Page 226 - Toledo Football Media Guide - 2012

THE UNIVERSITY 227

Enrolled Student-Athletes

A student-athlete, their relatives, or friends are not permitted to receive any special arrangement by an in-stitutional employee or booster (“extra beneft”) that is not authorized under NCAA legislation. Examples of extra benefts include:

• Free or reduced cost services. • The use of telephones or credit cards.

• Free or reduced cost entertainment services (free movie tickets, dinners, or professional sports tickets). • A loan of money or guarantee of a bond. • An automobile or the use of an automobile. • Transportation.

• The signing or co-signing of a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan.

Student-athletes must ask themselves two questions when trying to determine if they are being ofered an extra beneft:

•“Is this beneft available to any student at the Univer-sity of Toledo?”

• “Am I receiving this beneft because I am a student-athlete?”

If a student-athlete can honestly answer “Yes” to the frst question, and “No” to the second question, then the beneft in many cases would not be an extra beneft.

Consequences of NCAA Violations

Booster participation in non-permissible activities may result in any of the following:

• A prospect may be declared ineligible to represent The University of Toledo.

• A student-athlete may be declared ineligible to compete for The University of Toledo.

• An entire athletic team may be declared ineligible to compete in MAC or NCAA competition.

• The institution may be placed on MAC/NCAA proba-tion.

• MAC/NCAA championships may be vacated.

• Disassociation of booster from the institution and loss of season ticket privileges.

Please make a concerted efort to understand the rules andask ques-

tions for Boosters

Are you a UT “Athletics Representative” (Booster)?

TheNCAAdefnition of a booster is very broad. Simply put, you are a booster if you have:

• Graduated from the University of Toledo. • Purchased season tickets.

• Become a member of an organization that supports UT Athletics (Downtown Coaches, Varsity ‘T’, etc.). • Made a donation to the Rocket Fund.

• Assisted aToledo student-athlete in securing employ-ment.

Once you become an athletic representative, you maintain that relationship forever, regardless of whether or not you remain in contact with the program.

Permissible Activities for Boosters

• Occasional meals provided to a student-athlete or team at the home of a booster or at an on-campus facil-ity are is permitted. The meal may be catered, and the booster hosting the meal may provide reasonable local transportation to the student-athlete(s) attending the meal (this event must be documented with the Compli-ance Ofce).

• Provide information to student-athletes on employ-ment and internships.

• Please remember that student-athletes retain their status forever, just as boosters do. It is not permissible to provide benefts to a student-athlete simply because they have exhausted their athletics eligibility.

Prospective Student-Athletes (Prospect)

Aprospective student-athlete (e.g., prospect or recruit) is an individual who has begun classes for the ninth grade. This includes prep school and two-year college student-athletes as well.

It is important to remember that athletes are consid-ered to be prospective student-athletes even after they have signed a National Letter of Intent and/or fnancial aid agreement. Prospects retain this status until they have attended classes as a full-time student or have attended practice.

It is not permissible for boosters to make in-person, on- or of-campus recruiting contacts and written, tel-ephonic, or electronic communications with the prospect, the prospect’s relatives or legal guardians, or the prospect’s coaches.

Brian Lutz