University of San Francisco Official Athletic Site

Compliance

Compliance of NCAA and West Coast Conference bylaws by all individuals involved in University of San Francisco Athletics is essential to upholding the values associated with the university and its athletic department. Failure to uphold these rules can jeopardize the eligibility of both prospective and current student-athletes. We are committed to the rules and regulations set forth by the NCAA and the West Coast Conference and we ask that you join us in this commitment.

It is best to remember to ASK before you ACT to ensure that the eligibility of our student-athletes and university is not compromised. The university thanks you for your continued support. Please direct any questions to the University of San Francisco Athletic Department Office of Compliance at (415) 422-4561.

For Representatives of Athletics Interest/Boosters

A Prospective Student-Athlete (PSA) is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. A prospect also includes students in prep schools, at junior colleges, and students who have officially withdrawn from four-year institutions.

A prospect remains a prospect even after he or she has signed a National Letter of Intent or Financial Aid agreement to attend the University of San Francisco. This status is not lost until the start of fall classes at the university or until the beginning of official practice prior to the start of fall classes, whichever occurs first.

A Student-Athlete (SA) is a student who is enrolled at the University of San Francisco and presently is participating in athletics or has completed his or her eligibility but is still enrolled at the university.

An Extra Benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or booster to provide the student-athlete or his or her relatives or friends with a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.

Representatives of Athletics Interests/Boosters You are a representative of athletics interests/booster if you:

Have ever been a member of a booster organization that supports University of San Francisco Athletics
Have made any financial contributions to any area of the University of San Francisco
Are or ever have been involved with the recruitment of a prospect
Have provided or are providing benefits to an enrolled student-athlete or their relatives or friends
Have otherwise been involved in promoting the University of San Francisco's athletic program (e.g. alumni and friends)
Provide or have helped to arrange employment for student-athletes
Are the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of an enrolled student-athlete
Are or ever have been a season ticket holder

Once an individual is identified as a Representative of the Institution's Athletics Interest/Booster, the person retains that identity forever.

The NCAA holds the institution responsible for all actions of its athletics representatives. Infractions of NCAA rules by boosters may result in the booster losing privileges or associations with the university.

Involvement in the recruiting/athletic process

Only coaches and Athletic Department staff members can be involved in the recruiting process. All boosters are prohibited from contacting prospects or members of a prospect's family by telephone, letter, by electronic means, or in person on- or off-campus.

A booster can speak on the phone to a prospect only if the prospect initiates the telephone conversation and the call is not for recruiting purposes. The booster must refer questions about the institution's athletics program to the athletics department staff.

An "unavoidable incidental contact" between a booster and a prospect is permissible. This contact is not prearranged by the booster or an athletics department staff member, does not take place on the grounds of the prospect's educational institution or at the site of the prospect's team (i.e., high school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team), is not made for the purpose of recruitment of the prospect, and involves only normal civility.

A booster may not pay, provide or arrange for the payment of transportation costs incurred by the prospect or by relatives, friends, or legal guardian(s) of a prospect to visit the campus or elsewhere.

A booster cannot be involved in making arrangements for a prospect, or for the prospect's relatives or friends to receive money, financial aid, or any additional benefit.

A booster is prohibited from contacting an enrolled student-athlete at another institution for the purpose of encouraging a transfer to the University of San Francisco and participating in our athletic programs.

A booster is permitted to view a prospect's athletics contest on his or her initiative, provided that the booster does not contact the prospect or the prospect's relatives, on such occasions.

A booster can assist the coaching staff in the recruiting process by notifying them of any student they think would be a strong addition to the University and the athletics program. Boosters may not contact a prospect's coach, principal or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospect or visit the prospect's educational institution to pick up game films or transcripts.

A booster cannot provide an "extra benefit" or special arrangement to a prospective student-athlete, student-athlete, or family member/legal guardian of a PSA or SA that is not available to all other students at the university.

Examples of Extra Benefits (please remember that this list is not all inclusive)

Providing use of a telephone or credit card
Providing loans in any amount
Arranging employment for a prospect's or student-athlete's relatives or friends
Promising employment after college
Promising financial aid for post-graduate education
Providing transportation
Providing the use of an automobile, or the payment of expense or loan of any automobile for any reason.
Providing typing or tutoring services or covering the related expenses for course-related papers or projects
Providing goods, services, or rentals for free or at reduced cost
Providing free or reduced cost housing
Sponsoring or arranging an awards banquet for high school, preparatory school or two-year college athletes
Providing hospitality in your home, other than for an occasional home meal (e.g. birthday, holiday).
Giving any type of gift (i.e. birthday or holiday), gift-in-kind or free services (e.g. clothing, airline tickets, car repair, movie tickets, etc.)
Providing entertainment on- or off-campus
Providing a ticket to event
Providing athletics equipment supplies or clothing (e.g. golf clubs, jersey, racquets)
Providing room or board during the academic year or summer for a student-athlete with eligibility remaining
Expending funds to entertain student-athletes, their relatives or friends
Serving as a "sponsor family"

The acceptance of an extra benefit will render the student ineligible for competition until the student is reinstated by the NCAA. Please note that providing an extra benefit is a serious offense for the PSA, SA, and/or the booster involved.

Boosters are encouraged to support student-athletes through their attendance at all University of San Francisco sporting events, as well as through financial donations to the various athletic programs, made through the Office of Athletic Development. Please call 415-422-2160 for information on how to make a donation to the athletic department.

Employment

Prospective Student-Athletes
1) Boosters may employ or arrange for the employment of a prospect that has signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of San Francisco, provided the employment does not begin until the completion of the prospect's senior year in high school. If you employ or arrange employment for a prospect, you must notify the University of San Francisco's Athletic Compliance Office immediately

Student-Athletes
1) A booster may employ or arrange employment for a student-athlete during the academic year or summer as long as the following conditions are met:

A student-athlete's compensation:
a) must be only for work actually performed;
b) must be at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services;
c) cannot include payment for the value or utility that the student- athlete may have for the employer because of publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that he or she has obtained because of athletic ability.

2) A booster is not permitted to provide transportation for student-athletes he or she employs unless transportation is provided for all other employees.

3) A booster may not use the name, picture, or appearance of an enrolled student-athlete to advertise, recommend, or promote sales or use of a commercial product or service of any kind.

Private Lessons

A student-athlete is permitted to provide private instructional lessons, as long as the following conditions are met:

Institutional facilities cannot be used;
Playing lessons are not permitted (an instructional component must be involved)
Documentation of the lessons must be on file with the Office of Compliance
Compensation for the lessons must be paid by the lesson recipient or family

Promotional Activities

An individual shall not be eligible for participation in intercollegiate athletics if the individual accepts any payment for or permits the use of his/her name or picture to advertise, recommend or promote directly the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind. An individual is also not permitted to receive payment for endorsing a commercial product or service through the personal use of such a product or service.

If a student-athlete's name or picture appears on commercial items (e.g., T-shirts, playing cards, posters etc.) or is used to promote a commercial product without the student-athletes knowledge or permission, the student-athlete and the institution are required to take steps to stop such an activity in order to retain the student-athlete's eligibility.

If a charitable, educational, or non-profit organization wishes to use a student-athlete's name, picture, or appearance, the organization must seek prior approval from the Office of Compliance. The event must be documented with the Office of Compliance and meet all applicable conditions pertaining to promotional activities.

Please remember that any actions taken prior to requesting approval can negatively affect a student-athlete's eligibility.

Agents & Amateurism

An individual loses amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the individual: a) uses his or her sill (indirectly or directly) for pay in any form in that sport;
b) accepts a promise of pay even if such pay is to be received following completion of intercollegiate athletics participation;
c) signs a contract or commitment of any kind to play professional athletics, regardless of its legal enforceability or any consideration received;
d) receives, directly or indirectly, a salary, reimbursement of expenses or any other form of financial assistance from a professional sports organization based on athletics skill or participation, except as permitted by NCAA rules
e) competes on any professional team, even if no pay or remuneration for expenses was received;
f) after initial full-time collegiate enrollment, enters into a professional draft;
g) enters into an agreement with an agent-orally or in writing
h) competes on a team in which professionals also compete on

Gambling

NCAA rules prohibit student-athletes, intercollegiate athletics staff members, or nonathletics department staff members who have responsibilities within or over the athletic department from placing bets on any institutional practice or any competition (intercollegiate, amateur or professional) in which the NCAA sponsors a championship.

Not only is gambling a serious violation of NCAA rules, it is also a violation of Federal Law. It is illegal to affect or attempt to affect the outcome of a collegiate contest (i.e. point shaving, etc). It is also illegal for any student-athlete, coach, staff member, or booster to provide information that could be used to bet on the outcome of a competition (i.e. injury reports, etc).

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please contact the National Council on Problem Gambling at www.ncpgambling.org.

Donations

The NCAA prohibits institutions from providing or arranging financial assistance, directly or indirectly (i.e. fundraisers) for prospects (defined as any student in 9th-12th grades). All donation requests are reviewed before being filled.

An NCAA institution or a representative of an institution's athletics interest may not offer, provide or arrange financial assistance, directly or indirectly, to pay (in whole or in part) the costs of a prospective student-athlete's educational or other expenses for any period before his or her enrollment or so that the prospect may obtain a postgraduate education. Therefore, it is not permissible to provide items to high school to assist the high school in raising money for the high school's athletics (or other) programs.

If you wish to request a donation from the University of San Francisco, please contact the Office of Compliance for a Donation Request Form.

For Prospective Student-Athletes

Recruiting Telephone Calls and Recruiting Materials

NCAA rules and regulations dictate when certified coaching staff members may make recruiting telephone calls to prospective student-athletes. Prior to the following dates, certified coaching staff members are not permitted to initiate telephone calls to prospective student-athletes or their parents or legal guardians. However, institutional coaching staff members may receive telephone calls placed by a prospective student-athlete at the prospective student-athlete's own expense at any time, including before July 1 following the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school. Please note: as a prospective student-athlete, if you make a call to an institutional coach before the following dates and leave a message, the coach is not allowed to return your phone call. You are however allowed to continue to initiate calls to the coach.

General Rule for Telephone Calls
Telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians may not be made before July 1 following the completion of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school. After July 1, prospective student-athlete's or the relatives or legal guardians may not receive more than one phone call per week.

Exceptions
Men's Basketball: An institution is permitted to make one telephone call per month to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians) on or after June 15 of the prospective student-athlete's sophomore year in high school through July 31 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school. An institution is permitted to make two telephone calls per week to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians) beginning August 1 prior to the prospective student-athlete's senior year in high school. An institution is permitted to make one telephone call per week to a two-year or four-year college prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians).

Women's Basketball: Telephone calls may be made to a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians as follows:

a) One telephone call during the month of April of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school on or after the Thursday after the conclusion of the NCAA Division I Women's Final Four.
b) One telephone call during the month of May of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school.
c) One telephone call on or after June 1 through June 20 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school.
d) One telephone call on or after June 21 through June 30 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school.
e) Three telephone calls during the month of July following the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week.
f) Thereafter, one telephone call per week may be placed by the coaching staff.

General Rule for Recruiting Materials
In sports other than men's basketball, collegiate institutions cannot provide recruiting materials (including general correspondence related to athletics) to a prospective student-athlete or his or her parents or legal guardians until September 1 at the beginning of his or her junior year in high school.

In men's basketball, collegiate institutions cannot provide recruiting materials (including general correspondence related to athletics) to a prospective student-athlete or his parents or legal guardians until June 15 at the conclusion of his sophomore year in high school.