Athletics Veritas is a weekly series aimed at helping higher education executives, faculty, and other stakeholders stay tuned in on trending national issues impacting college athletics, especially NCAA Division I. Athletics Veritas is created by senior DI athletic administrators around the nation.
Term-In-Ology: Restrictions on Providing First-Time Enrollees Transportation to Campus
With spring academic terms beginning this month across Division I, there are limits to what Division I member schools may provide to first-time enrollees when it comes to transportation to campus for the purpose of enrollment.
Specifically, an institution or its representatives shall not furnish inbound prospective student-athletes, directly or indirectly, with transportation to the campus for enrollment. For example, an institution may not provide a mid-year freshman enrollee in football with mileage reimbursement or a flight to campus. If documented, extenuating circumstances exist related to an inbound prospective student-athlete’s financial and family circumstances that reflect significant difficulty for that young person to find the transportation means to get to campus, a Division I institution could pursue a legislative relief waiver with the NCAA. Minus an approved waiver, such transportation is impermissible.
However, it is permissible for any member of the institution's staff to provide:
Transportation from the nearest bus or train station or major airport to the campus on the occasion of the prospective student-athlete's initial arrival at the institution to attend classes for a regular term or to participate in preseason practice, or for initial enrollment for the institution's summer term for a prospective student-athlete who has been awarded athletically related financial aid for his or her initial summer term; and
Transportation from and to the nearest bus or train station or major airport on the occasion of the prospective student-athlete's arrival and departure from the institution to attend the institution's required new-student orientation, provided the prospective student-athlete has been accepted for admission to the institution.
Athletics Veritas is presented for information purposes only and should not be considered advice or counsel on NCAA compliance matters. For guidance on NCAA rules and processes, always consult your university’s athletics compliance office, conference office, and/or the NCAA.
