Compliance Guidelines for Blue Devil Boosters
University of Wisconsin-Stout is committed to observing the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) guidelines concerning representatives of athletic interest (aka boosters) and institutional control. Our institutional responsibility to rules compliance includes responsibility for the actions of all individuals and organizational engaged in activities promoting the athletic interests of UW-Stout.
For the benefit of the many alumni, fans, and booster club members who are so active in supporting and assisting the Blue Devils throughout the year, Blue Devil Athletics would like to remind everyone of a few definitions and rules that apply to all athletic representatives and boosters.
NCAA Principles
Institutional Control
It is the responsibility of UW-Stout to control its intercollegiate athletic program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the NCAA.
Responsibility
UW-Stout’s responsibility for the conduct of its program includes responsibility for the actions of its staff members and for the actions of any other individual, booster, or organization engaged in activities promoting the athletic interests of the institution.
Compliance
UW-Stout must monitor its program to assure compliance and to identify and report to the NCAA instances in which compliance has not been achieved. An institution found to have violated NCAA rules is subject to disciplinary and corrective actions as determined by the NCAA.
NCAA Definitions
Athletic Representative/ Booster
You are considered to be a UW-Stout athletic representative if you:
- Are a present or past member of a UW-Stout booster club or agency that promotes the Blue Devils intercollegiate athletic program
- Have made financial contributions to the athletic department or to an athletic booster organization of UW- Stout
- Are or have been providing benefits (e.g., summer jobs, meals, ect.) to enrolled student-athletes, their family members, or friends
- Are or have been involved in any manner of promoting the UW-Stout intercollegiate athletic program
Please note: Once an individual is identified as an athletic representative, that person retains that identity indefinitely. UW-Stout is ultimately responsible for the acts of all “representatives of athletic interests” in relation to NCAA rules and regulations.
Prospective Student-Athlete
A prospective student-athlete is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade or above, including students in prep schools and junior colleges as well as students who have officially withdrawn from a four-year institution and plan to transfer to another institution. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete in the institution or a booster provides the individual or the individual’s relatives or friends with any financial assistance or benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students in general. A good rule of thumb is to treat ALL STUDENTS as prospects.
Student-Athlete
A student-athlete is a student whose enrollment was solicited by a member of the athletic staff or other representative of athletic interests with a view toward the student’s ultimate participation in the intercollegiate athletic program.
Contact
A contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospect, or the prospect’s parent or legal guardian, and an institutional staff member or athletic representative during which any dialogue occurs.
Recruiting
Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect or a prospect’s family member (or guardian) by an institutional staff member or by an athletic representative of the institution, for the purpose of securing the prospect’s enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution’s intercollegiate athletic program.
Guidelines and Reminders for Boosters on Prospective Student-Athletes
- A booster may not contact the prospect, prospect’s coach, principal, or counselor in an attempt to evaluate or recruit the prospect
- A booster may not expend funds to entertain or provide transportation for a prospective student-athlete, family members, or friends
- A booster may not become directly or indirectly involved in making arrangements for a prospect, or the prospect’s relative, or friend to receive money or financial aid of any kind
- A booster may not contact a prospective student-athlete through letter writing, telephone calling, or other forms of communication
However, here are a few ways that a UW-Stout booster may be involved:
- Do discuss summer employment opportunities with a prospect after he/she has committed to UW-Stout
- Do attend high school athletic events without contacting prospective student-athletes
- Do continue existing friendships with families and friends of prospective student-athletes
- Do send recommendation letters, newspaper clippings, or similar information about prospective student-athletes to UW-Stout coaches
Extra Benefit Guidelines and Reminders for Boosters on Student-Athletes
An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an intuitional employee or an athletic representative to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete’s relative or friend a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.
Boosters may not provide any special arrangement considered to be an extra benefit by NCAA definition.
Examples of extra benefits include but are not limited to:
- Providing cash or loans of any amount
- Signing or co-signing for a loan or other forms of financial assistance
- Providing the use of a telephone to make local or long distance calls
- Transporting a student-athlete or providing the use of a vehicle
- Providing free or reduced rent housing
- Giving gifts of any kind (i.e. birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day)
- Promising a student-athlete postgraduate education or employment
- Offering free services (i.e. clothing, airline tickets, laundry, car repair, haircuts, restaurant meals)
- Providing payment to a student-athlete for a booster club speaking engagement
- Providing employment for relatives or friends
Here are a few ways that a Blue Devil booster may help:
- Do invite a student-athlete to participate in non-profit, charitable, or educational events
- Do invite a student-athlete into your home for an occasional meal
- Do contact the UW-Stout Athletic Compliance Office for approval prior to a student-athlete engaging in outside speaking or promotional activities
- Do pay a student-athlete the commensurate rate for actual and legitimate employment