13 Recruiting

[13.01 through 13.02 unchanged.]

13.02.10 National Letter of IntentInstitutional Athletics Aid Agreement Signing Dates. The National Letter of Intent referred to in this bylaw is the official document administered by the Collegiate Commissioners Association and used by subscribing member institutions to establish the commitment of a prospective student-athlete to attend a particular institution.The following provisions set forth the dates when a prospective student-athlete may sign an institutional athletics aid agreement (see Bylaw 13.02.10.2):

(a) First Date for Football Midyear Two-Year College Transfers. The Wednesday following the final Football Bowl Subdivision regular-season contest.

(b) First Date for Football Regular Signing. The first Wednesday in February.

(c) First Date for All Other Sports. The second Wednesday in November.

13.02.10.1 National Letter of IntentSigning Date Dead Period. The National Letter of Intent dead period is that period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the member institution's campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospective student-athletes to the institution's campus.

13.02.10.2 National Letter of Intent Signing Date. The period 48 hours before 7 a.m. on the date for signing the National Letter of Intent in the applicable sport.

[13.02.11 through 13.02.12 unchanged.]

13.02.12.1 Recruited Prospective Student-Athlete. Actions by staff members or boosters that cause a prospective student-athlete to become a recruited prospective student-athlete at that institution are:

[13.02.12.1-(a) through 13.02.12.1-(c) unchanged.]

(d) Issuing an National Letter of Intent or the institution's written offer of athletically related financial aid to a prospective student-athlete.

[13.02.13 through 13.02.16 unchanged.]

[13.1 unchanged.]

13.1.1.2 Signed Prospective Student-Athletes. An athletics staff member or booster shall not communicate or make contact with a prospective student-athlete who has signed a written offer of athletics aid with another NCAA Division I or Division II institution, or any individual associated with the student-athlete (e.g., family member, scholastic or nonscholastic coach, advisor), directly or indirectly.

13.1.1.2.1 Duration of Contact Prohibition. Contact with a prospective student-athlete who has signed an athletics aid agreement with another institution is prohibited until: [D]

(a) The prospective student-athlete requests and the institution grants a release from the contact prohibition;

(1) Notification Following Voluntary Withdrawal. Once the prospective student-athlete requests to voluntarily withdraw their written offer of athletics aid, the institution shall respond to the prospective student-athlete in writing, granting or denying their release, within 14 consecutive calendar days from receiving the request.

(2) Hearing Opportunity. If the institution denies a prospective student-athlete’s request for a release of the contact prohibition, the institution's regular financial aid authority shall inform the prospective student-athlete in writing, within 14 consecutive calendar days from the date the prospective student-athlete has been notified of the decision to deny their release. The hearing shall be conducted by an institutional entity or committee outside the athletics department (e.g., financial aid review committee, the office of student affairs; office of the dean of students; or a committee composed of the faculty athletics representative, student-athletes and nonathletics faculty/staff members). The institution shall conduct the hearing and provide written results of the hearing to the prospective student-athlete within 30 consecutive calendar days of receiving a prospective student-athlete’s written request for a hearing. The prospective student-athlete shall be provided the opportunity to actively participate (e.g., in person, via videoconference) in the hearing. If the institution fails to conduct the hearing or provide the written results to the prospective student-athlete within 30 consecutive calendar days, the release shall be granted by default and the institution shall update the prospective student-athlete's status in the applicable NCAA database within seven business days.

(b) The prospective student-athlete's athletics aid is reduced or canceled pursuant to Bylaw 15.5.4.1-(a), -(b) or -(c); 

(c) The prospective student-athlete is rendered academically ineligible for intercollegiate competition and all opportunities for appeal have been exhausted; or

(d) The prospective student-athlete does not attend class as a full-time student in a regular term of the academic year and is officially disenrolled pursuant to institutional policy.

13.1.1.2.1.1 Release of Contact Prohibition. An institution shall update the prospective student-athlete's status in the applicable NCAA database within seven business days of receiving their release. 

13.1.1.2.2 Hearing Opportunity. The institution's regular financial aid authority shall notify the prospective student-athlete in writing within 14 consecutive calendar days from when the prospective student-athlete has been notified of the decision to reduce or cancel their athletics aid. The hearing shall be conducted by an institutional entity or committee outside the athletics department (e.g., financial aid review committee, the office of student affairs; office of the dean of students; or a committee composed of the faculty athletics representative, student-athletes and nonathletics faculty/staff members). The notification of the hearing opportunity shall include a copy of the institution's established policies and procedures for conducting the required hearing, including the deadline by which a prospective student-athlete must request the hearing. The institution shall conduct the hearing and provide written results of the hearing to the prospective student-athlete within 30 consecutive calendar days of receiving a prospective student-athlete’s written request for a hearing. The prospective student-athlete shall be provided the opportunity to actively participate (e.g., in person, via videoconference) in the hearing.

[13.1.1.2 renumbered as 13.1.1.3, unchanged.]

[13.1.2 through 13.1.4 unchanged.]

13.1.4.1.2 Exception -- Contact at the Site of Competition Following Commitment. An institutional coaching staff member may contact a prospective student-athlete and/or their relatives or legal guardians at any site on the day or days of competition, provided the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or written offer of admission and/or athletically related financial aid with the coach's institution or the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission. (See Bylaw 13.1.4.1.1)

13.1.5 Banquets, Meetings and NCAA Promotional Activities. A coach may speak at a meeting or banquet and have contact with a prospective student-athlete(s) or their relatives or legal guardians, provided: [D]

[13.1.5-(a) through 13.1.5-(c) unchanged.]

(d) It does not take place during the National Letter of Intentsigning date dead period.

[13.2 unchanged.]

13.2.2.7 Summer Facility Fees for Prospective Student-Athletes. An institution may pay fees associated with the use of institutional practice and competition facilities by a prospective student-athlete to participate in voluntary athletically related activities in their sport during the summer before initial full-time enrollment at the certifying institution (see Bylaw 13.8.2.3), provided the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission.

[13.2.2.8 through 13.2.2.9 unchanged.]

[13.2.3 unchanged.]

[13.3 through 13.5 unchanged.]

13.6 Letter-of-Intent Programs, FinancialAthletics Aid Agreements.

[13.6.1 unchanged.]

13.6.2 Transcript Prior to National Letter of Intent or Written Offer of Athletics Aid. An institution shall not provide a high school, college-preparatory school, or two-year or four-year college prospective student-athlete with a National Letter of Intent or written offer of athletics aid until the prospective student-athlete presents the institution with a high school, college-preparatory school or college transcript (official or unofficial). [D]

13.6.3 Written Offer of Athletics Aid -- Four-Year College Prospective Student-Athlete. An institution shall not provide a four-year college prospective student-athlete with a written offer of athletics aid until the prospective student-athlete presents the institution with a college transcript (official or unofficial) and the prospective student-athlete has been placed into the NCAA Transfer Portal.

13.6.34.2 Offer of Aid Before Signing Date. An institution may indicate in writing to a prospective student-athlete that an athletically related grant-in-aid will be offered by the institution; however, the institution may not permit the prospective student-athlete to sign a form indicating their acceptance of such an award before the initial-signing date in that sport in the National Letter of Intent program. [D]

13.6.45 Letter-of-Intent Contact on Day of Signing. Any in-person, on- or off-campus contact made with a prospective student-athlete for the purpose of signing a letter of intent or otheron the day the prospective student-athlete signs an athletics aid agreement or other commitment to attend the institution or attendance at activities related to the signing of a letter of intent or other commitment to attend the institution shall be prohibited. [D]

[13.7 unchanged.]

13.7.2 Comments Prior to Signing. Before the signing of a prospective student-athlete to a National Letter of Intent or an institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid or before the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission, a member institution may comment publicly only to the extent of confirming its recruitment of the prospective student-athlete. [See Bylaw 13.1.3.2]. [D]

[13.7.2.1 through 13.7.2.3 unchanged.]

13.7.3 Photograph of Prospective Student-Athlete. It is permissible for an institution to photograph a prospective student-athlete during a campus visit to be used in the institution's permissible publicity and promotional activities (e.g., press release, media guide) once the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or a written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission. An electronic copy of the photograph may be given to the prospective student-athlete at any time. [D]

13.7.4 Media Release Regarding Signing. Publicity released by an institution concerning a prospective student-athlete's commitment to attend the institution shall occur only after the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or after the prospective student-athlete's signed acceptance of the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid or after the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission. Such communications, which are not limited in number or content, may be released to media outlets at the institution's discretion. [D]

13.7.4.1 Press Conferences and Celebratory Events. It is permissible for an institution to hold press conferences, receptions, dinners and similar meetings for the purpose of making such an announcement. A prospective student-athlete who has signed a National Letter of Intent or the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission may attend institutional press conferences and celebratory events provided the event does not occur during an National Letter of Intentthe signing date dead period. Any benefits provided to a prospective student-athlete in conjunction with press conferences or celebratory events are subject to Bylaw 13 restrictions. [D]

[13.8 unchanged.]

13.8.2.5.2 After Signing or Acceptance for Enrollment. It shall be permissible to administer medical examinations at any time to prospective student-athletes who either have signed the National Letter of Intent ora written offer of admission and/or financial aid or after the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission, provided the examinations occur during an official paid visit or the prospective student-athletes' visit to the institution at their own expense for this purpose. [D]

[13.8.3 unchanged.]

[13.9 unchanged.]

13.9.1.3 Dead Period. An institution's camps or clinics may not be conducted during the National Letter of Intentsigning date dead period.

[13.9.1.4 unchanged.]

[13.9.2 unchanged.]

13.9.2.1 Prospective Student-Athletes. An institution may employ a prospective student-athlete at institutional sports camps or clinics. A prospective student-athlete who has signed a National Letter of Intent or written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission may only be employed at an institutional sports camp or clinic by the institution with which they signed a written commitment. A prospective student-athlete who has not signed a National Letter of Intent or written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution has not received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission may be employed at any institutional sports camp or clinic. Employment of a prospective student-athlete at institutional sports camps or clinics shall only occur under the following conditions: [R]

[13.9.2.1-(a) through 13.9.2.1-(d) unchanged.]

[13.9.2.2 through 13.9.2.4 unchanged.]

[13.10 through 13.12 unchanged.]

13.12.1.1 Extent of Prohibition. The provisions of Bylaw 13.12.1 apply to all prospective student-athletes, including those who have signed a National Letter of Intent or the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission.

[13.12.1.2 through 13.12.1.4 unchanged.]

[13.12.2 unchanged.]

13.12.2.1 Fees and Expenses Necessary to Determine Eligibility Status. An institution may pay the following fees and expenses to evaluate a prospective student-athlete's eligibility status:

[13.12.2.1-(a) through 13.12.2.1-(d) unchanged.]

(e) Expenses required by the prospective student-athlete's educational institution (e.g., transcript fee, express mail charges) to send a prospective student-athlete's official transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center, provided the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or written offer of admission and/or financial aid with that institution or the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission. An institution may not pay an outstanding balance to the prospective student-athlete's educational institution in order to release a hold on the transcript.

[13.12.2.2 through 13.12.2.4 unchanged.]

14 Eligibility: Academic and Athletics Requirements

[14.01 through 14.1 unchanged.]

14.1.3.1.2 Payment of Legal Fees During Appeal. A member institution may provide actual and necessary expenses for a prospective student-athlete to attend proceedings conducted by the institution, its athletics conference or the NCAA that relate to the prospective student-athlete's eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics, provided the prospective student-athlete either has signed a National Letter of Intent with the institution or (if the institution is not a subscribing member of the National Letter of Intent program)written offer of admission and/or financial aid with that institution, the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission or the prospective student-athlete has been accepted for enrollment by the institution and has provided written confirmation of their intent to enroll at the institution. The cost of legal representation in such proceedings also may be provided by the institution (or a representative of its athletic interests).

[14.1.3.2 unchanged.]

[14.1.4 through 14.1.5 unchanged.]

[14.2 through 14.4 unchanged.]

15.5.4.1.2 Fraudulent Misrepresentation. If a student-athlete is awarded athletics aid on the basis of declaring intention to participate in a particular sport by signing a letter of intentn written offer of athletics aid, application or tender, action on the part of the grantee not to participate (either by not reporting for practice or after making only token appearances as determined by the institution) would constitute fraudulent misrepresentation of information on the grantee's application, letter of intent or athletics aid agreement and would permit the institution to cancel or reduce the  athletics aid.

17 Playing and Practice Seasons

[17.01 through 17.32 unchanged.]

17.32.1.5.1 Incoming-Student Participation. It is permissible for an eligible incoming student-athlete to represent the institution on a foreign tour in the summer prior to initial full-time enrollment provided the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution has received their financial deposit in response to its offer of admission. An incoming student-athlete in their first year of collegiate enrollment must have received a final academic and amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center. An incoming transfer student-athlete must have received an amateurism certification and be otherwise eligible per Bylaw 17.32.1.5.

[17.32.1.6 through 17.32.1.10 unchanged.]

[17.32.2 unchanged.]

[17.33 unchanged.]

19 Infractions Program.

[19.01 through 19.12 unchanged.]

19.12.4 Penalties, Disciplinary Measures and Corrective Actions for Major Violations. The Committee on Infractions has the authority to determine the penalties, disciplinary measures and corrective actions that are prescribed for an institution for major violations. The Infractions Appeals Committee shall hear and act on an institution's appeal per Bylaw 19.5. The committee(s) may consider institutional- or conference-imposed penalties and, where appropriate, include those in the penalties. Institutional- or conference-imposed penalties shall not displace or substitute for the committee's judgment regarding penalties. Penalties, disciplinary measures and corrective actions for major violations shall include those penalties, disciplinary measures and corrective actions prescribed for secondary violations (see Bylaw 19.12.3), and may include any and all of the following:

[19.12.4-(a) through 19.12.4-(b) unchanged.]

(1) Information regarding the violation(s) committed, the term of probation and penalties must be noted on the home page of the institution's athletics website, in the media guide for the involved sport(s) and in recruiting materials provided to prospective student-athletes in the involved sport(s). Such information must be displayed and provided to prospective student-athletes for the full term of probation. Information to prospective student-athletes must be provided before a prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent written offer of admission and/or financial aid and no later than when the NCAA Eligibility Center provides a prospective student-athlete with the institution's academic data (see Bylaw 13.3.1.2);

[19.12.4-(b)-(2) through 19.12.4-(b)-(3) unchanged.]

[19.12.4-(c) through 19.12.4-(r) unchanged.]

[19.12.4.1 through 19.12.4.7 unchanged.]

[19.13 through 19.14 unchanged.]