Blanket Waivers

In extenuating circumstances, the NCAA may issue a blanket waiver to provide temporary relief from NCAA legislation. The following blanket waivers are NCAA Division I specific for the 2005-2006 year.

NCAA Bylaws 13.4.4.1 (recruiting advertisements), 13.11.3 (radio/TV show) and 13.16 (pre-college expenses). April 18, 2005. The NCAA Division I Management Council Administrative Review Subcommittee (ARS) has issued a blanket waiver to permit NCAA Division I conferences to participate in sportsmanship initiatives that promote the importance of practicing good sportsmanship and creating a civil and positive competitive environment. This waiver permits Division I conferences to initiate and coordinate the following activities for the remainder of the 2004-05 academic year and the 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years:

• Public service announcements which may include both student-athletes and prospective student-athletes to be broadcast during collegiate and high-school events;
• Placement of related print advertisements in high-school game programs; and
• Provide actual and necessary expenses that are directly associated with the promotional campaign (e.g., cost of developing public service announcements and/or print advertisements).

The subcommittee noted that the print advertisements may identify the involved parties but the subject matter should be limited specifically to the sportsmanship campaign and cannot include recruiting messages. The subcommittee is supportive of the intent of this initiative. See ARS Case No. 7927 for more details.

NCAA Bylaw 13.16.2.4 (student orientation sessions). May 20, 2005. The NCAA Division I Management Council Administrative Review Subcommittee issued a blanket waiver to permit NCAA Division I institutions to be able to provide on-campus expenses (meals, lodging) for prospective student-athletes to attend an additional academic orientation session designated specifically for student-athletes in conjunction with the institutional orientation session conducted for all students. This waiver is applicable to all sports for those prospective student-athletes who have signed a National Letter of Intent or, for those institutions not using the National Letter of Intent, a prospect who has signed an institutions' written offer of admission and/or financial aid (including a four-year college prospect). The additional academic orientation must occur on the day immediately prior or subsequent to the institutional orientation session conducted for all students. The subcommittee based its recommendation on student-athlete welfare, the intent and application of the current recruiting and extra benefit legislation, as well as permitting institutions to implement additional methods to provide student-athletes with an exemplary educational experience. This waiver is applicable for the 2005 and 2006 summers. The subcommittee will review a potential legislation proposal with the appropriate groups.

NCAA Bylaws 14.7.1 (outside competition? sports other than basketball) and 16.8.1.3 (other competition). December 8, 2005. The NCAA Division I Management Council Administrative Review Subcommittee has issued a blanket waiver for Division I institutions to be able to provide actual and necessary expenses to student-athletes who have been invited to a USA Volleyball tryout for the national team program January 13-15, 2006. The subcommittee noted that this waiver was granted based on the event being recognized by the national governing body (NGB) of volleyball, a minimal amount of class time will be missed and the Olympic Sports Liaison Committee's recent recommendation of a legislative proposal to allow institutions to provide expenses for student-athlete to participate in one qualifying competition for each of the listed elite events per academic year. Again, the subcommittee strongly encourages Division I institutions and NGBs in all sports to contact the NCAA staff to determine whether it is permissible for NCAA institutions or the NGB to provide expenses to student-athletes to participate in specific events prior to scheduling or committing to attend the specific event. Please note that depending on the outcome of the future legislative proposal future waiver requests may or may not be granted. See ARS Case No. 8552 for more details.