Compliance

COMPLIANCE

INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Young Harris College Compliance home page! The goal of this site is to provide our boosters, alumni, fans, coaches, prospects and student-athletes information regarding the rules and regulations of the NCAA and Peach Belt Conference. While not all inclusive, it is meant to provide guidance in many of the situations you may encounter and should help you avoid inadvertently violating NCAA policies. Compliance of the rules and regulations is essential to creating a winning environment for all of YHC’s athletic teams.

ASK BEFORE YOU ACT
It is the responsibility of every individual associated with Young Harris Athletics to be educated. If questions arise, we ask that you contact our SWA/Assistant Director of Athletics/Director of Compliance, Jennifer Stearsman, at 706-379-5107 or by email at jmstearsman@yhc.edu. Asking questions before acting ensures that the eligibility of our department and our student-athletes is not jeopardized.

THE PRINCIPLE OF INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL AND RESPONSIBILITY
Institutional control of athletics is a fundamental requirement of NCAA legislation. The institution's responsibility for the conduct of its athletics program includes responsibility for the actions of its staff members and for the actions of boosters or "representatives of the University's Athletics Interests."

Institutional Commitment
Young Harris College is committed to operating a competitive intercollegiate athletics program in compliance with NCAA and Peach Belt Conference regulations.  Accordingly, each member of the coaching staff, whether paid or volunteer is expected to adhere to all applicable Institutional, PBC and NCAA regulations.  Institutional control of the athletics programs is a shared responsibility among all members of the college community.

WHO IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNIVERSITY'S ATHLETICS INTERESTS?
You are considered a "Representative of the University's Athletics Interests (a booster) if you:

• have participated in or are currently a member of any athletics department booster group including the Diamond Club, Top Spin Club, or a VIP Season Ticket Holder;
• made a donation to the men's or women's athletic program; 
• have assisted or been asked to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes; 
• have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
• have been or are involved in promoting YHC athletics in any way.

Once a person is defined as a booster/representative of YHC’s athletic interests, they retain that identity indefinitely, even if they no longer support the athletics program.

WHO IS A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE?
The NCAA defines a "prospect" as anyone who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started the ninth grade becomes a prospect if the institution provides any financial assistance or other benefit not provided to prospective students in general.

WHAT IS A CONTACT?
A contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect's parents/guardians and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged or that takes place on the grounds of the prospect's school or at the site of organized competition or practice involving the prospect or the prospect's team shall be considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs.

WHAT IS CONSIDERED RECRUITING?
Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect or the prospect's relatives by a staff member or representative of the institution's athletics interests (booster) for the purpose of securing the prospect's enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution's intercollegiate athletics program. 

REPRESENTATIVE OF ATHLETICS INTEREST CONTACT WITH PROSPECTS
In Division II, representatives of YHC’s athletic interests are prohibited from making in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts with prospects or their relatives. On-campus contact as well as written communications are permitted with Division II prospects. Effective August 1, 2000, boosters are prohibited from contacting DII prospects by telephone.

CONTACT WITH PROSPECT'S COACH OR SCHOOL STAFF
Contact with a prospect's coach, principal or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospect is prohibited.

FINANCIAL AID OR OTHER BENEFITS TO PROSPECTS
Representatives of YHC’s athletic interests may not provide any financial aid or other benefits, such as clothing, special discounts, tickets to events, or co-signing loans, to a prospect or their relatives. 

REPRESENTATIVE OF ATHLETICS INTEREST DO'S AND DON'TS

PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES
With regard to RECRUITING and PROSPECTS...

DO feel free to attend junior and senior high school or junior college athletic events. NCAA rules do not prohibit you from doing so...only you may not come into contact with a prospect or member of a prospect's family while you are in attendance. If you find yourself sitting next to a prospect's family be sure not to initiate any conversation about YHC. If contact or conversation is initiated with you about YHC, you are permitted to respond in a civil manner. Please do not discuss YHC's athletic program, but refer them to our athletic department.

DO continue established family relationships with friends and neighbors that have children of prospect age or those who are presently student-athletes. Contacts with sons or daughters of these families certainly are permitted as long as they are not made for recruiting purposes and are not initiated by a member of the YHC's coaching staff.

DO feel free to attend a public event, dinner, or banquet at which prospects are in attendance. No attempt should be made to recruit prospects.

DO send the YHC coaching staff any newspaper clippings or other information about prospects that you think would be of interest. Your assistance with this is helpful.

DO feel free to contact YHC's Compliance Office if you are interested in employing a prospect after he or she graduates from high school and prior to their initial enrollment at YHC. 

with regard to CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETES...

DO provide employment for currently enrolled student-athletes during permissible time periods and at regular rates of pay for similarly situated non-athletes. We require all student-athletes to receive prior approval for employment and maintain written employment earnings records for employment that occurs during the academic year.

DO feel free to invite a student-athlete to your home for a home-cooked meal. Such a meal must be restricted to infrequent and special occasions. You MAY NOT provide a student-athlete with a meal at a restaurant. You MAY provide the student-athlete transportation to your home. Please contact the head coach prior to your invitation.

DO feel free to invite a team for dinner or to meet with a group of alumni in a city where they are competing. The NCAA permits student-athletes AS A TEAM to receive special benefits not permitted to individuals. Arrangements must be made in advance.

IMPERMISSIBLE Activities
with regard to RECRUITING and PROSPECTS...

DO NOT make any contact with a prospect or the prospect's relatives on- or off-campus. If a prospect approaches you off-campus regarding the athletics program, explain that NCAA rules do not permit you to discuss the program.

DO NOT become directly or indirectly involved in making arrangements for a prospect, the prospect's relatives or friends to receive money or financial aid of any kind.

DO NOT transport, pay, or arrange for payment of transportation costs for a prospect, of the prospect's relatives of friends to visit campus of elsewhere.

DO NOT provide room and/or board, transportation of any kind or any other benefit to a prospect during the summer prior to the enrollment of Fall classes at YHC.

DO NOT contact an enrolled student-athlete at another institution for the purpose of encouraging the student-athlete to transfer to YHC and participate in our athletics program.

DO NOT pay in whole or in part funds for the payment of registration fees for any prospect to attend a summer sport camp.

DO NOT provide free tickets to prospects or their family members to either home or away YHC athletic events.

DO NOT mail anything to a prospect such a newspaper clippings, posters, programs, etc. The NCAA restricts the type of materials that may be sent to prospects and prohibits anyone but athletic department employees from distributing such material or communicating with prospects in writing.

DO NOT provide ANYTHING to or for a prospect, the prospect's relatives or friends without first checking with the YHC Compliance Office.


with regard to CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETES...

DO NOT provide enrolled student-athletes with professional services for which a fee would normally be charged (dental or medical services, haircuts, etc.)

DO NOT expend funds to entertain student-athletes, their friends or relatives. You are not even permitted to buy a student-athlete a soda at an athletic event.

DO NOT provide any type of award or gifts to an enrolled student-athlete. All awards must conform with NCAA regulations and must first be approved by YHC.

DO NOT permit student-athletes or his or her friends or relatives to use your telephones to make free long-distance calls.

DO NOT use the name or picture of an enrolled student-athlete to directly advertise, recommend, or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind. Such use will render the student-athlete ineligible for competition.

DO NOT provide an honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement. Only necessary travel expenses can be given when speaking to educational and charitable groups. The athletic department must approve all speaking engagements in advance