NCAA Compliance

Thank you for your continued support of UC Davis Athletics. This summary of information is being presented to you to help ensure that we are all in compliance with NCAA regulations. Failure to comply with NCAA rules and regulations may result in unintended consequences to student-athletes and coaches.

As this is just a summary of information, please direct your questions to the Compliance Services Office at (530) 754-7552.

download NCAA Boosters Rules  

Who is considered a representative of athletics interests (Booster)?

NCAA rules identify a "representative of athletics interests" or "booster" as any individual who:

1. Made any type of contribution to the UC Davis Athletics Department, Team Aggie or individual athletic programs;
2. Joined the UC Davis booster club (Team Aggie, Aggie Pack, Aggie Fanatics) or any sport specific support group;
3. Provided NCAA permissible benefits to prospective or enrolled student-athletes or their families;
4. Assisted, in any manner, in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes;
5. Participated in intercollegiate athletics at UC Davis;
6. Is the parent or legal guardian of an enrolled student-athlete;
7. Promoted UC Davis Athletics in any manner.

Representatives of athletics interests can be an individual, an independent agency, a corporate entity or any other organization.

Once identified as a Representative of Athletics Interests, an individual or business retains that identity for life. NCAA rules hold UC Davis responsible for all actions of its representatives of athletics interests. Boosters who are involved with NCAA violations may lose benefits and privileges associated with UC Davis' athletics program. Additionally, your involvement with NCAA violations could jeopardize prospective student-athletes and current student-athletes' eligibility for competition. Sanctions could also be imposed on the athletics program (e.g. loss of scholarships, post-season bans).

Who is a prospective student-athlete?

NCAA rules identify a prospect as anyone who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started the ninth grade becomes a prospect if the institution provides any financial assistance or other benefit not provided to prospective students in general. A student remains a prospect until they either a) begin classes at UC Davis; b) participate in a regular squad practice or competition at UC Davis that occurs before the first day of classes or registers; or c) enrolls and attends classes during the summer prior to initial enrollment and receives an athletics scholarship from UC Davis for summer school. This rule applies even to those prospects that have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend UC Davis.

What is a contact?

A contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect's parents/guardians or relatives and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue in excess of a greeting occurs. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged or that takes place on the grounds of the prospect's school or competition site is considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs.

What is considered recruiting?

Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect or the prospect's relatives by the UC Davis Athletics staff for the purpose of securing the prospect's enrollment and ultimate participation in the intercollegiate athletics programs. Only UC Davis coaches who have passed the NCAA Recruiting Exam may be involved in recruiting prospects. Boosters are prohibited from becoming involved in recruiting activities.

All boosters, alumni, friends and other representatives of athletics interests are prohibited from:

• Making contact (in person, by phone, by fax, by letter, by email, by text message, by chat rooms, etc.) with a prospect, his or her relatives or legal guardians, on or off the UC Davis campus.
• Contacting a prospect's coach, principal or counselor.
• Picking up videotapes or transcripts relating to a prospect from his/her high school or junior college.
• Approaching a UC Davis coach who is with a prospect. The coach is put in an awkward position because the coach is not able to introduce the booster and the prospect.
• Having contact with students at institutions other than UC Davis.
• Providing extra benefits. Boosters are prohibited from providing extra benefits to current student-athletes as well.

An alum may be telephoned by a prospect to discuss UC Davis in general (not the athletics program) as long as the call is initiated by the prospect, is not for recruiting purposes and the call was not initiated or arranged by the athletics department. Any questions about the athletic program must be referred to the athletics department.

What if a prospect approaches you?

If a prospect or the prospect's parents, relatives or legal guardian(s) approaches you, the following steps must be followed so that the encounter would not turn into a contact:

1. The encounter MAY NOT be prearranged;
2. You DO NOT engage in any dialogue in excess of a greeting; and
3. You take appropriate steps to immediately terminate the encounter.
   

What is an extra benefit?

An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or booster to provide a prospective student-athlete, current student-athlete or that student's friends or relatives a benefit not authorized by the NCAA. Some examples of extra benefits that may NOT be received include but are not limited to:

• Cash or like items;
• Guarantee of bond;
• Loans to prospect, their friends or relatives;
• Signing or co-signing loans;
• Tangible items, including merchandise;
• Use of an automobile;
• Professional services without charge or at a reduced rate;
• Use of a telephone, pager, cell phone or credit card for personal reasons without charge or at a reduced rate;
• Services (movies tickets, dinner, use of a car) from commercial agencies (theaters, restaurants, car dealers) without charge or at reduced rates;
• Gifts of any kind, including birthday and holiday gifts;
• Free or reduced rent or housing;
• Employment arrangements for relatives and friends.

What permissible activities may representatives of athletics interests engage in?

• Attend events (i.e., contests, banquets) where prospects are present with the understanding that the booster may NOT contact the prospect or the prospect's parents or relatives;
• Inform Aggie coaches of prospects in their area who may be nice additions to the UC Davis athletics program;
• Continue established friendships with families of prospects, with the understanding that recruitment of that prospect may not occur and a UC Davis staff member does not initiate the contacts.

Enrolled student-athletes

A UC Davis student-athlete is any UC Davis student who is a member of one of our varsity athletics programs. Student-athletes and their relatives or friends are prohibited from receiving any extra benefit not permitted by the NCAA. If the benefit is based on their athletic ability, a student-athlete jeopardizes their eligibility to compete. In addition, the involved boosters may be disassociated from the UC Davis athletics program. A partial list of extra benefits is under the section titled "What is an Extra Benefit."

Representatives of athletics interests may employ student-athletes provided:

• The student-athlete's compensation does not include any remuneration for value or utility that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that he or she has obtained because of athletics;
• The student-athlete is compensated only for work actually performed;
• The student-athlete is compensated at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services.
• The Compliance Services Office keeps written records verifying the employment arrangement of all student-athletes.

Promotional activities

All charitable, educational and non-profit promotional activities involving student-athletes must have prior approval from the athletics department. A student-athlete will become ineligible for participation in intercollegiate athletics if he/she accepts any payment for or permits the use of his or her name or picture to advertise, recommend or promote directly the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind. 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-athlete's knowledge or permission, the student-athlete and UC Davis are required to take steps to stop such an activity in order to retain the student-athlete's eligibility. If you use a student-athlete's name, picture or appearance without checking with the Compliance Services Office, you risk the student-athlete's eligibility.

Gambling

The NCAA prohibits student-athletes and athletic department staff members from knowingly providing information to individuals involved in organized gambling activities concerning intercollegiate athletics competition. In addition, student-athletes or athletic department staff members may not solicit a bet on any intercollegiate team or accept a bet on any gambling activity involving intercollegiate or professional athletics through a bookmaker, parlay card or any other method employed by organized gambling.

Occasional meals

A student-athlete or an entire team may receive an occasional meal, which may be catered; from a representative of athletics interests on infrequent and special occasions (holidays, birthdays) provided the meals are in an individual's home as opposed to a restaurant. The representative of athletics interests may provide reasonable local transportation to student-athletes to attend the meal if the meal is at the home of that representative.

Parents of team members may provide occasional meals to current student-athletes at any location.
Please check with the Compliance Services Office before providing any such meal.

Insuring NCAA Compliance

UC Davis is responsible for insuring that its coaches, student-athletes, faculty and staff, alumni, donors, boosters and friends adhere to governing legislation of its member conferences and the NCAA. All parties have an obligation to report information concerning potential or known violations of NCAA rules.

UC Davis | Aggie Athletics | Athletics Development | Aggie Pride Magazine | Aggie Event Tickets | Last updated: August 18, 2009