Welcome to the

2010-11 Academic Year

Student-Athlete Compliance Meeting

Meet the Athletic Administration

JIM

COLE

Director of Athletics

SYBIL BLALOCK

Senior Woman Administrator

KAREN DONALDSON

Asst. AD for Compliance

MYRA CAMERON

Eligibility Coordinator

Key Topics Covered

Required Compliance Forms Drug Testing Outside Competition Seasons of Eligibility Amateurism Awards and Benefits Countable Athletically Related Activities Ethical Conduct Financial Aid Academics

Required Compliance Forms

All Forms must be completed prior to practice.●NO EXCEPTIONS!!

Any questions regarding the forms see Karen Donaldson or Myra Cameron.

Required Forms

NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Statement NCAA Drug Testing Consent Form HIPPA Release Form Mercer Amateurism Certification Form Mercer Extra Benefits Declaration Form Amateurism and Eligibility Form

For International and Selected Student-Athletes ONLY

Mercer Textbook Agreement Mercer Apparel and Awards Agreement Vehicle Registration Form

The Most Important Thing Is….

ASK BEFORE YOU ACT!!!!

Karen Donaldson

Asst. AD for Compliance

YEAR ROUND TESTING OCCURS IN ALL SPORTS!

If you test positive for a banned substance during an NCAA administered drug test you: will be declared INELIGIBLE to compete during the regular season and

postseason competition for ONE CALENDAR YEAR (i.e. 365 days) after your positive test, and

will be charged with the loss of a minimum of one season of competition in all sports

If you test positive a second time for a banned substance during an NCAA administered drug test you: will lose all remaining regular-season and post season eligibility in all sports

Drug Testing

Check the NCAA Banned Drug-Classes List 2010-11

Notify Rob Murphy or your team’s trainer of any medications or supplements

Drug Testing

Rob Murphy

Asst. AD for Sports Medicine

Stimulants…includes Ritalin , Adderall and other prescription drugs not prescribed to you.

Caffeine if concentration in urine exceed 15 micrograms/ml.

Drug Testing

Outside Competition

During the academic year, student-athletes may not participate on any outside team in any non-collegiate amateur competition.

Exceptions for sports other than basketball:Outside of declared playing and practice season during any official

vacation period.Competition as individual (“unattached”)

●Cannot wear/use institutional apparel;●Cannot receive expenses from the institution; and●Cannot receive instruction from an institution’s coach.

Before you compete with an outside team, check with Compliance.

Seasons of Eligibility

Five years to play four years.

Limited Exceptions RedshirtMedical Hardship Medical Non-CounterMilitary ServiceOfficial mission trips Pregnancy

Most exceptions involve a waiver process with extensive documentation. See Compliance with any concerns.

Seasons of Eligibility - Exceptions

RedshirtsIn initial year of enrollment at the certifying institution, you may

participate in preseason exhibition contests or informal practice scrimmages without losing a season of competition.

Soccer and Volleyball You may engage in outside competition during the segment of the

playing season that does not conclude with the NCAA Championship without using a season of competition, ●Must be academically eligible during the segment that concludes with

the NCAA championship.

Seasons of Eligibility - Exceptions

Medical Hardship Incapacity resulting from injury/illness,All participation during the first half of season, AND Participation in no more than 30% of scheduled contests/dates of

competitionRequires a waiver with medical documentation

Medical Non-CounterInjured/ill to the point of never again participating in intercollegiate

athletics

Amateurism

• You are ineligible in a sport if you ever:• Accept pay, or promise of pay; • Agree orally or in writing to compete in professional athletics; • Compete on any professional athletics team; • Use athletics skill for pay;• Promote a commercial product or service; OR• Allow your name or likeness to be used in commercial promotion

Examples:- Playing on a professional team- Allow yourself to appear on a poster for a local store

Fee-for-Lesson

You may receive compensation for teaching or coaching skills or techniques in your sport on a fee-for-lesson basis, provided you:• Complete the required paperwork beforehand, • Do not use institutional facilities, • Do more than just go out and play with your student, AND• Do not receive payment from someone other than the recipient or

the recipient’s family.

SEE COMPLIANCE BEFORE GIVING LESSONS IN ANY SPORT!!

Agents and Runners

You are ineligible in a sport if you or a family member ever: Accept money, transportation or other benefits from an

agent or runner; Agree orally or in writing to be represented by an agent;

OR Allow and agent to market your athletics ability or

reputation. “Advisors” can be “agents” too!

If you are considering a career in professional sports, Mercer wants to help.

Awards and Benefits – Extra BenefitsYou may not accept anything that is not available to the

general student body or the general public!

Special arrangements and benefits apply to you AND your friends and relatives. Benefits include, but are not limited to:

Transportation Food Clothing Course supplies or textbooks not covered by your

scholarship– including letting others use your books Financial loan Unadvertised discounts Admission or Special Access to Events or Bars/Clubs

Even Mercer Events!

ASK YOURSELF….TO PROTECT YOUR ELIGIBILITY:1. Is it available to you because you are a student-athlete?

OR

2. Is it available GENERALLY TO ALL MERCER STUDENTS determined on a basis unrelated to athletic ability?

Awards and Benefits – Extra Benefits

Awards and Benefits – Complimentary Admissions A student-athlete may not:

Receive payment from any source for his or her complimentary admissions and may not exchange or assign them for any item of value.

Sell or exchange his or her complimentary admissions for money or any item of value to anyone, including teammates or other student-athletes.

Countable Athletically Related Activities – In-Season 20 hours/week

(Week defined by coaches at start of year) 4 hours/day Day of competition = 3 hours 1 day off per week Travel day can be used as day off No practice following competition Unlimited practice during institutional vacation periods For fall sports with a preseason, unlimited practice until

first contest against outside competition or first day of class, whichever occurs earlier.

8 hours/week – Must be strength & conditioning activities, EXCEPT…No countable athletically related activities from one week prior to

the beginning of the institution’s final exam period through the conclusion of each student-athlete’s final exams.

2 days off per week

First Day of Classes – September 14

2 hours/week of skill instruction with no more than 4 student-athletes

September 15 – April 15 2 hours/week of skill instruction with an unlimited number of student-athletes

April 16 – One week prior to finals

2 hours/week of skill instruction with no more than 4 student-athletes

Countable Athletically Related Activities – Out-of-Season

Countable Athletically Related Activities – Countable and Non-countable Activities

To be considered “voluntary” and not count in your maximum practice/competition hours, the following conditions must be met:

Must not be required to report back to a coach or other staff member (e.g. trainer, manager, strength coach),

Noncoaching staff members who observe the activity may not report back to the coach any information related to the activity,

Must be initiated and requested solely by the student-athlete (NOT required),

Attendance and participation (or lack thereof) may not be recorded for the purpose of reporting attendance to the coach or teammates,

Must not be subjected to penalty if you elect not to participate, No recognition or incentives can be given based on attendance or

performance

Countable Athletically Related Activities – Voluntary Workouts

Coaches are required to report your weekly hours to compliance.

Click icon to add pictureKaren DonaldsonAsst. AD- Compliance

478-301-2729donaldson_ke@mercer.edu

Front Office

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your team’s countable hours (in-season or out-of-season) or voluntary activities, please contact:

Student-Athletes must also report their weekly hours!

Countable Athletically Related Activities – Playing and Practice Seasons

Ethical Conduct

Compete with honesty and sportsmanship at all times Be forthcoming and honest Bylaw 10.1 requires everyone at Mercer to

cooperate fully with NCAA matters.

Failure to do so will affect your eligibility.

Violations include: Accepting a bet or placing a bet for anything of value

(e.g., food, clothes, money) Providing inside information

RISK + REWARD = VIOLATION

Examples of impermissible gambling include: Fantasy Leagues, Super Bowl Pools, NCAA Tournament

Pools/Brackets, Betting on the Golf Course

NCAA PENALTIES:

FIRST OFFENSE = Ineligible for at least one year and a loss of at least one season of competition!

SECOND OFFENSE = Permanent loss of eligibility in all sports!

Ethical Conduct – Sports Wagering

Ethical Conduct – Sports Wagering

IMPERMISSIBLE, IF YOU…are involved in point shaving or other activities designed to

influence the outcome or win-loss margin of a game, OR

solicit or accept a bet or participate in any gambling activity involving wagering on your institution, you lose all remaining eligibility immediately!

SPORTS WAGERING YOU ARE AT RISK!! Mercer sports are on Vegas boards– meaning people DO

bet on Mercer sports. The FBI estimates that over $2.5 billion is wagered illegally

on March Madness alone. Student books are often supervised by white collar

criminals.●Getting involved means very real prison time.

DO NOT share team information- EVER.●Injuries●Morale●Discipline issues

Financial assistance other than from those you are legally dependent needs to be immediately reported to MYRA CAMERON.

Examples may include, but are not limited to: community scholarships, alumni scholarships, and any institutional aid.

Myra Cameron

478-301-2733

Front Office

Failure to report financial aid could cost you your eligibility!

One-year agreements May be reduced/cancelled

Financial Aid – Athletic Scholarships

Financial Aid – Employment

Required paperwork prior to employment.Compensation…

Cannot be given for being a student-athlete, Can only be given for work actually performed, AND Can only be at a rate commensurate with the going rate

in that locality for similar services.

SEE COMPLIANCE BEFORE STARTING WORK!!!

All student-athletes must: Be enrolled full-time ● Minimum of 12 hours● See your athletic academic advisor prior to making any course

changes● Never drop a course without first consulting your advisor and

the athletics administration. You WILL pay for the course!

Exception to full-time enrollment If you require less than 12 hours to graduate in either the fall or

spring semester, you must:● Have school/college advisor provide documentation to be enrolled in

less than 12 hours prior to first day of class.

Academics – Eligibility Requirements

All student-athletes must successfully complete 6 hours per term to be eligible next term 18 hours during the academic year (summer

classes cannot be used), 24 hours prior to the start of your 2nd year

(summer classes may be used), ANDDeclare a major before the third year of enrollment.

Academics – Eligibility Requirements

CumulativeGPA

% of Degree Completion

Entering 2nd Year 1.8

Entering 3rd Year 1.9 40%

Entering 4th Year 2.0 60%

Entering 5th Year 2.0 80%

Academics – Eligibility Requirements

We wish you much success during the 2010-11 Academic Year!