Newsletter

Infractions

Northeastern University

In late April, Northeastern University was placed on probation for two years by the Division I Committee on Infractions. The case was resolved through the summary disposition process. The violations involved the men's basketball program and included impermissible recruiting by a representative of the university's athletics interests (a booster), as well as failure to monitor by the former head coach and former associate director of athletics.

In particular, the violations resulted from the failure of the men's basketball staff to recognize the impropriety of the booster's involvement with an international prospective student-athlete. From the summer of 2003 until the end of December 2004, a booster assisted the men's basketball coaching staff with the recruitment of an international prospect and also provided inducements to him during his recruitment.

Unbeknownst to the former head coach or university, the booster purchased and provided a one-way plane ticket for the student-athlete so that he could travel from his home overseas to Boston for the purpose of enrolling at the university and becoming a member of the men's basketball team. The booster also provided the prospect with a night's lodging in Boston along with transportation from the airport to a hotel. Additionally, the international student-athlete used an institutional calling card to make long distance calls to his home country, a violation of the extra benefit legislation.

In addition to probation, the men's basketball program reduced by one the number of scholarships for the 2008-09 academic year as well as reducing to nine the number of permissible official visits.

This was the first major infractions case for the Boston, Massachusetts institution.

Education

During the April NCAA Board of Directors Meetings, several pieces of NCAA legislation were revised. The following is a summary of some of the changes:

Rules applicable to all sports:

Proposal 2008-25-D was adopted making it impermissible for institutions to provide a high school, preparatory school or transfer (if applicable) prospective student-athlete a written offer of athletically related financial aid until he or she has completed the amateurism certification questionnaire administered by the NCAA Eligibility Center. This is effective August 1, 2010.

Also, proposal 2008-77 requires institutions to ensure submission of all necessary information (e.g., high school transcripts, test scores), which may include official or unofficial transcripts and test scores, to the Eligibility Center to determine the academic initial-eligibility status of a two-year college or 4-2-4 transfer student-athlete prior to the end of the student-athlete's first regular academic term of full-time enrollment at the institution; further, to specify that a violation of this provision shall be considered an institutional violation; however, the student-athlete's eligibility will not be affected. This is applicable to 2-year college transfers and 4-2-4 transfers who initially enroll at a DI school on or after August 1, 2010.

Another eligibility issue was addressed in proposal 2008-75, which specifies that if a student-athlete is certified as a qualifier pursuant to the early academic certification exception and his or her initial full-time collegiate enrollment occurs at the certifying institution during the first term of the academic year, the institution shall ensure submission of his or her final high school transcript (official or unofficial) to the NCAA Eligibility Center by February 1 following the student-athlete's initial full-time enrollment. Further, the new rule specifies that if a student-athlete is certified as a qualifier pursuant to the early academic certification exception and his or her initial full-time collegiate enrollment occurs at the certifying institution after the conclusion of the first term of the academic year, the institution shall ensure submission of his or her final high school transcript (official or unofficial) to the Eligibility Center by February 1 of the following academic year. Effective August 1, 2009, violation of this provision shall be considered institutional, however, the student-athlete's eligibility shall not be affected.

Applicable to Baseball only:

In baseball, proposal 2008-46 was adopted, which specifies that in the championship segment, an institution shall not commence practice sessions prior to the Friday that is three weeks prior to the first permissible contest date for the championship segment and shall not play its first contest (game or scrimmage) with outside competition prior to the Friday in February that is 14 weeks before the Friday immediately preceding Memorial Day. This is effective immediately.

Applicable to Track and Field only:

In track and field, proposal 2008-57 was adopted making it permissible for a coach to be present during voluntary individual workouts in the institution's regular practice facility (without the workouts being considered as countable athletically related activities) when the student-athlete is engaged in jumping hurdles or the jumping element of the steeplechase. This is effective immediately.

Applicable to Women's Soccer only:

In perhaps the most significant change of the legislative cycle, proposal 2008-55-A was adopted changing the start date for women's soccer. The newly adopted legislation states that an institution shall not play its first contest or engage in its first date of competition (game) with outside competition prior to the 12th weekend prior to the start of the women's soccer championship. Effective August 1, 2009, this makes the first permissible contest August 21, one week earlier than was originally scheduled.

As a reminder, this is only a summary of recently adopted legislation and is not an exhaustive list. As always, if there are any questions regarding the new legislation, or any NCAA regulation, do not hesitate to ask.

Motivation

"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination"
--Tommy Lasorda

"You must be passionate, you must dedicate yourself, and you must be relentless in the pursuit of your goals. If you do, you will be successful."
--Steve Garvey

"Remember these two things: play hard and have fun."
--Tony Gwynn