Alumni, Donors, and Friends:

Athletic Donor Card 

Dear Alumni & Friends,

At the University of San Diego we are committed to achieving in the classroom, while abiding by all National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules. Your support is important to our compliance effort. As an NCAA member, the University of San Diego is responsible for the actions of those whom the NCAA considers "representatives of its athletics interests," traditionally known as boosters. The University of San Diego athletic department appreciates your continued support and interest.

The attached information has been developed to provide you with the basic information concerning the NCAA rules, and to answer questions you may have regarding the recruitment of prospective student- athletes and contact with currently enrolled student-athletes. Please review the guide and share the information with others who support Toreros Athletics.

Sincerely,
Anthony Martinez
Associate Athletics Director for Compliance
 

Definitions.
A "booster" is an individual or business that is known (or should have been known) by the University of San Diego Athletic Department to have participated in any of the following:

• Participated in or been a member of an organization promoting University of San Diego Athletics;
• Contributed financially to the University of San Diego Athletic Department, the Buck/Cardinal Club, individual athletic programs or any other University of San Diego Athletics or sport-specific booster organization;
• Assisted in the recruitment of prospects;
• Provided NCAA permissible benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families;
• Promoted the University of San Diego Athletic Department in other ways.
• Once identified as a booster, an individual or business retains that identity for life.

NCAA rules PERMIT Athletics Representatives to:

• Invite student-athletes into their home for an occasional or special occasion meal on an infrequent basis. You may not provide meals to student-athletes in restaurant facilities or provide free meals to parents at any time;
• Provide summer employment for enrolled student-athletes at the going rate for similar positions; however, this must be arranged through coaches and appropriate forms need be completed;
• Provide housing for enrolled student-athletes, provided student-athletes pay market rate, as determined by the Compliance Office.

NCAA rules PROHIBIT an Athletics Representative from:

• Providing cash or loans in any amount, or signing or co-signing for a loan for a student-athlete or parents;
• Providing gifts of any kind, including birthday cards and holiday gifts, clothing and entertainment, or cars to student-athletes;
• Providing special discounts for goods and services (e.g., car repairs, legal services, meals) to student-athletes or their families;
• Providing free housing or reduced-rent housing to student-athletes or their families;
• Purchasing complimentary admissions from a student-athlete (i.e., paying for the use of the athlete's game-day pass);
• Providing an honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement;
• Allowing free telephone or cellular phone usage by a student-athlete;
• Providing room, board, transportation or any other special arrangement for a student-athlete's family or friends.

Prospective Student Athlete (PSA) Defined as a student who has started classes for the ninth (9th) grade. A younger student may become a PSA if the institution provides such an individual (or relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits not provided to prospective students generally.

Enrolled Student Athlete (SA) Defined as a student whose enrollment was solicited by a member of the athletics staff or an athletics representative with a view toward the student's ultimate participation in the intercollegiate athletics program. Any other student becomes a student athlete only when the student reports for an intercollegiate squad that is under the jurisdiction of the athletics department.

Contact Any face-to-face encounter between a PSA or the PSA's parents or legal guardians and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. (See 'Recruitment of PSA's' below)

Recruiting Any solicitation of a PSA or the PSA's family (including legal guardians) by a University staff member or athletics representative for the purpose of securing the PSA's enrollment and participation in the University's intercollegiate athletics program. (See 'Recruitment of PSA's' below)

Offers and Inducements Being involved, directly or indirectly, in making arrangements for, giving, or offering to give any financial aid or other benefits to the PSA or the PSA's relatives or friends. Specifically prohibited financial aid, benefits, and arrangements include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Arranging employment for a PSA's relatives
• Giving a gift of clothing or equipment
• Cosigning of loans
• Providing loans to a PSA's relatives or friends
• Giving cash or like items
• Giving any tangible items, including merchandise
• Providing free or reduced-cost services, rentals, or purchases of any type
• Providing free or reduced-cost housing
• Providing use of an institution's equipment (e.g., for a high school all-star game)
• Sponsoring or arranging for an awards banquet for high school, preparatory school, or two-year college athletes by an institution, representatives of its athletics interests, of its alumni groups, or of its fundraising organizations (See 'Recruitment of PSA's' below)

Extra Benefits: An extra benefit is defined as any special arrangement by an institutional employee or representative of the institution's athletics interests to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete's relatives or friends a benefit not expressly authorized by the NCAA legislation. Receipt of a benefit by student-athletes or their relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution's students or their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the student body determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability. Below is a list of some extra benefits:

• Free use of a copy or fax machine
• A loan of money, gift or use of credit card
• Any signing or co-signing arrangements
• Transportation to or from work or school
• Office or home telephone use
• Free or reduced cost on any item
• Complimentary tickets to events/entertainment
• Guarantee of bond
• Free typing services
• Use of automobile
• Birthday/Wedding gifts
• Shoes or apparel
• Payment for work not performed
• Rent free or reduced cost housing

Recruitment of a PSA
Athletics department staff members and representatives of athletic interest always want to learn of new prospective student athletes. However, strict guidelines exist which prohibit much of what you can do as a representative of the University's athletics interest.

As an athletics representative you are prohibited from:

• Making in-person contact on or off campus with PSAs
• Corresponding with a PSA, their parents or legal guardians via written or telephone communication
• Contacting a PSA's coach
• Visiting a PSA's educational institution to pick up film or transcripts pertaining to the evaluation of the PSA
• Providing transportation for a local high school or junior college PSA to visit the University of San Diego campus
• Inviting select high school PSAs to alumni events
• Providing an offer or inducement to a PSA or their parents, legal guardians, friends, or relatives

As an athletics representative you are permitted to:

• Employ PSAs in the summer after they have signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) and after they have graduated from high school
• Attend high school or two-year college athletic contests (but you may not have contact with a PSA)
• Provide information to the University of San Diego coaching staff regarding PSAs in your area
• Provide funding to benefit a local high school athletics program if the representative acts independently of the institution
• The funds are distributed through channels established by the high school or fundraising organization
• The funds are not earmarked directly for a specific PSA

And remember always... Ask Before you Act!