16.13 Settlement Related Benefits and Expenses.

16.13.1 Benefits Cap Compliance. An institution may provide direct payments, benefits and expenses to a student-athlete as specified in this section, provided the aggregate value provided by (or on behalf of) the institution does not exceed the value of the applicable period’s benefits cap and the written agreement does not provide for payments to a third party on a student-athlete’s behalf. The annual period for application of the benefits cap is July 1 through June 30. Applicable payments, benefits and expenses must be reported to the designated benefits cap management entity. Additional benefits pool compliance regulations shall be developed, maintained and published as policies and procedures. Unless otherwise noted in this section, awards, benefits and expenses provided that were permissible as of October 7, 2024, do not count toward the benefits cap and may continue to be provided.

[16.13.1.1 through 16.13.1.6 unchanged.]

16.13.1.7 Timing of Benefits and Reporting. The value of a benefit provided to a student-athlete must count against the benefits cap during the year in which the benefit was promised to be provided or paid and/or was actually is provided or paid. A benefit promised to be provided or paid in a future benefits cap year (see Bylaw 16.13.1.1 regarding the period of eligibility for such benefits) must count against the benefits cap for the year in which it is promised to be provided or paid.

[16.13.1.8 unchanged.]

16.13.2 Written Agreements. All benefits provided by an institution to an individual shall be specified in signed agreements between the institution and the individual. Such agreements shall be entered and uploaded into the system of record within a specified time period five business days from final signatures.

[16.13.3 unchanged.]

23 Designated Enforcement Entity and Neutral Arbitration Process

[23.01 through 23.2 unchanged.]

23.3 Neutral Arbitration Process. An institution or student-athlete may use the neutral arbitration process to contest a decision of the designated enforcement entity.

[23.3.1 unchanged.]

23.3.2 Institutional Responsibility for Expenses. An institution that elects to use the neutral arbitration process is responsible for paying the arbitrator’s reasonable fees and expenses for the proceedings. If a student-athlete elects to use the neutral arbitration process, the student-athlete’s institution will be responsible for paying the fees and expenses related to the student-athlete’s proceedings. An institution that directly or indirectly pays the attorney’s fees and costs of a student-athlete who elects neutral arbitration shall also pay the arbitrator’s reasonable fees and expenses.