It is important that all alumni, parents and friends of Penn State Abington Athletics abide by NCAA rules regulating college athletics. The Penn State Abington Athletics Department is responsible for all actions of alumni, parents and friends in regards to athletics. Below are some frequently asked questions regarding the relationship of the groups to the athletics program:
Who is a “Representative of Penn State Abington Athletics Interests” as defined by the NCAA?
A “representative of the institution’s athletics interests” is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization that is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution’s executive or athletics administration to:
a) Have participated in, or to be a member of, an agency or organization promoting the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program;
b) Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletic booster organization (e.g. alumni council) of that institution;
c) Assist or have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospects;
d) Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
e) Have been involved otherwise in promoting Penn State Abington’s athletics programs.
Who is a prospective student-athlete?
The NCAA definition of a prospective student-athlete is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. An individual remains a prospective student-athlete until one of the following occurs (whichever occurs earlier):
a) The individual officially registers and enrolls in a minimum full-time program of studies and attends classes in any term of a four-year collegiate institution’s regular academic year (excluding summer); or
b) The individual participates in a regular squad practice or competition at a four-year collegiate institution.
As as alumnus, parent or friend, what am I permitted to do for the current student-athletes at Penn State Abington?
First, you should contact the Penn State Abington head coach to let him or her know of your interest in doing something for/with the current student-athlete. You are allowed to provide an ‘occasional meal’ under the following conditions:
a) The occasional meal may be provided at any location in the locale of Penn State Abington
b) Meals must be restricted to infrequent and special occasions
c) Transportation may be provided to student-athletes to attend occasional meals
If you are a relative of a student, there is an exception to the above rules. You are allowed to provide meals to team members at any location. Please note, alums, friends, and boosters do not have this same allowance.
On special occasions, the Alumni and Development Office might set up an off-campus event inviting alums, prospective student-athletes, friends of Penn State Abington and a Penn State Abington athletics team. In this case, the Alumni and Development Office is allowed to pay for the student-athlete meals. A booster can offer to pick up the cost of the meal, but this money needs to be given to the University as a donation and can not be given directly to the restaurant or caterers.
The NCAA does not allow Division III student-athletes to receive “extra benefits” because they happen to participate on an athletics team.
What is a non-permissible “extra benefit”?
An extra benefit includes any special arrangement by a Penn State Abington employee or booster to provide student-athletes, their relatives or friends, a benefit not expressly authorized by the NCAA. Examples of impermissible extra benefits include, but are not limited to:
a) Gifts or loans of clothing, stereo equipment, compact discs, food, beverages
b) Transportation
c) Use of an automobile
d) Low interest or interest-free loans, telephone cards, credit cards, charge accounts, etc.
e) Gifts of professional sports tickets
f) Special discounts on products or services
g) Special payment arrangements on personal purchases
h) Material benefits that are not available to the general student body
What is the NCAA rule regarding texting, tweeting, social network sites and chat rooms?
You may send and receive text messages. You should NOT receive tweets or ‘be friended’ on social networking sites from coaches, current student-athletes or boosters at Penn State Abington.
If I have other questions about NCAA rules, whom can I contact?
The information contained in this list of frequently asked questions does not represent every possibility or situation. If you have any questions regarding prospects, student-athletes, or NCAA rules and regulations, please contact Penn State Abington Interim Director of Athletics Matt Levy at mml5755@psu.edu or 215-881-7486
