INTRODUCTION
As a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ("NCAA"), Nicholls State University must abide by NCAA rules and regulations as they relate to all aspects of its athletic program. In addition to ensuring that all of its coaches, administrators, University faculty and staff, and student-athletes are aware of and following NCAA rules, Nicholls is also responsible for the actions of any individual who is a "representative of athletic interests."
Compliance with NCAA rules requires the effort of everyone associated with an institution's athletic program - institutional staff, faculty, students, student-athletes and representatives of athletic interests. In order to act within NCAA rules, it is important to understand not only the rules themselves, but also why the NCAA rules exist and why schools must monitor compliance with the rules.
The information contained in this site was developed to provide you with a general overview of key Division I NCAA rules and regulations. If you have any additional questions about NCAA rules and regulations, you can contact the Nicholls State University Compliance Office or you may contact the NCAA directly or visit the NCAA website at www.ncaa.org.
NICHOLLS COMPLIANCE STAFF
Bobby Galinsky
Coordinator of Compliance for Intercollegiate Athletics
(985) 448-4812 - Office
(985) 449-7065 - Fax
bobby.galinsky@nicholls.edu
Cathy Stegall
Administrative Assistant
(985) 448-4799
Ask First!
Compliance with NCAA regulations is of the highest priority for our athletic program and institution. We need your assistance in complying with NCAA rules. Do not put the University, a prospective student-athlete or an enrolled student-athlete at risk of a penalty or loss of eligibility.
When you are faced with a situation and are unsure as to how to respond, we strongly urge you to remember our motto "BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY" and please ask before you act.
NCAA Rules Governing Agents and Amateurism
A student-athlete shall lose his or her amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if:
The student-athlete or family member negotiates, signs or enters into any written or oral agreement with an agent for representation at that time or in the future.
The student-athlete signs a contract or commitment of any kind to play professional athletics, regardless of its legal enforceability.
The student-athlete or family member accepts or receives any extra benefits from an agent or anyone who wishes to represent the student-athlete.
The student-athlete competes with a professional sports team or competes as a professional in an individual sport and receives any compensation for participation.
The student-athlete uses his or her athletic skills for pay or promise of pay.
NCAA Rules Regarding
Contacts with Nicholls Student-Athletes
If you are a representative of Nicholls State University athletic interests, the following governs your contact with currently enrolled student-athletes.
DO NOT provide a student-athlete or friend any benefit or special arrangement. The NCAA considers these as an "extra benefit" and they are specifically prohibited.
DO NOT provide room and/or board or any type of transportation during the summer for a student-athlete with eligibility remaining.
DO NOT provide room, board or transportation costs incurred by friends or family of an enrolled student-athlete to visit campus or attend an away athletic contest.
DO NOT expend funds to entertain student-athletes, their friends or relatives. You are not even permitted to buy a soda or a cup of coffee for them.
DO NOT use the name or picture of an enrolled student-athlete to directly advertise, recommend or promote sales or use of a commercial product or service of any kind.
DO NOT provide any payment of expense or loan of any automobile for a student-athlete to return home or to any other location for ANY reason.
DO NOT provide awards or gifts to a student-athlete for his or her athletic performance. All awards must conform to NCAA regulations and must be approved by Nicholls State University.
DO NOT provide an honorarium or gift to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement. Only necessary travel expenses can be given when speaking to educational or charitable groups. All speaking engagements must be approved in advance by the Athletic Department.
DO NOT allow a student-athlete, his or her friends or relatives to use your telephone to make free long distance calls.
HOWEVER.....
DO feel free to invite a student-athlete to your home for a meal but only on infrequent and special occasions (e.g. Thanksgiving, birthday). It is permissible to provide student-athletes transportation to a meal, provided the meal is at your home and no other location. Please contact the Compliance Office for prior approval.
DO feel free to invite a team for dinner or to meet with a group of alumni in a city where they are competing. The NCAA permits student-athletes AS A TEAM to receive special benefits not permitted to individuals. Arrangements for such events must be made in advance with the head coach or athletic department.
NCAA Rules Regarding Contacts
With Prospective Student-Athletes
DO NOT become directly or indirectly involved in making arrangements for a prospect, the prospect's relatives or friends to receive money or financial aid of any kind.
DO NOT provide anything to or for a prospect, relatives or friends, without first checking with the Athletic Department administration.
DO NOT make any contact with a prospect or the prospect's family on or off campus. If a coach has a recruit at an athletic event, you should not approach the coach until the prospect and family have gone elsewhere. If a prospect approaches you off campus regarding the athletic program, explain that NCAA rules DO NOT permit you to discuss the program. Suggest that the prospect contact the head coach for information.
DO NOT transport, pay or arrange for payment of transportation costs for a prospect, relatives or friends to visit campus or elsewhere. While it is permissible for a friend or neighbor to transport a high school or community college student who is NOT an athlete to the campus, NCAA regulations prohibit that activity for a prospective student-athlete.
DO NOT provide room and/or board, transportation of any kind or any other benefit to a recruited student-athlete during the summer prior to enrollment for classes at Nicholls State University.
DO NOT entertain high school, prep school or community college COACHES at ANY location.
DO NOT provide tickets or transportation for high school, prep school or community college COACHES at any location. Only the Athletic Department can provide complimentary admissions and only to regular season home athletic events for those coaches.
DO NOT entertain or provide tickets at no, or reduced cost to Nicholls' home or away athletic or non-athletic events for prospects, their relatives or friends. Only the Athletic Department can provide complimentary admissions to prospective student-athletes and only for regular season HOME athletic events.
DO NOT contact an enrolled student-athlete at another institution for the purpose of encouraging transfer to Nicholls State University and participation in our athletic program.
DO NOT pay or offer to pay registration fees for summer sports camps for a prospect.
DO NOT contact the prospect's coach, principal or counselor for the purpose of evaluating the prospect. You are not permitted to pick up films or transcripts from the prospect's educational institution.
DO NOT invite ONLY SELECTED junior or senior high school or community college prospective student-athletes to alumni events. Since the NCAA prohibits contact between prospects and alumni and "athletic representatives," care must be taken to invite, for instance, all high school seniors who have received academic and athletic awards.
HOWEVER. . .
DO feel free to attend high school and community college athletic events. You simply cannot have any contact with the prospective student-athletes or relatives. Should you find yourself seated next to parents of a prospect, DO NOT initiate conversation with the relatives. If conversation is initiated with you, respond in a civil manner but DO NOT discuss the Nicholls State University athletic program with them. If they raise questions about the program, remind them that the NCAA prohibits you from discussing the program with them. Direct their questions to the Nicholls State University Athletic Department.
DO continue established family relationships with friends and neighbors. Contacts with sons and daughters of these families certainly are permitted as long as they are not made for recruiting purposes and are not initiated by Nicholls State University's coaching staff members. You are permitted to play "pick up" basketball or softball games, continue neighborhood picnics or backyard barbecues and engage in your normal activities with prospects and their parents who are family friends. Again, you simply are not permitted to attempt to recruit the prospect or discuss the athletic program.
DO feel free to attend a public event (e.g., a high school awards banquet or dinner) at which prospects are in attendance. No attempt should be made to recruit the prospect or have contact.
DO send to the Nicholls State University coaching staff any newspaper clippings or other information about prospects, which you think, would be of interest. Your assistance in this way is very helpful. The coaching staff will then make the contact with the prospect.
NCAA Rules Regarding
Gambling
The NCAA and Nicholls State University exercise a "zero tolerance" policy toward gambling on athletic events. It is a violation of NCAA rules for student-athletes or athletic department staff (i.e., coaches, administrators, graduate assistants, managers, interns, volunteers, work-study students, part-time help, etc.) to participate in ANY gambling activity involving intercollegiate or professional athletics.
This blanket prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:
Providing information to individuals involved in gambling activities concerning intercollegiate athletics (inside information);
Soliciting a bet on any intercollegiate team;
Accepting a bet on any team representing the institution;
Soliciting or accepting a bet on any intercollegiate competition for any item (e.g., cash, shirt, dinner, etc.) that has tangible value; or
Participating in ANY gambling activity that involves intercollegiate athletics or professional athletics, through a bookmaker, a parlay card or any other method employed by organized gambling.
This ban prohibits any type of bet, regardless of value, and encompasses any type of gambling, regardless of form. This includes, but is not limited to, any and all sports pools, "choosing squares", Internet gambling, and fantasy or rotisserie leagues, regardless of who is coordinating the activity (your friends or colleagues, or your spouse's place of work). Paying any fee or promising to pay any fee, whether it is in the form of money, services, or tangible items, in exchange for the opportunity to participate in ANY gambling activities, is prohibited.
Sports wagering has the potential to undermine the integrity of sports contests and jeopardize the welfare of student-athletes and the athletics community as a whole. By gambling on athletic events or providing information on athletic events to those involved in gambling activities, student-athletes run the risk of:
Losing their remaining eligibility;
Being expelled from the University;
Jeopardizing any hope of a career in professional athletics; and/or
Being sent to prison.
All athletic department staff members and student-athletes are responsible to report gambling activity, or even the suspicion of gambling activity, by staff members or student-athletes to the Director of Athletics. Failure to report violations of such NCAA rules on gambling may be grounds for dismissal from a team or the department.
