11.01.3 Coach, Graduate Assistant -- Bowl Subdivision Football. [FBS] In bowl subdivision football, a graduate assistant coach is any coach who has received a baccalaureate degree and has either received his or her first baccalaureate degree or has exhausted athletics eligibility (whichever occurs later) within the previous seven years and qualifies for appointment as a graduate assistant under the policies of the institution. The individual is not required to be enrolled in a specific graduate degree program unless required by institutional policy. The following provisions shall apply: (Revised: 1/11/89, 1/10/91, 1/10/92, 1/16/93, 1/9/96 effective 8/1/96, 11/1/01 effective 8/1/02, 5/25/06, 12/15/06, 1/8/07 effective 8/1/07, 11/1/07 effective 8/1/08, 1/16/10 effective 8/1/10, 4/29/10 for new appointments, 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11, 4/26/12, 8/21/12, 1/19/13 effective 8/1/13, 10/21/13)

(a) The individual shall be enrolled in at least 50 percent of the institution’s minimum regular graduate program of studies, except that during his or her final semester or quarter of the degree program, he or she may be enrolled in less than 50 percent of the institution’s minimum regular program, provided he or she is carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete the degree requirements. If the individual fails to complete all degree requirements during the term in which he or she is enrolled in less than 50 percent of the institution’s minimum regular program, the result shall be an institutional violation per Constitution 2.8.1. An institution may appoint a midyear replacement graduate assistant coach who is enrolled in less than 50 percent of the institution’s minimum regular graduate program of studies (or is not yet enrolled), provided the graduate assistant coach has been accepted for enrollment in a graduate program beginning with the next regular academic term;

(b) The individual may not receive compensation or remuneration in excess of the value of a full grant-in-aid for a full-time student, based on the resident status of that individual, and the receipt of four complimentary tickets to the institution’s intercollegiate football and basketball games;

(c) Graduate and postgraduate financial assistance administered outside the institution (e.g., NCAA postgraduate scholarship) shall be excluded from the individual’s limit on remuneration, provided such assistance is awarded through an established and continuing program to aid graduate students and the donor of the assistance does not restrict the recipient’s choice of institutions;

(d) The individual may not serve as a graduate assistant coach for a period of more than two years except that if the individual successfully completes 24-semester or 36-quarter hours during the initial two-year period, the individual may serve as a graduate assistant coach for a third year;

(e) Compensation for employment from a source outside the institution during the academic year shall be excluded from the individual’s limit on remuneration, provided the institution does not arrange such employment and the compensation is for work actually performed. The member institution may not arrange on- or off-campus employment opportunities except for summer employment, which is permissible regardless of whether the student remains enrolled in the graduate program during the summer;

(f) A graduate student coach may accept employment benefits available to all institutional employees (e.g., life insurance, health insurance, disability insurance), as well as expenses to attend the convention of the national coaches association in the coach’s sport, without the value of those benefits being included in the individual’s limit on remuneration;

(g) The individual may receive cash to cover unitemized incidental expenses during travel and practice for NCAA championship events or postseason bowl contests in accordance with the parameters by which student-athletes may receive such expenses pursuant to Bylaw 16.8.1.1;

(h) The institution may provide actual and necessary expenses for the individual’s spouse and children to attend a postseason football bowl game or an NCAA championship; and

(i) The individual may not evaluate or contact prospective student-athletes off campus, regardless of whether compensation is received for such activities. The individual may not perform recruiting coordination functions (see Bylaw 11.7.2); however, it is permissible for a graduate assistant coach to make telephone calls to prospective student-athletes, provided the coach has successfully completed the coaches’ certification examination per Bylaw 11.5.1.1.