STUDENT-ATHLETE PARENTS' GUIDE TO NCAA RULES
WELCOME!
Dear Parents of University of Miami Student-Athletes:
Welcome to another year of Hurricane Athletics! As the parent of a student-athlete, your actions can have a significant effect on your son or daughter and on the University.
We have put together a guide to educate parents of University of Miami student-athletes about the ever-changing rules in intercollegiate athletics. The parents’ guide breakdowns the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and University of Miami (UM) rules that apply to your son or daughter. While the guide is not all inclusive, it will provide a sample of the type of compliance issues you and your son or daughter may encounter while at UM.
The University of Miami’s athletic department is committed to operating the athletic program in a manner that is consistent with the letter and spirit of NCAA rules. The University will, at no time, compromise the integrity of this institution when it comes to rules compliance. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the Compliance Office at 305-284-5542 or email us at athleticscompliance@miami.edu.
Remember to always ASK BEFORE YOU ACT! We are never too busy to answer your questions.
EXTRA BENEFITS & PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT
It is a violation of NCAA rules for student-athletes, their friends, or family members to accept an extra benefit or receive preferential treatment. An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or booster to provide a student- athlete, their friends, or family members with a benefit that is not generally available to the student-body as a whole. Preferential treatment involves the receipt of benefits or services because of the individual’s athletics reputation, athletic skill, or pay-back potential as a professional athlete. The receipt of such benefits immediately places the student- athlete’s eligibility for intercollegiate athletics competition in jeopardy.
Examples of extra benefits include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Signing or cosigning a loan;
- Any tangible gifts, including birthday or holiday gifts;
- Free or discounted meals;
- Free or discounted goods (e.g., clothing, vehicles, electronics);
- Free or discounted services (e.g., dry cleaning, haircuts, cell phones, long distance calls);
- Free or discounted entertainment (e.g., movie tickets, professional sports tickets);
- Assistance paying bills (e.g., utility bills, rent payments, telephone or cell phone bills);
- Transportation or the use of an automobile;
- Special finance and/or credit arrangements;
- Arranged employment for your family or friends;
- Admission to an event (e.g., movies, banquets, concerts, sporting events, clubs, special events/ parties, banquets, etc.);
- Free or reduced cost housing for any length of time; and/or
- Academic assistance of any kind (e.g., tutoring, editing papers/projects, assistance in completing classwork, use of a computer, etc.).
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOUSING
Student-athletes, their parents, relatives, and friends may not receive free or reduced-cost housing at any time!
Student-athletes are required to submit housing information at the beginning of every year and provide a copy of their signed lease to the Athletics Compliance Office.
AUTOMOBILE REGISTRATION
Student-athletes, their friends, and family members may not receive any vehicle discounts or benefits that are not available to all customers.
- Student-athletes must complete the Automobile Registration Form at the beginning of each academic year and provide proof of vehicle registration.
- Student-athletes must notify the Compliance Office prior to purchasing or leasing a vehicle.
- Student-athletes are required to notify and receive approval from the Compliance Office if they will will have a loaner vehicle for a period of 48 hours or more because of maintenance or repairs being performed on a student-athlete’s vehicle.
COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSIONS
Student-athletes may receive up to four complimentary admissions to each home and away contest in the sport in which they are eligible to participate and up to six complimentary admissions for postseason contests. Each student-athlete guest must present proper identification and enter at the designated site. If a name is not on the admissions list, that person will not be admitted.
NO SELLING COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSIONS.
Complimentary admissions may not be sold or exchanged for anything of value by student-athletes or the individual designated to receive a complimentary admission. Such a sale is an extra benefit and will jeopardize the student-athlete’s eligibility.
YOUR ACTIONS CAN AFFECT YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER...
If you sell your complimentary admission, your child's eligibility will be affected. If you receive a parking pass, free ticket upgrade, or use of a suite, your child's eligibility will be affected!
REPRESENTATIVE OF ATHLETICS INTERESTS
AKA, BOOSTERS
As the parent of a UM student-athlete you should be aware that the NCAA has imposed limitations and boundaries on the kinds of interactions you may have with people whom the NCAA considers representatives of UM’s athletics interests (AKA, BOOSTERS).
A BOOSTER IS ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO:
- Is a member of an organization that supports or promotes UM athletics (i.e, Hurricane Club);
- Has made a financial contribution to the athletics department (i.e., Golden Canes);
- Promotes UM Athletics;
- Is (or has been) a season ticket holder;
- Has purchased tickets to a UM sporting event;
- Is a former player or UM alumni; and/or
- Has provided benefits to enrolled student-athletes, their friends and/or family members.
Once identified as a booster, an individual remains a booster for life! If you befriend an individual that meets the definition of a booster, please be aware that the circumstances of your relationship must remain in compliance with NCAA rules. Generally speaking, a UM booster - or any other non-family member - may not provide benefits to you or your son and/or daughter!
SPORTS WAGERING
NCAA sports wagering rules do not allow student-athletes to (1) bet on any sport sponsored by the NCAA at any level, including college and/or professional or (2) to share information for sports wagering purposes.
It is a violation of NCAA rules for a student-athlete to:
- Provide information to any individual involved in gambling on UM athletics.
- Solicit or accept any bet on any intercollegiate or professional team.
- Participate in any activity that influences the outcome of a game (i.e., point shaving). Point shaving is a federal crime.
- Participate in any organized gambling activity that involves intercollegiate or professional athletics, including internet gambling (i.e., fantasy football league, FireFan, FanDuel, Draft Kings, NCAA basketball tournament pools, etc.).
Student-athletes that violate the gambling rules may be subject to the following sanctions:
- Permanent loss of all remaining athletic eligibility in all sports; and/or
- Loss of athletic scholarship.
YOUR ACTIONS CAN AFFECT YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER.
If your son or daughter provides you with information on UM athletics and you use that information to gamble, your child's eligibility will be affected.
AGENTS
INVOLVEMENT WITH AN AGENT COULD AFFECT YOUR CHILD'S ELIGIBILITY.
DEFINITION OF AN AGENT
An agent is any individual who, directly or indirectly:
- Represents or attempts to represent an individual for the purpose of marketing his or her athletic ability or reputation for financial gain; and/or
- Seeks to obtain any type of financial gain or benefit from securing a prospective-student athlete's enrollment at an educational institution or from a student-athlete's potential earnings as a professional athlete.
Student-athletes, their friends, and/or family members should not become involved with agents in any way while the student-athlete has eligibility remaining. Student-athletes, their friends, and family members may not:
- Accept money, transportation, or any other benefit from an agent, “runner,” or any other individual;
- Agree orally or in writing to be represented by an agent now or in the future; and/or
- Agree orally or in writing to have an agent or “runner” market the student-athlete’s athletic ability or reputation now or in the future.
All agents must be registered with the University of Miami Athletic Department, NCAA, and the State of Florida in order to contact you. If you would like to set up a meeting with an agent, or have any questions or concerns please contact the Athletic Compliance Office.
PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES
ALL STUDENT-ATHLETE APPEARANCES MUST BE APPROVED BY COMPLIANCE.
- Student-athletes must receive approval from the Athletic Compliance Office prior to participating in any promotional activity or community outreach.
- Student-athletes may not receive any compensation or expenses other than actual expenses (i.e., meals, transportation, etc.) incurred from attending the event.
- The student-athlete’s name, picture, or appearance may not be used to promote the commercial ventures of any organization.
- ALL MONEY derived from the event must go directly to the charitable/nonprofit organization.
Family members of a current student-athlete may not use the student-athlete's name, image or likeness to promote their business or company.
WHAT HAPPENS IF A STUDENT-ATHLETE, THEIR FRIENDS, AND/OR FAMILY MEMBERS ACCEPT AN EXTRA BENEFIT?
YOUR ACTIONS AFFECT YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER. If you accept any benefit, including preferential or VIP treatment, discounts, assistance paying bills, or special payment arrangements, your son or daughter will become ineligible.
- If you provide any benefit to your child's teammate that is not approved by the Compliance Office, the teammate’s eligibility will be affected.
- If the benefit is under $200, the student-athlete must donate the sum received to a charitable organization. Once the donation is made and recorded by Compliance, the student-athlete is eligible for competition.
- If the benefit is greater than $200, UM must request reinstatement of the student-athlete's eligibility. The student-athlete will be withheld from competition until reinstated by the NCAA.
CONSEQUENCE OF COMPETING WHILE INELIGIBLE: If a student-athlete accepts an extra benefit they are immediately ineligible to compete. A student-athlete that continues to compete may cause a team to have to vacate records for the period of time that the student-athlete competed while ineligible.
CONSEQUENCES OF NCAA RULES VIOLATIONS
A violation of NCAA rules by a student-athlete will immediately put his/her eligibility to compete in intercollegiate athletics in jeopardy. A violation of NCAA rules by the parents, relatives and/or friends of a student-athlete may have a similar effect. As a result, the eligibility status of a UM student-athlete may be adversely impacted by the actions of his/her parents or others (e.g., boosters), even if the student-athlete did not have any knowledge of the events and circumstances that led to the violation of NCAA rules.
Please be aware that your actions, regardless of your son’s or daughter’s knowledge or approval, may have eligibility ramifications for him/her.