable incidental contact made with a prospect by an athletics representative is permitted provided:
  • The contact is not prearranged by the athletics representative or athletics department staff member;
  • The contact does not take place on the grounds of the prospect’s educational institution or at practice or competition sites involving the prospect or his/her team.
  • The contact is not made for the purpose of recruitment of the prospect, and Involves only normal civility

Extra Benefits to Enrolled Student-Athletes

An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or athletics representative to provide a student-athlete (or his/her relatives, guardian or friends) a benefit not generally available through the institution (or their relatives, guardian or friends) or not on a basis related to athletics ability. Extra Benefits include, but are not limited to:

  • Cash or leans in any amount
  • Co-signing or arranging a loan
  • Gifts or free services (e.g., Christmas presents, restaurant meals)
  • Use of an automobile
  • Rent free or reduced cost housing
  • Money for, or a guarantee of, bail or bond
  • Employment of a student-athlete at a higher rate
  • Payment to a student-athlete for work not performed
  • Transportation aside from that which is related to an occasional meal
  • Tickets to an athletics, institutional or community event
  • Financial aid for a post-graduate education
  • Promise of employment after college graduation

As a Representative of Athletics Interest, What Can You Do?

  • You may provide an occasional meal in your home to a student-athlete or an entire team.
  • You may provide transportation to your home for a student-athlete who will be receiving an occasional meal there.
  • You may provide a summer job to a student-athlete as long as it is at a normal rate of pay for that position and the student-athlete is paid for work actually performed, but remember to check with the Compliance Officer before doing so.

Gambling

A student-athlete, coach and or an employee of UIS may not provide information to individuals involved in any type of organized gambling concerning sporting events. In addition, student-athletes, coaches and employees of UIS may not solicit or accept any wager on any intercollegiate or professional athletics contest. If a student-athlete has violated NCAA gambling regulations he or she will be immediately ineligible.

For Additional Questions

Please contact Hayley Ross-Treadway
Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Senior Woman Administrator
(217) 206-8467
E-mail Ms Ross-Treadway