NCAA Compliance
NCAA RULES AND REGULATIONS
Boston College, as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, is responsible for insuring that its various constituencies (e.g. University staff and faculty, student-athletes, alumni and friends) abide by the NCAA rules and regulations. The information contained in this site is provided to offer a general overview of key NCAA rules. If you have a need to inquire further, please direct your questions to the Boston College Athletic Association Compliance Office.
Boston College Athletics Compliance Staff
Jerome Rodgers
Associate Athletic Director for Compliance
(617) 552-8570
Carly Pariseau
Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Recruiting
(617) 552-6210
Steven Koo
Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Eligibility
(617) 552-1916
Boston College Athletics Compliance Mailing Address:
Boston College Athletic Association
Compliance Office / Conte Forum 411
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
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 Regarding:
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:
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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.
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The student-athlete signs a contract or commitment of any kind to play
professional athletics, regardless of its legal enforceability.
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The student-athlete or family member accepts or receives any extra benefits
from an agent or anyone who wishes to represent the student-athlete.
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The student-athlete competes with a professional sports team or competes
as a professional in an individual sport and receives any compensation
for participation.
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The student-athlete uses his or her athletic skills for pay or promise
of pay.
NCAA Rules
Regarding
Contacts with BC Student-Athletes
If you are a representative of Boston College’s athletic interests,
the following governs your contact with currently enrolled student-athletes.
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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.
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DO NOT provide room and/or board or any type of transportation during
the summer for a student-athlete with eligibility remaining.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 Boston College.
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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.
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DO NOT allow a student-athlete, his or her friends or relatives
to use your telephone to make free long distance calls.
HOWEVER…..
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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.
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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
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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.
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DO NOT provide anything to or for a prospect, relatives or friends,
without first checking with the Athletic Department administration.
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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.
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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.
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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 Boston College.
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DO NOT entertain high school, prep school or community college COACHES
at ANY location.
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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.
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DO NOT entertain or provide tickets at no, or reduced cost to Boston
College’s 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.
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DO NOT contact an enrolled student-athlete at another institution
for the purpose of encouraging transfer to Boston College and participation
in our athletic program.
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DO NOT pay or offer to pay registration fees for summer sports camps
for a prospect.
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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.
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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. . .
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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 Boston College 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 Boston College Athletic Department.
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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 Boston College’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.
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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.
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DO send to the Boston College 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
Student-Athlete Employment
All student-athletes are permitted to earn legitimate on- and off-campus employment income during the regular academic year as well as during the university's official vacation periods and the summer. However, there are specific NCAA and institutional guidelines which must be followed. Failure to follow the appropriate employment guidelines could render the student-athlete ineligible.
Any employment during the academic year (with the exception of official vacation periods as published in the University calendar) that is not part of the Boston College work-study program, must receive prior written approval from the Compliance Office. Prior written approval will consist of the completion of the Student-Athlete/Coach/Employer Agreement Form. Student-athletes who have summer jobs (other than work-study jobs) that will continue into the academic year must cease employment once classes begin until they have obtained the prior written approval.
A "representative of athletics interests" is permitted to intercede on behalf of an enrolled student-athlete who is looking to secure employment. However, as stated above, the Student-Athlete/Coach/Employer Agreement Form must be completed and on file in the Compliance Office. The agreement specifies the following:
- 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 ability;
- The student-athlete is compensated only for work actually performed; and
- The student-athlete is compensated at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services.
In addition it specifies that you (representative of athletics interests) will not provide any extra benefits to the student-athlete and that you will provide information regarding their earnings if requested.
Lastly, Boston College policy does NOT allow student-athletes to work in the athletics or recreation departments. Coaches may institute their own rules, in addition to the rules above, regarding student-athlete employment.
NCAA Rules Regarding
Gambling
The NCAA and Boston College exercise a "zero tolerance" policy toward gambling on athletic events. It is a violation of NCAA rules and Boston College Athletic Association policy 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 and BCAA policy may be grounds for dismissal from a team or the department.
