Know the Rules…
WHAT ARE YOU PERMITTED TO DO?
Representative of Athletics Interest
Compliance Newsletter
For Alumni, Boosters & Friends
Representatives of Athletics Interests & Boosters
According to the NCAA, as a booster you are described as a Representative of Athletics Interest (RAI). This is defined in Bylaw 13.02.13 as, "A „representative of the institution‟s athletics interests‟ is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g. apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution‟s executive or athletics administration to:  Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution‟s intercollegiate athletics program; Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization; Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes; Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution‟s athletics program."
As a RAI, the NCAA restricts your involvement in the recruiting of prospective student-athletes. According to Bylaw 13.01.4, "Representatives of an institution‟s athletics interests are prohibited from making in-person, on- or off-campus recruiting contacts, or written or telephonic communications with a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete‟s parents or legal guardians.
WHAT ARE YOU PERMITTED TO DO:
As a RAI, you are permitted to: Provide only actual and necessary travel expenses to student-athletes for speaking to an educational or charitable group. All speaking engagements and charitable work must be approved in advance by Compliance. Invite an enrolled student-athlete or an entire team in a sport to your home for an occasional home meal under the following conditions:
1. The meal must be provided in an individual‟s home (as opposed to a restaurant) and may be catered.
2. Meals must be restricted to infrequent and special occasions (i.e., birthdays, holidays, celebrations).
3. Institutional staff members may provide transportation to a student-athlete to attend such meals.
4. This occasional meal must be approved in advance by Compliance. Meet with and receive autographs from student-athletes during SMC sponsored events. Please be aware it is NOT permissible for you to sell the autographs, even to raise money for a special project.
As a Booster there are NCAA rules that pertain to you…
PLEASE NOTE: When you have any doubt as to what you may or may not do in regard to SMC athletics, please call SMC Athletics Compliance at (925) 631-4952 or (925) 631-4956.
GO GAELS!
Know the Rules…
RECRUITING
Know the Rules…
EXTRA BENEFITS
WHAT ARE EXTRA BENEFITS?
NCAA legislation expressly prohibits SMC supporters from providing "extra benefits" to enrolled student-athletes. An extra-benefit is any special arrangement to provide a student-athlete or his/her family a benefit not authorized by NCAA legislation. In general, you may not provide anything or make special arrangements for student-athletes that are not available to the general student population.
Examples of prohibited "Special Benefits" include, but are not limited to:
 Providing cash or loans in any amount, or signing or co-signing for a loan.
 The use of an automobile or other personal property (e.g. boats, summer homes, stereos, etc.).
 Gifts of any kind, including birthday cards, flowers, holiday gifts and gifts of clothing or equipment.
 Providing loans to relatives or friends of student-athletes.
 Any tangible items, including merchandise.
 Free or reduced-cost services, rentals or purchases of any type.
 Free or reduced-cost housing.
 Gifts of cash or like items.
 Providing special discounts for goods and services (e.g., car repairs, legal services, haircuts, meals, housing, etc)
 Purchasing complimentary admissions from a student-athlete.
 Providing an honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement.
 Providing typing services or other costs associated with school projects or reports.
As a RAI, you may:  Recommend a prospect to the appropriate SMC coach. View a prospect‟s athletics event (but NOT contact the prospect, his/her parents, legal guardians or coaches on such occasions); Talk to a prospect on the telephone if he/she calls you, as long as you do not talk about the athletics program; Talk to a prospect about summer employment, subsequent to completion of their senior year of high school, after he/she has signed a National Letter of Intent (In all instances, please contact Compliance before contacting the prospect); If you have an "established" relationship with a prospect, his/her parents or relatives, you may continue normal contacts with the understanding that such contacts are NOT made for recruiting purposes and are not arranged by members of the institution‟s coaching staff. Essentially, a relationship is "established" if:
o The relationship predates the individual‟s status as a prospective student-athlete;
o The relationship predates the athlete‟s status achieved as a result of his/her athletics ability or reputation; and
o The relationship did not develop as a result of the athlete‟s participation in athletics or his/her notoriety related thereto.
As a RAI, you may NOT: Contact a prospect‟s coach, principal or counselor in an effort to evaluate the prospect; Visit a prospect‟s educational institution to pick up film or transcripts pertaining to the evaluation of the prospect; Make special arrangements for entertaining a prospect on an official visit (i.e. providing donations or discounts) Provide "extra benefits" to prospects (i.e. cash, gifts, discounts, loans, free tutoring, etc.)
What if a Prospect Contacts Me?
If a prospective initiates contact with you either in person, by telephone or by mail, you are obligated to refer all questions regarding SMC and its athletics programs to the Athletics Department staff.