2014-15 Student-Athlete Handbook and Planner
Dear Student-Athlete,
Welcome to Rutgers University! Whether you are a returning student or in your first year On the Banks, we are thrilled that you are here to continue your life’s journey. You are now part of a family that includes over 600 student-athletes participating in 24 sports as well as over 200 staff members.
All of us in the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics are proud to be part of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, one of the top public research institutions in the nation in one of the most diverse and dynamic regions on the planet. With all that Rutgers has to offer, you will have opportunities to get involved in countless academic, community and extracurricular activities. We encourage you to embrace these opportunities and be a part of something special.
Throughout your journey, the University and the Athletic Department will strive to provide you with the highest quality support system in which to foster your success in the classroom, in competition, in life during your college years, and in preparation for life after college. You will not be alone and you will be best served by utilizing the support provided for you.
We have high expectations for all of you. Our number one expectation is that you earn your degree. This will take hard work. You will probably need to work harder than you have ever worked before. From your hard work you will feel great satisfaction and enjoy the rewards that come from such efforts. We expect you to pursue your academic work and career as intensely as you pursue your athletic career. We expect you to demonstrate a winning attitude at all times – in the classroom, in practice, in competition, in community service, in career development and in personal development. The right attitude is necessary to achieve the best results.
This planning guide/handbook is given to you to help manage your time and calendar, and it will also serve as an excellent reference for important University and Athletic Department contacts and phone numbers plus NCAA, University and Athletic Department policies that you must know. Even if you are a returning student, please review this material. In fact, we encourage you to re-read the guidelines on a regular basis in conjunction with the other information provided to you throughout the year by your school of enrollment, academic department, and your team.
Lastly, please remember that no matter who you are or where you are from, once you are part of the Rutgers family, you are Jersey StRong. The Rutgers family will always support one another to achieve success and make a difference in both our community and in the world. Wear your school colors with pride no matter where you are and good luck for much success in 2014-15!
All the best, Rutgers Athletics
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome Letter 2 Athletics Mission Statement 5 Important University Phone Numbers 15 Who to Call 16
UNIVERSITY SERVICES Office of Student Conduct 6 Title IX Compliance 6 Bias Prevention & Education Committee 6 Office of Victim Assistance & Violence Prevention Office of Student Conduct 6 Center for Social Justice Education and LGBTQ Communities 6 University Ombudsperson 7 Employment Equity 7 Rutgers University Police Department 7 Rutgers Code of Conduct 7 Equipment Issue & Supplies 8 Exit Surveys 8 Faculty Mentoring Program 8 Grievance Procedures 9 University Policy on Discrimination & Harassment 10 Hazing 11 Housing 11 Parking 11 Travel Safety 12 Sportsmanship & Ethical Conduct 12-13 The Department of Athletic Development 14
ACADEMICS Academic Support Services for Student-Athletes 17 Academic Advisor Responsibilities 17 Study Hall Policy 18 Tutoring Services 19 Missed Tutoring Policy 19 Registration Policy 19 Travel Policy 20 Missed Class Time Due to Travel and Home Events 20 Enrollment in Independent Study Courses 20 Enrollment in Online Courses 20 Enforcement Policy 21 Class Check Policy 21 Use of Social Networking Websites in Athletics Computer Labs 22 Plagiarism 22 Academic Fraud 22
CAREER & PERSONAL Rutgers Leadership Academy 23 Career Services 24 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee 24
NCAA NCAA Rules 25 Reporting NCAA Violations 25 Academic Eligibility Standards 25 Freshman/Initial Eligibility Standards 25
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Continuing Eligibility Standards 26 Eligibility Requirements for All Student-Athletes 26 Agents 27 Athletic Eligibility 27 NCAA Definition of Intercollegiate Competition 27 Red Shirting 28 Medical Hardship Waiver 28 Awards 29 Boosters and Benefits 29 Extra Benefits for Prospective and Enrolled Student-Athletes 30 Benefits from Rutgers Staff Members 30 Complimentary Admissions 30 Employment 30 Financial Aid 32 Scholarships 32 Financial Aid Limit 32 Student Loans/Grants 32 Outside Scholarships 32 Student-Athlete Responsibility for University Charges 32 Book Policy 33 Cancellation, Reduction, Renewal, and Nonrenewal of Financial Aid 33 Financial Aid for Fifth-Year Student-Athletes 34 Financial Aid for Student-Athletes with Career-Ending Injuries 34 Summer School Financial Aid Policy 34 Summer School Financial Aid Policy for Incoming Student-Athletes 34 NCAA Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund 36 Gambling 37 Practice and Competition Limits 37 Daily/Weekly Limits - In Season 37 Daily/Weekly Limits - Out of Season 38 Practice/Competition Logs 38 Missed Classes 38 Definition of Countable Athletically-Related Activity 38 Voluntary Summer Workouts 39 Outside Competition 40 Promotional Activities and Public Service 41 Recruiting - Student-Athlete Involvement 42 Transfer Regulations 43-44
COMMUNICATIONS Athletic Communications and Media Relations 44
MEDICAL SERVICES Athletic Training Services 46 Emergency Procedures 47 Emergency Plan for Practice and Competition 47 Physician Services 48 X-Ray, Laboratory, and Pharmacy Procedures 48 Pre-Participation Physical Examination 49 Alcohol and Drug Education/Testing 50 Rutgers Substance Abuse Program 50 NCAA Banned Drug Classes 57 Athletic Insurance Coverage & Procedures 58-59 Responsibilities of Student-Athletes 60 Consequences of Unsettled Medical Expenses 60 Special Medical-Related Services 61
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Department Awards & Recognition 61 15 Social Media Tips 62 How to Meet Your Professors 63
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ATHLETICS MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics is to reflect, reinforce, and enhance the educational mission of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey by creating an
environment of excellence where student-athletes will develop the life skills, academic skills, and athletic skills that will enable them to earn degrees, become leaders, and win championships. In all areas of its operation, the Division’s student-athletes, coaches, staff and programs shall embody the core values of accountability, respect, integrity, academic achievement, community service, fairness, diversity, and sportsmanship.
UNIVERSITY RESOURCES FOR QUESTIONS, ISSUES AND CONCERNS From time to time, you may encounter a problem, issue or concern that you cannot resolve on your own. Rutgers University has many resources to assist students, faculty and staff in resolving issues, questions and concerns. Below is a list of many of the resources that are here to help you. If you have a question, concern or complaint, your coaching staff can generally assist you by helping you resolve the issue or by referring you to someone who can assist you. In the event that your coaching staff cannot assist you or you cannot take the issue to your coaching staff, please refer to the below resources available to you within the athletic department and the university, depending on your specific situation. If you still do not find a resource that can assist you, please refer to the www.rutgers.edu for information about additional resources available to you at Rutgers.
Athletic Department . Within this handbook are contained select policies and procedures of the athletic department and the university along with numerous contacts. . Your sport’s administrator is a resource who may assist in resolving issues, questions or concerns. If he/she cannot provide resolution, he/she will refer you to an individual or office who can aid in resolution. . You may also confer with your athletic trainer, academic advisor, the Leadership Academy staff, the Faculty Athletic Representative, or anyone else within the Athletic Department that you feel comfortable with.
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Office of Student Affairs
Office of Student Conduct – The Office of Student Conduct administers the student disciplinary system, investigating and adjudicating alleged incidents of student misconduct and academic dishonesty. It enforces the University Code of Student Conduct and the Academic Integrity Policy. It can assist in situations that involve disputes between students. . General website: http://studentconduct.rutgers.edu . Phone: 732-932-9414 . Link to online complaint reporting: https://publicdocs.maxient.com/incidentreport.php?RutgersUniv
Title IX Compliance – Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. It reads: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
Sex discrimination includes sexual harassment and sexual assault. While it is often thought of as a law that applies to athletics programs, Title IX is much broader than athletics and applies to many programs at Rutgers. While compliance with the law is everyone’s responsibility at the university, listed below are the staff members who have primary responsibility for Title IX compliance:
Complaints Concerning Gender Equity in Athletics Kate Hickey, Title IX Coordinator, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Olympic Sports (732-445-7899), or [email protected].
Complaints Against a Student Jackie Moran, Title IX Coordinator, Office of Student Affairs (848-932-8576), or [email protected]) http://compliance.rutgers.edu
Bias Prevention and Education Committee - The Bias Prevention and Education Committee is a two-tiered body comprised of the Deans of Students Bias Response Team and the Bias Prevention Education Advisory Panel working in concert to monitor, prevent, report, respond, and restore environments in the aftermath of bias incidents. . http://deanofstudents.rutgers.edu/bias-prevention . Co-Chair: Michelle Jefferson, 732-932-3625 or 732-932-3029 . Co-Chair: Mostafa Khalifa, 848-445-3215
Office of Victim Assistance & Violence Prevention – The Office of Victim Assistance and Violence Prevention is committed to creating a community free from violence -provides services designed to raise awareness of and respond to the impact of interpersonal violence and other crimes. . http://vpva.rutgers.edu . Phone: 732-932-1181
Center for Social Justice Education and LGBTQ Communities – The Office of Social Justice Education and LGBTQ Communities provides educational, social and leadership development programs and activities for LGBT students, allies, and staff/faculty liaisons for LGBT students. . http://socialjustice.rutgers.edu/ . 848-445-4141
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University Ombudsperson The University Ombudsperson is a confidential, neutral, independent, and informal office where students have access to high-level assistance in dealing with difficult and complex issues related to academics, student life, and other concerns. . http://ombuds.rutgers.edu . 848-932-1452
University Human Resources
Office of Employment Equity – The Office of Employment Equity, within University Human Resources, supports the university’s commitment to preventing discrimination and advancing equal opportunity. This includes providing services aimed at preventing and resolving complaints of discrimination and harassment. . http://uhr.rutgers.edu/equity . Phone: 848-932-3979
Rutgers University Police Department RUPD is committed to providing law enforcement and security services to enhance the quality of life for all students, employees, and visitors. o http://rupd.rutgers.edu o Phone: 732-932-7111 or 2-7111 from any campus phone
CODES OF CONDUCT Rutgers’ Code of Student Conduct All Rutgers students are obligated to follow the university’s Code of Student Conduct. The Code specifies behaviors and actions that are not acceptable and will result in university disciplinary action. All students are expected to be fully informed of the behaviors that will bring about disciplinary actions by the university. Some prohibited behaviors and actions include academic dishonesty, assault, hazing, harassment, alcohol and drug use and other offenses of the law. The full text of the University’s Code of Student Conduct as well as information on the student conduct process may be found via the university’s Office of Student Conduct website (http://judicialaffairs.rutgers.edu/). When a student-athlete is found to have violated the university’s Code of Student Conduct, the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics will determine if athletics-related sanctions are also appropriate, up to and including termination of athletic scholarship and dismissal from the team.
The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics As a Rutgers student-athlete, you represent the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics and the university at all times. You must take this responsibility seriously and conduct yourself with the highest standards of honesty, integrity and class. Your conduct and appearance must reflect well on the university, the division and your team, whether you are on-campus, off-campus or on the internet/on-line. Conduct that does not reflect these high standards may result in disciplinary action including suspension from practice or competition activities, termination of your athletic scholarship, or dismissal from your team.
Your Team Each Head Coach will establish his/her team’s Code of Conduct. The team code of conduct will reflect what is expected of you as a student-athlete in your specific sport. The standards in your team’s code of conduct will address such issues as: training and practice criteria, class attendance, academic responsibility, punctuality, dress code and behavior on team trips, and standards of behavior and discipline. A written copy of your team’s code of conduct will be provided to you at the beginning of the academic year. Failure to comply with your team’s code of 6 conduct may result in suspension, termination of your athletic scholarship, and dismissal from your team in addition to any other consequences outlined in your team’s code of conduct.
EQUIPMENT ISSUE AND SUPPLIES Student-athletes are eligible to receive equipment ONLY when the following are completed and on file with the Equipment Manager: 1. Athletic Physical Form 2. Athletic Insurance Form 3. Listed on team roster by coach 4. Included on team Eligibility Certification List by Office of Compliance A student-athlete record card is provided for all items issued by the equipment manager for your sport. Each student-athlete must sign the card indicating that equipment is in his/her possession and he/she is fully responsible for its care and return. All issued equipment is to be returned at the conclusion of the season to the Equipment Manager. Missing/not returned equipment will be reported to the Office of Compliance and Business Office for billing and a hold placed on the student-athlete’s student account until either the equipment is returned or payment is made.
EXIT SURVEYS Each year the athletics department asks all senior student-athletes to complete an exit survey in regard to their athletic, academic and other experiences at Rutgers. NCAA rules require that institutions conduct exit interviews with a sample of student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility to gain feedback on their experiences as student-athletes. All senior student-athletes have the opportunity to participate in an in-person exit interview with their sport administrator in addition to completing the exit survey. Feedback from the surveys and interviews is used in evaluating whether the athletics department is providing the best possible environment and opportunities for all student-athletes. Questions regarding exit surveys and interviews should be directed to Kate Hickey.
FACULTY MENTORING PROGRAM The Rutgers University Faculty Mentoring Program for Student-Athletes (RU FacMenSA) aims to foster understanding between the university's faculty members and staff, and student-athletes, and to provide student-athletes with role models outside their normal academic and athletic environments. The program is designed to be flexible in its scope and encompassing in its vision, so that both student- athletes and Faculty Mentors may garner maximum benefit from the program. Each team is assigned a faculty mentor. The mentor may be incorporated in team activities as determined by each head coach. Student-athletes may ask Faculty Mentors to serve as informal career counselors, general life advisors, mature adults in whom to confide in loco parentis, or in other appropriate functions. The RU FacMenSA website is http://mentoring.rutgers.edu/.
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GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES Rutgers University is committed to an environment of fair and equitable treatment of all student- athletes while also holding student-athletes accountable to standards of conduct as outlined in the Rutgers Student-Athlete Handbook, individual team codes of conduct, and any other standards of conduct made known to Rutgers students and/or student-athletes. On the occasion you feel you have not been treated fairly and equitably, you have the opportunity to bring forward any grievances you have that arise from actions concerning you by your coach and other staff members of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. The Division has put the following procedure in place to hear grievances arising from your participation in intercollegiate athletics and give you the opportunity to contest an action taken against you. You may use this grievance procedure for actions such as the following by members of the Athletics staff: being subject to abusive language or threats; unreasonable disciplinary actions, unwarranted expulsion from team activities, or unreasonable threats to withdraw your grant-in-aid, scholarship, etc. (also see note included below this policy). If you wish to contest an action, please follow the process outlined below: 1. You should seek a meeting, within 10 business days, with the person whom you believe has taken the action against you, to discuss your complaint and attempt to resolve the matter with this person. It shall be acceptable for you and/or the person whom you believe has taken the action against you to request that a third party be present for this meeting (e.g., you may request the presence of an assistant coach or teammate be present, your coach may request his/her administrator be present). All parties shall be notified in advance of the meeting if a third party will be attending. 2. If you are unable to resolve your complaint in this manner, then within 10 business days of the meeting (or, if the other party refuses to meet with you, then within 10 business days of notification of refusal to meet), submit a written request (including an explanation of the situation) to meet with your sport’s administrator to discuss your grievance and seek a resolution with your sport’s administrator. In addition to any verbal decision provided to you following this meeting, a written finding will be provided to you by your sport’s administrator. 3. If you are unable to resolve your grievance with your sport’s administrator, you may meet with the Director of Athletics. You must submit a written request (including an explanation of the situation) to meet with the Director of Athletics within 10 business days of the date of the written finding provided to you by your sport’s administrator. In addition to any verbal decision provided to you by the Director of Athletics, a written finding will be provided to you by the Director of Athletics. 4. If you are unable to resolve your grievance with the Director of Athletics, you may request a meeting with the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR). You must submit a written request (including an explanation of the situation) to meet with the FAR within 10 business days of the date of the written finding provided to you by the Director of Athletics. After discussing your grievance with the FAR, he/she will make a judgment on the merits of your grievance and inform you of the decision in writing. The decision of the FAR will be final. a. If the FAR determines that your grievance is without merit, you shall be so informed in writing. The reasons for this determination shall be stated. The matter shall be ended at this point unless you should choose to pursue this matter through other established University procedures. b. If the FAR determines that your grievance has merit, he/she is required to arrange a meeting with the Director of Athletics and the other party to your grievance in an attempt to resolve the grievance. 8
You shall be informed by the FAR in writing about the outcome of this meeting. Note: If you are complaining about sexual harassment, or harassment based on race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, disability, marital or veteran status, you may consult the University’s Policy Prohibiting Harassment. This Policy may be found in University Regulation 60.1.8 (http://policies.rutgers.edu/contents_index.shtml). If your complaint of harassment arises from actions of an employee or student employee, you may follow the Rutgers University Harassment Complaint Process (see below section of this Handbook). If your complaint of harassment arises from actions of another student, you should follow the process set forth in the University Code of Student Conduct (http://judicialaffairs.rutgers.edu/) and the University Student Life Policy Against Verbal Assaults, Defamation and Harassment (http://socialjustice.rutgers.edu/resources/bias-prevention/policy-against-verbal-assault- defamation-and-haras
UNIVERSITY POLICY PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT Harassment of students by persons associated with Rutgers, including those who do business with the university, that is based on membership in certain protected categories, is a violation of the Rutgers University Policy Prohibiting Discrimination and Harassment. Harassment is a form of discrimination, and is particularly troublesome in an education environment, which is based on trust and the free exchange of ideas. In the context of athletics programs, harassment limits the ability of athletes to develop their full potential in sports and academics.
Rutgers University's Policy Prohibiting Discrimination and Harassment has been developed and implemented to make the benefits and services of its education program available to students without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic information, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, military service, veteran status or any other category protected by law.
Complaints concerning student-to-student sexual harassment, sex discrimination, or sexual assault, should be made to Jackie Moran, Director of Compliance/Title IX Coordinator, Office of Student Affairs, at 848-932-8576 or [email protected]; or to Anne Newman, Director of Student Conduct/Deputy Title IX Coordinator, at 848-932-9414 x 104, or [email protected]. Complaints concerning student-to-student harassment or discrimination based on membership in a protected class, other than sex, also should be made to Ms. Newman at 848-932-9414 x 104, or [email protected].
Complaints by students against a Rutgers faculty or staff member, or others associated with Rutgers, including those who do business with the university, for sexual harassment, sex discrimination, harassment or discrimination based on membership in a protected class other than sex, or sexual assault, should be made to Lisa Grosskreutz, Associate Director, Office of Employment Equity/Title IX Coordinator for Faculty and Staff, at 848-932-3980, or [email protected]. In addition, any individual who believes that he or she has been the victim of a crime (including but not limited to forced physical contact and/or sexual assault) also has a right, and is encouraged, to report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Questions about law enforcement assistance and involvement may be directed to the Chief of Police.
Rutgers takes harassment very seriously. It has dedicated substantial resources to investigate and resolve claims of harassment and to protect victims of harassment. The Director of the Office of Employment Equity supervises the operation of the Policy and the Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Process. The Office is also a resource for all members of the university community, and is responsible for arranging education and training for the community regarding the Policy and the
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Complaint Process. Contact information for the Office is 848-932-3973 or [email protected].
HAZING Hazing is strictly prohibited at Rutgers. The university’s definition of hazing applies to all student organizations and groups on campus, including athletic teams. Any student-athlete engaging in behaviors that violate the university’s hazing policy will be disciplined accordingly. Hazing is defined as an act that is an explicit or implicit condition for initiation to, admission into, affiliation with, or continued membership in a group or organization. Hazing is a broad term encompassing any action or activity which does not contribute to the positive development of a person; which inflicts or intends to cause physical or mental harm or anxieties; and/or which demeans, degrades or disgraces any person regardless of location, intent or consent of participants.
Hazing is antithetical to the mission of Rutgers University and has no place in our athletic programs. Hazing incidents should be reported immediately to the involved team’s sport administrator. Swift and appropriate action will be taken by the athletics department and the university in all cases.
Hazing is also illegal in the State of New Jersey. Any incidents of hazing by or on behalf of any Rutgers student will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
HOUSING All returning student-athletes are fully responsible for securing their own housing. Returning student-athletes wishing to live on-campus must follow the policies set forth by the university for all students wishing to secure on-campus housing (for more information, go to http://ruoncampus.rutgers.edu). Returning student-athletes who elect to reside off-campus will assume full responsibility for their living arrangement (e.g. application, lease, rent payment, utility bills, etc.).
Housing for incoming freshman is handled by the head coach in coordination with the Associate Athletic Director and the university’s Office of Residence Life.
PARKING Every student-athlete (whether enrolled full-time or part-time) must have a valid Rutgers University Parking Permit to park a vehicle anywhere on campus – including all parking lots (including the gravel lot near the baseball/softball facilities) adjacent to athletics department facilities as well as all other parking lots on campus. This pertains to parking for any purpose – including parking for practice, lifting, meetings, training room, team travel, tutoring, etc. And, it applies even if you do not live on campus. You must park in the appropriate parking lot as indicated by the type of parking pass you have purchased. If necessary, you may apply for an additional parking permit, for which there is a charge. Such additional parking requests are reviewed by the Department of Transportation Services to determine if additional parking access should be granted. If you are granted additional parking, you must pay the cost for the additional parking. If you are not granted additional parking, you will be expected to park where you were originally granted parking privileges. You are responsible for paying all parking tickets you receive. Failure to pay parking tickets in a timely fashion will affect your ability to register for classes for subsequent terms and may result in towing of your vehicle. Ignorance is not an excuse! Parking Permits can be purchased at the Department of Transportation Services at 55 Commercial Avenue in the Public Safety Building or on line at http://rudots.rutgers.edu/.
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Additional information about parking and transportation may be found at the Department of Transportation Services website: http://rudots.rutgers.edu. The website is updated to provide the most up-to-date information on parking and transportation, including information on the Rutgers bus system. TRAVEL SAFETY The university and athletics department have policies in place to ensure the safety of student- athletes and staff members during official university travel. The Associate Athletic Director for Finance and Administration is the athletics department's primary coordinator for all travel policies. The athletics department transports student-athletes via van, bus, and air. All individuals who transport student-athletes must complete the university's Defensive Driving Course. Student-athletes traveling to and from university funded and/or sponsored competitions must travel with their team or be accompanied by a coach or staff member. The only exception to this policy is if the student-athlete is traveling with his/her own parent or legal guardian. SPORTSMANSHIP AND ETHICAL CONDUCT
Student-athletes at Rutgers University will carry the responsibility of always representing themselves in an ethical and appropriate manner; this obligation includes representing their family, their team, the athletics department, the University, and the Big Ten Conference at all times, on and off the field. Student-athletes are expected to act with the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and sportsmanship, no matter the venue. They must always display character even in the face of adversity, exhibit the honor and dignity of fair play, and uphold the standards of ethical conduct established by the NCAA, the Big Ten Conference, and Rutgers University. Sportsmanship is defined as “conduct and attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy and respect for one’s opponent, striving spirit, and grace in winning and losing.” Behaviors deemed unacceptable and unsportsmanlike by Rutgers and the Big Ten Conference standards include verbal or physical abuse of game officials, opponents, coaches, teammates, university or conference administrators, and spectators, in addition to public criticism of game officials, opponents, coaches, and university and conference administrators, use of obscene or otherwise inappropriate language or gestures, or engaging in other actions that violate the generally recognized ethical standards of athletics participation.
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Finally, student-athletes shall not outwardly and intentionally draw attention to themselves as individuals in any situation, winning or losing. Rutgers student-athletes will display grace in losing and celebrate together as a team in winning. BIG TEN CONFERENCE CODE OF SPORTSMANSHIP The Big Ten Conference expects all contests involving a member institution to be conducted without compromise to any fundamental element of sportsmanship. The following are Big Ten policies adopted in a variety of sports intended to promote and reinforce good sportsmanship:
• Host institutions must provide adequate security and protection for the visiting team and officials and their vehicles immediately upon arrival on campus continuing through their departure.
• Bands and Student Sections – Per Big Ten Agreement 17.1.A (Student and Band Sections), institutions will be held responsible for school sponsored student and band sections that attack or single out student-athletes. An institution not in compliance with this policy shall be subject to conference review and action.
• Cheerleaders, dance teams, mascots and bands are encouraged to participate with enthusiasm and in good taste but must not lead, encourage or participate in negative or inappropriate cheers. Banging megaphones, instruments or other objects against playing surfaces is prohibited. Cheerleaders, dance teams, mascots and bands must not encourage the crowd to be disruptive in any situation. The location of cheerleaders, dance teams, and mascots may be restricted on a sport-by-sport basis. Any type of physical contact or negative verbal exchange between team mascots, cheerleaders, dance teams, and band members of opposing teams and/or game officials is strictly prohibited.
• Nonpermissible Items – Home management is responsible for enforcing the Big Ten policies in this regard. The following items may not be brought into the arena by patrons: Alcoholic beverages, bottles, cans, cups or containers, irritants (e.g., noisemakers) or strobe lights. In addition, the facility may have additional restrictions on items that can be brought into the arena.
• Irritants - “Irritants” include such items as oversized flags, banners, or signs that may block the view of other patrons. The management administrators are responsible for determining whether a specific item in this category represents an “irritant” to other patrons and whether it should be prohibited.
• Home management shall "police" the throwing of snowballs or missiles of any type by spectators and others and discourage bands and cheerleaders, etc. from participating in unsportslike conduct.
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THE DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT Thousands of people you may never know are helping you. From scholarships to uniforms to playing fields; from academic support to training and medical attention – millions of dollars are given each year to fund, in part or in whole, these items and many more. The Rutgers Athletic Development staff proactively identifies individuals interested in supporting Rutgers student-athletes and their sports programs through financial contributions. Donations, which come from both individuals and organizations, are used to fund student-athlete scholarships, construction and renovation of athletic facilities, team travel and equipment, academic support and The Leadership Academy. Donors who support Rutgers Athletics positively enhance the athletic and academic experience for all of our student-athletes. In return, our student-athletes are expected to acknowledge the generosity of these donors by exhibiting the highest degree of sportsmanship during competition, by taking full advantage of all educational opportunities, and by actively volunteering within the Rutgers and greater Piscataway/New Brunswick communities. We work, on your behalf, with alumni, parents, faculty, university staff and friends to make your student-athlete experience the best it can be. We are here to serve you, but you can also help us by delivering a message of thanks to an athletic donor whenever you have the chance. It is our hope that the experience you have at Rutgers will lead you to support a similar opportunity for the next generation of student-athletes.
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IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY PHONE NUMBERS University Administration Dr. Robert L. Barchi, University President (848) 932-7454 Tom Stephens, Faculty Athletics Representative (732) 932-9412 ext. 24 Felicia McGinty, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (848) 932-8576 Sybil James, University Ombudsperson (848) 932-1452
Academic Services School of Arts and Sciences – Advising Centers Busch Campus (Student Center) (732) 445-0163 College Avenue Campus (Milledoler Hall) (848) 932-8888 Douglass Campus (College Hall) (732) 932-9729 Livingston Campus (Lucy Stone Hall) (732) 445-2050 Bloustein School (848) 932-5475 Business School (848) 445-3600 School of Communication, Information and Library Studies (848) 932-7500, ext. 8100 School of Engineering (848) 445-2212 School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (848) 932-3000 ext.504 School of Management and Labor Relations (848) 445-5969 Human Resources Management (848) 445-5969 Labor Studies and Employment Relations (848) 932-8559 Mason Gross School of the Arts (848) 932-9360 ext. 503 School of Nursing (973) 353-5293 School of Pharmacy (848) 445-2675 ext. 600 School of Social Work (848) 932-7520 ext. 2
Deans of Students/Campus Deans Busch Campus (Student Center) (848) 445-4724 College Avenue Campus (Bishop House) (848) 932-2300 Cook Campus (Student Center) (848) 932-3625 Douglass Campus (College Hall) (848) 932-2900 ext. 131 Livingston Campus (Lucy Stone Hall) (848) 445-4088
Student Accounts Office College Avenue Campus (Records Hall) (848) 932-2254
Other Campus Numbers Office of Compliance, Student Policy, Research Assessment (848) 932-8576 Financial Aid Office (848) 932-7057 Dining Services/Knight Express (848) 932-8041 Disability Services for Students (848) 445-6800 Housing Administration (848) 932-1001 Parking and Transportation (848) 932-7744 Registrar’s Office (848) 445-7000 Residence Life (848) 932-4371 RU Info (732) 445-4636 Office of Student Conduct (848) 932-9414 Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance (848) 932-1181 Office of Social Justice (LGBT and Bias Concerns) (848) 445-4141
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WHO TO CALL
Agent Issues – Head Coach & Office of Compliance Athletic Communications 445-4200 RAC Class Scheduling - Academic Support 445-5120 Hale/RAC Counseling - Dr. Robert Monaco 445-6258 Hale Drug Education/Testing - Dr. Robert Monaco 445-6258 Hale Eligibility Academic Support 445-5120 Hale/RAC Office of Compliance 445-8339 RAC
Employment – Rutgers Leadership Academy 947-9634 CAG Equipment Rooms 445-4108 RAC 445-6357 Hale 932-8244 CAG Financial Aid & Scholarships - Office of Compliance 445-7881 RAC Gender Equity & Housing - Head Coach, Kate Hickey 445-7899 RAC Insurance Coverage – Doctor’s Office 445-6258 Hale Medical - Dr. Robert Monaco 445-6258 Hale NCAA Rules - Office of Compliance 445-7845 RAC Sport Administrators Julie Hermann – Football Kate Hickey – Olympic Sports 445-7899 RAC Sarah Baumgardner – M/W Basketball 445-7816 RAC
Student-Athlete Development, Rutgers Leadership Academy Shawn Tucker 947-9634 CAG Sheryl Spain (646) 256-3334 CAG
Tickets / Players Comps 445-2766 RAC Title IX Jackie Moran, Office of Student Affairs (848) 932-8576 Old Queens Lisa Grosskreutz (848) 932-3979 Old Queens Kate Hickey 445-7899 RAC Training Rooms 445-7898 RAC 445-7767 Hale 932-6687 CAG Tutoring 445-5120 Hale Weight Rooms 445-7806 RAC 445-6238 Hale
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ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES It is the objective of Academic Support Services for Student-Athletes (ASSSA) to provide Rutgers University student-athletes with the resources and opportunities to achieve academic, career and personal success.
ACADEMIC ADVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES Meetings with Coaches - Each advisor will meet with their respective coaches before the start of each semester to discuss academic procedures and policies. Each advisor will also meet with coaches after each semester to review continuing eligibility issues. Each advisor will forward to the head coaches on a weekly basis copies of weekly meetings with their student-athletes, progress reports from professors, study hall reports and admissions reports. Team Meetings – Each advisor will meet with each of his/her assigned teams during the beginning of each semester to discuss academic policies and important dates and deadlines for the upcoming semester. Each advisor will also meet with the team after each semester to review continuing eligibility issues. Individual Academic Meetings - All first semester freshman and transfer students, as well as all student-athletes whose cumulative GPA is a 2.0 or below, must meet with their academic advisor a minimum of once per week. Student-athletes with a cumulative GPA between 2.01 and 2.25 must meet with their academic advisor at the start of each semester to review their academic program. Meetings may be required more often at the discretion of the advisor and head coach. All student-athletes who do not have a regular weekly appointment with their academic advisor must complete the weekly academic update form online at www.scarletknights.com/academic/forms/forms.htm. Each first year student-athlete is recommended to meet with his/her academic dean during the seventh week of the semester. It is strongly recommended that every junior and senior meet with his/her advisor in his/her major/minor at the beginning of each semester and prior to course registration for the following semester. Athletic Academic Advisors are not the primary academic advisors for student-athletes. The college academic deans and major/minor advisors are the primary advisors for all students. EOF Students - Those students who are admitted through the Equal Opportunity Fund (EOF) program at Rutgers University will be primarily advised and counseled through their EOF counselor. EOF student-athletes are also required to meet with their athletic academic advisor as specified in this policy. First Academic Meeting – At the start of each student-athlete’s academic career at Rutgers, his/her advisor will conduct an intake assessment including discussing academic goals, completing time management planners and distributing professor lists for each student to complete. The advisor will also explain policies regarding class attendance, academic monitoring, NCAA continuing eligibility rules, study hall, tutoring services and the Individualized Academic Plan. Advisors will send an academic report to the student-athlete's head coach on a weekly basis. Individualized Academic Plan (IAP) - Academic advisors will work with each first year and each At-Risk student-athlete to create an individualized academic plan for the semester. The plan will lay
16 out the student responsibilities (such as number of Study Hall hours, tutoring appointments, and academic meetings with Deans and advisors) each semester. The academic advisor will teach the student-athlete the GRADESFIRST system which includes the time management calendar for them to use each week. The advisor will review the parameters and responsibilities of the plan with each student, have the student sign the agreement and give a copy of the plan to the student and head coach. A copy of the IAP will also be kept in the student's file. Progress Reports – Each student-athlete is responsible for giving his or her academic advisor a completed professor list, which will have the names, phone numbers, campus addresses, and e- mail addresses of each of their professors/instructors for each semester. At the beginning of the 7th week of the semester, ASSSA will send out progress reports to professors of student-athletes as identified by the academic advisor and head coach. For student-athletes in extreme academic difficulty, advisors will make earlier contacts with professors to determine academic progress. At the beginning of the 11th week of school, progress reports may be sent out for a second time. If progress reports are not returned to advisors in a timely fashion, each advisor will make attempts to contact professors/instructors through e-mail or telephone. STUDY HALL POLICY Various Study Hall locations are monitored and staffed with seniors and graduate students. Because of the increasing entry requirements of most majors at Rutgers University the department recognizes the need to prepare incoming student- athletes to ensure they are able to enter the major of their choice before the completion of their sophomore year. For the most up-to-date listing of locations and hours for study hall as well as study hall policies, please contact your advisor or go to http://www.scarletknights.com/academic. Directed Study Hall Directed study hall is designed for a specific student-athlete or student-athletes by their athletic academic advisor to meet individual academic needs. Directed study hall events may include, tutoring appointments, Writing Center appointments, and other specific opportunities as approved by the advisor. The following events may not be approved as directed study hall: career events, wellness seminars, and Rutgers Leadership Academy programming. Required Attendees and Required Hours Freshmen -1st & 2nd term 10 hours/week (Freshmen exempted after Cumulative 1st Term w/ GPA = 3.3) Cum GPA 2.25 or below 10 hours/week Probation for semester 10 hours/week Term GPA below 2.0 10 hours/week Cum GPA Between 2.26 and 2.499 8 hours/week Cum GPA Between 2.50 and 2.750 6 hours/week Note: Individual teams may require student-athletes to obtain more than the minimum number of study hall hours per week.
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TUTORING SERVICES All tutoring will take place at the Hale Center, Rutgers Athletic Center, or Campus Learning Centers during normal hours of operation. All exceptions must receive prior approval from the Academic Services Coordinator or the Director of Academic Support Services for Student-Athletes. All tutors hired by ASSSA must complete a Tutor Training program before they may work with student-athletes. This program is coordinated by the Academic Services Coordinator in conjunction with the Office of Compliance and the Campus Learning Centers. Tutors are required to complete a tutoring report after each individual/group meeting. Tutors must submit their reports to the Academic Services Coordinator after each session. The reports will be forwarded to the advisor and coaches for each student-athlete. All tutors, paid and unpaid, must be approved by the Academic Services Coordinator. No athletic department personnel (e.g., coaches, secretaries, athletics administrators, etc.) are authorized to arrange, provide or change tutoring appointments for student-athletes.
MISSED TUTORING POLICY In order for a student-athlete to cancel a tutoring appointment the following must occur: • The student-athlete must cancel 24 hours prior to the appointment by contacting their athletic academic advisor through e-mail or phone call. • The student-athlete receives confirmation from their athletic academic advisor that the tutoring session has been canceled at the student-athlete’s request. If confirmation is not received within 6 hours, please contact the ASSSA Office at 445-5120. The head coach may be notified as to the reason the student-athlete requested the cancellation. • If the student-athlete misses a tutoring appointment for the first time without canceling, as stated above, a warning will be issued by their athletic academic advisor. • If a second miss occurs without canceling, as stated above, the student-athlete will receive another warning, and the team’s budget will be charged $50 for the tutoring session. The head coach is permitted to require the student-athlete to repay the team’s budget. • If a third miss occurs without canceling, as stated above, the student-athlete will be required to meet with the Director of ASSSA, their head coach and sport administrator. The sport administrator may suspend the student-athlete from the next competition. The team’s budget will be charged $100 for the missed tutoring appointment and any missed tutor appointments thereafter will continue to be charged double. The head coach is permitted to require the student-athlete to repay the team’s budget. REGISTRATION POLICY The Academic First Year Dean at the respective colleges will register all of their college’s incoming student-athletes for courses for the initial fall semester. Any conflicts with practice times can be adjusted by athletic academic advisors. After the initial semester at Rutgers student-athletes will be registered for courses each semester by their athletic academic advisor. It is highly recommended that all freshmen and sophomores meet with their assistant dean/advisor at their respective college prior to registration. It is highly recommended that all juniors and seniors meet with their academic advisor in their major/minor prior to registration. Athletic Academic Advisors are not the primary academic advisors for student-athletes. The college academic deans and major/minor advisors are the primary advisors for all students. ALL student-athletes must turn in their registration schedule form to their athletic academic advisor no later than the Friday before registration begins. Due to NCAA eligibility requirements, only your athletic academic advisor can drop you from a course at anytime. The student-athlete is responsible for payment of the registration late fee ($50) if he or she is not registered by the end of the University’s registration period. The student-athlete is also responsible for all financial holds on his or her registration. If a financial hold causes the student-athlete to be deregistered, the student-athlete is responsible to re-register. 18
All student-athletes who are funded by the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics are required to enroll in a minimum of 12 credits for their first semester and a minimum of 15 credits for each semester thereafter. Permission can be granted by your athletic academic advisor to enroll you between 12 and 15 credits for individuals with special circumstances. If for any reason a student-athlete withdraws from a course, it must be approved by his or her athletic academic advisor. Your athletic academic advisor is the only person who can withdraw you from a course. All completed registration forms will be signed by the athletic academic advisor and returned to the Head Coach of each sport with the student-athlete’s computer printed schedule attached. All student-athletes should check their registration on myRutgers portal to ensure that they are registered for the courses they requested. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to obtain a SPECIAL PERMISSION number if it is required for a course. The athletic academic advisor can input the SPECIAL PERMISSION number for the course.
TRAVEL POLICY An athletic academic advisor’s travel with a team will be determined by the team’s travel schedule after review by the Director of ASSSA and the sport administrator. The advisor will organize team study sessions, provide tutorial support, provide laptop computer access, and conduct academic meetings. MISSED CLASS TIME DUE TO TRAVEL AND HOME EVENTS Each head coach must provide their academic advisor with a copy of their team’s travel schedule and home event schedule before the start of each semester. Based on the team’s schedule, ASSSA will provide a travel and home event release form letter at the start of each semester to all teams. The letter will include a copy of the team’s schedule for the semester. Each student-athlete must give the travel and home event release form to each of their professors at the beginning of each semester for the professor’s signature. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to return the signed copy of the travel release form to their athletic academic advisor within one week of receiving it.
ENROLLMENT IN INDEPENDENT STUDY COURSES Any student-athlete who wishes to enroll in an independent study course will normally make arrangements for the course directly with the instructor. The director of ASSSA will assign an ASSSA staff member to seek appropriate documentation from both the instructor and the student- athlete. The documentation, which may be in the form of a contract, letter, email correspondence, syllabus, or other written agreement, must outline the course’s expectations, including readings, assignments, meetings, deadlines, and assessment. Tutors will be assigned as needed, following the normal tutoring policy. An academic department’s stated policies will have auspices over any other arrangement and may preclude the need for an individual contract in some circumstances.
ENROLLMENT IN ONLINE COURSES An online course is defined as any class delivered entirely or almost entirely via web sites accessible through the internet or any course management system, a so-called CMS, such as Blackboard, Sakai, WebCT, eCollege, eCompanion, or WebAssign. In such a course, during the term, there is little or no direct, in-classroom contact between the instructor and students, and students return assessments (e.g., quizzes, tests, assignments, etc.) to the instructor electronically. Under normal circumstances in a given term, student-athletes* may register for only two online (internet) course that is offered by units of Rutgers in New Brunswick/Piscataway. All Online courses must meet the approval of the Academic Advisor. The Academic Services Coordinator will review and approve tutorial support for online courses on a by-case basis. Tutoring for such courses will be given preferably while student-athletes are not 19 online. Student-athletes who have documented learning disability accommodations may receive tutorial assistance and learning specialist support in the course, preferably while they are not online. ASSSA will: Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Faculty Athletics Representative. *This policy applies to student-athletes who are medically unable to continue athletics participation and who are receiving an athletics scholarship; it does not apply to student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility.
ENFORCEMENT POLICY (for Missed Classes, Study Hall Hours and Academic Meetings) When a student-athlete has an unexcused class absence, does not meet the weekly number of Study Hall hours, misses an academic meeting/tutoring session without proper notice or misses a deadline given by their athletic academic advisor, he or she will receive a written warning from their Athletic Academic Advisor. The Athletic Academic Advisor will also inform the Head Coach and the Director of ASSSA of his or her warning. Each student-athlete will be warned in this fashion a total of two times. If a student-athlete misses (classes, study hall hours, an academic meeting/ tutoring session or deadline as assigned) a third time during the academic semester, a conference will be scheduled with the Head Coach, Director of ASSSA, and the student-athlete to discuss the student-athlete’s failure to abide by the academic policies of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. If a student-athlete misses a fourth time he or she will be suspended from Intercollegiate Athletics (practice and competition) for one week (7 days). The decision to suspend the student-athlete will come from the Athletic Director who will notify the Head Coach. No student will be suspended for one week until that student-athlete has been warned once by ASSSA. If a student-athlete misses a fifth time he or she will be suspended from Intercollegiate Athletics (practice and competition) for the remainder of the semester. As stated above, the decision to suspend the student-athlete will come from the Athletic Director who will notify the Head Coach. No student-athlete will be suspended for the semester without first being suspended for one week. Reinstatement to Intercollegiate Athletic participation will be at the discretion of the Athletic Director.
CLASS CHECK POLICY The student-athlete’s number one priority is to attend and participate in all of their classes each semester. Class checks are intended to improve class attendance and report to the head coach each day any student-athlete who misses class without a valid, approved excuse. Any student- athlete who misses a class will receive a warning as part of the enforcement policy. • It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to find the class checker with the clipboard and BIG RED “R” on the back prior to or at the end of class.
• The student-athlete must sign-in with the class checker even if the student-athlete was in class before the class checker arrived.
• Class checkers will be at Main Entrance for large classrooms.
• Class checkers checking the beginning of class will arrive 10 minutes prior to the start of class and remain for 20 minutes into the class.
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• Class Checkers checking at the end of class will arrive 30 minutes prior to the end of the class.
USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES IN ATHLETICS COMPUTER LABS The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics prohibits the use of social networking websites, such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, in its computer labs. Student-athletes using social networking websites in athletics computer labs will be considered to have violated the Athletics Department’s academic policy and will receive an academic warning (in accordance with the Enforcement Policy described earlier in this section). The student-athlete’s head coach and sport administrator will also be notified of the academic policy violation. A second violation related to use of Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and etc. in an athletics department computer lab will result in the student-athlete losing athletics computer lab privileges as well as a meeting with the student-athlete’s head coach, the Director of ASSSA and the athletics director to discuss possible suspension from competition. (See also “Other Student Services and Policies” section of this handbook for the department’s general policy on use of such sites.)
PLAGIARISM Plagiarism - borrowing another writer's published works and ideas without direct quotation and without crediting the source - is the most serious academic offense, since it is not only morally and intellectually reprehensible but illegal as well (especially if the stolen material is published). This includes use of other students' papers already submitted for a grade and information taken specifically from the internet. Stated very simply, reference materials, whether quoted precisely, restated in different words, or presented in summarized form, must not be submitted as the student's own. A good rule to follow is this: any fact, opinion, or conclusion that is not considered common knowledge should be footnoted.
ACADEMIC FRAUD Academic fraud is an offense that could cause you to be suspended from the university and it is an NCAA violation that will affect your eligibility. Situations constituting academic fraud for purposes of NCAA rules include: • Anytime an institutional staff member (e.g., coach, professor, tutor, student manager, student trainer, trainer, etc.) is knowingly involved in arranging for fraudulent academic credit or false transcripts for a prospective student-athlete or an enrolled student-athlete, regardless of whether the institutional staff member acted alone or in concert with the prospective or enrolled student-athlete.
• Anytime a student-athlete, acting alone or in concert with others, knowingly becomes involved in arranging fraudulent academic credit or false transcripts, regardless of whether such conduct results in the student-athlete erroneously being declared eligible.
• When a student-athlete commits an academic offense (e.g., cheating on a test, plagiarism on a term paper, etc.) with no involvement of an institutional staff member, and the academic offense results in the student-athlete being declared eligible erroneously and the student- athlete then competes.
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BOOK POLICY Refer to the NCAA Rules section of this handbook under “Financial Aid.”
OTHER UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC SERVICES The university and your specific college offer services to assist you academically in addition to those the ASSSA staff provides. Examples of such services include the Writing Center and the Learning Resource Centers. Please see your team’s athletic academic advisor for more information on other services available to you.
RUTGERS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY The mission of the Rutgers Leadership Academy is to equip student athletes with skills necessary to achieve success during and after their collegiate careers by providing them with opportunities for career, academic and personal development.
Throughout the year student-athletes are provided opportunities to take part in workshops that are tailored to their specific needs according to their graduation class, sport and career interest. Through a network of specialized personnel, alumni and supporters of the program, each workshop is facilitated by individuals with direct knowledge in their specific field. This allows for the student- athlete to gain substantial insight in all areas of development throughout their collegiate career. Examples of programming offered via the Rutgers Leadership Academy include:
Career Development: resume building, individual career preparatory workshops, career Careers in Marketing Panel panels, mock interviews, career field trip, networking functions, dress for success workshops and career fairs. Academic-Related: graduate school, time management, goal setting, study hall, new student orientation, tutors, student-athlete of the month and identifying majors. Personal Development: core values, financial management, personal branding, behavioral assessment, SCREAM athletes, health & wellness and civic engagement.
RUTGERS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AWARD In an effort to recognize those who take full advantage of Rutgers Leadership Academy offerings as well as participate in activities in addition to those offered by the Rutgers Leadership Academy, a Rutgers Leadership Award is given to the student-athlete who demonstrates excellent leadership qualities in their community, university and sport. Throughout the academic year student-athletes have the opportunity to earn points in five distinct categories; Academics, University, Personal, Athletics and Community. The student-athlete who accumulates the most points will receive a crystal block R award.
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The Rutgers Leadership Academy continually assesses student-athlete needs and interest in order to develop and schedule relevant programming. Any questions or suggestions for programming should be directed to Shawn Tucker, Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development. For additional information pertaining to career, academic or personal workshops, leadership award leader-board, or the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) please visit http://www.scarletknights.com/leadership/.
Sports Illustrated Career Field Trip
CAREER SERVICES The University’s Career Services office provides information on career counseling and employment services, offers an up-to-date career library to assist in choosing a major, planning or changing a career, finding employment or applying to graduate school. Career Services also offers various workshops throughout the year and an on-campus interview program. The athletics department’s contact person in Career Services is Joe Scott (located at Busch Student Center: 445-6127). There is also a Career Services Office on the College Avenue Campus (932-7997). Please see the Career Services website (http://careerservices.rutgers.edu) for more information.
STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SAAC) SAAC CREED We are Leaders. We accept the challenge to be engaged with SAAC and put forth the effort to be involved and while open-minded contribute our creativity and leadership skills to attend events, create new events and to get more athletes involved with SAAC. We will use this opportunity to improve our listening, public speaking, leadership and creative skills to help the community. I must lead by example and be the example.
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STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Each athletic team is represented by two student-athletes who serve on the SAAC and provide communication to and from the team and the athletic administration regarding all aspects of the intercollegiate athletic experience. The SAAC meets every first Wednesday of each month during the fall semester and the last Wednesday during the spring at the Hale Center from 9:15pm -10pm. The group is led by four members who are elected as its Executive Board. Elections occur annually in December; the Board term runs for the calendar year. If you have a question or concern that you would like to discuss regarding any aspect of your intercollegiate athletic experience, please contact Believe Bowl IV your team's SAAC representative. The SAAC seeks all student-athletes' participation in projects such as Elijah’s Promise, March for Babies, Read Across America, Eric LeGrand BELIEVE BOWL, Toy Drive, Color Games and many other events where you have a great opportunity to help in the community, meet other student-athletes, compete in fun games and socialize with your peers. For more information, contact Shawn Tucker, Assoicate Athletic Director.
NCAA RULES & REGULATIONS As a Division I student-athlete, you must be aware of NCAA rules and regulations. Violations of many NCAA rules will affect your eligibility to compete for Rutgers. As a result, it is important for you to ask questions about NCAA and BIG TEN rules and to immediately report any suspected violations to your coach, the Office of Compliance, your sport administrator, or Tom Stephens, Faculty Athletics Representative. (Please see the inside front cover of this handbook for phone numbers.) Following is a summary of some NCAA rules that affect you every day. . REPORTING NCAA VIOLATIONS It is the obligation of every Rutgers employee and student-athlete to report any and all suspected violations of NCAA or BIG TEN rules. Student-athletes should immediately report any and all suspected violations to their coach, a member of the Office of Compliance, their sport’s program administrator or the Faculty Athletics Representative.
ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS FRESHMAN/INITIAL ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS All freshmen must be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center in order to practice, compete and receive institutional financial aid (including athletically-related financial aid). For more information regarding the NCAA Eligibility Center, visit the NCAA website (www.ncaa.org) or the Eligibility Center website (www.eligibilitycenter.org).
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CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS Each year you are in school, you must meet increasing credit hour and grade point average standards in order to be eligible for athletic competition and team travel the following year. The standards listed below are tied to the semester in school you are entering (i.e., 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th). The standards listed in each section must be completed PRIOR to competing during the semester specified. In sports other than baseball, if a student-athlete does not meet these standards, he/she is ineligible for competition until he/she meets the appropriate standards at the start of the following semester or at the start of the following academic year.
In baseball, student-athletes are required to meet all academic standards at the start of the fall semester in order to be eligible for the entire academic year. They cannot start the year ineligible and become eligible after the fall semester.
CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Entering Full- Credits Completed Percentage of Grade Point Average Time Semester During the Prior Degree Academic Year 3rd 24* N/A 1.800 5th 18 40% 1.900 7th 18 60% 2.000 9th 18 80% 2.000 *Up to 6 of the 24 credits may have been completed during the summer before or after your freshman year. You may also use up to 6 total remedial (E) credits towards the total of 24.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL STUDENT-ATHLETES Six Credits per Semester Regardless of where you are in your academic career, you must successfully complete six (6) credits per semester you are enrolled as a full-time student in order to be eligible during the next semester. Thus, you must successfully complete six credits each fall to be eligible the following spring and you must successfully complete six credits each spring to be eligible the following fall. Baseball Exception: Baseball student-athletes must meet all eligibility requirements at the start of the fall semester in order to be eligible during the entire academic year. For example, a baseball student-athlete who passes only five credits during the spring 2014 semester will be ineligible for the entire 2014-15 academic year. Football Requirement: All football student-athletes must complete a minimum of nine credit hours during the Fall semester. Failure to do so will require a four game withholding penalty during the following football season. Football student-athletes may earn back two games by completing 27 credit hours following the Fall, Spring, and Summer semester/sessions. Hours earned by Freshmen during the Summer prior to initial enrollment may be applied. One time during a football student-athlete’s eligibility he may earn full eligibility after completing 27 credit hours during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters/session. Full-time Enrollment In addition to the standards listed above, you must be enrolled at all times in 12 active credits (i.e., full-time). Anytime you become enrolled in less than 12 credits (whether due to intentionally dropping a course, withdrawing from a course, or being dropped from one or more courses by the university), you become immediately ineligible for further practice and competition until you become a full-time student again.
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There are three situations in which you are permitted to be enrolled in less than 12 credits and maintain your eligibility: • If you are taking all the courses necessary to complete your degree. Please see the Office of Compliance or your academic advisor for more information. • During any vacation period between semesters (e.g., preseason football or soccer, basketball or swimming during the semester break, etc.). • If you are enrolled in graduate school and the university defines full-time enrollment for your program as less than 12 credits per semester.
Do not DROP/ADD a class without first consulting your college and/or major advisor and your Athletic Academic Advisor. Competing while enrolled in less than 12 credits will cause your team to forfeit contests in which you participated while enrolled in less than 12 credits and will cause the university to incur a monetary fine for each contest in which you participate while ineligible.
BIG TEN Conference For additional BIG TEN Conference Eligibility Rules, please contact the Office of Compliance at 732-445-7843.
AGENTS NCAA rules permit student-athletes to speak with and receive information from agents. However, any student-athlete who agrees (either verbally or in writing, formally or informally) to be represented for promotional or professional purposes by an agent becomes ineligible for further athletic competition. In addition, neither the student-athlete nor his or her relatives or friends are allowed to accept transportation or any other benefit from an individual seeking to represent the student-athlete. A student-athlete may meet with a lawyer concerning a professional contract without penalty or forfeiture of athletic eligibility, as long as the lawyer does not represent the student-athlete in negotiations for such a contract and the student-athlete pays for services rendered at the going rate. See your head coach or the Office of Compliance for more information and before having any interaction with any agent or other individual interested in representing you.
The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics maintains a policy on agents and other representatives involved in the professional sports market. The policy is designed to 1) assist student-athletes who are interested in furthering their athletic career after their collegiate experience, and 2) monitor outside organizations and individuals who would like to contact Rutgers student-athletes for the purpose of representation with a professional sports organization and/or in the professional sports market. For a complete copy of this policy, please contact the Office of Compliance.
ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY FIVE YEAR RULE/SEASONS OF COMPETITION Each Division I student-athlete has five calendar years from his/her initial date of full-time enrollment in which he/she may compete four years. An individual who was deemed a nonqualifier upon graduating from high school may not practice or compete during his/her first year of full-time attendance; he/she may practice and compete during the following four years provided he/she meets all appropriate academic requirements. NCAA Definition of Intercollegiate Competition Intercollegiate competition occurs when a student-athlete in either a two-year or a four-year collegiate institution: a. Represents his/her institution in any contest against outside competition, regardless of how the competition is classified (e.g., scrimmage, exhibition or joint practice session
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with another institution's team, alumni game) or whether the student is enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies. b. Competes in the uniform of his/her institution or, during the academic year utilizes any apparel (excluding apparel no longer utilized by the institution) received from his/her institution that includes institutional identification. c. Competes and receives expenses (e.g., transportation, meals, lodging, or entry fees) from his/her institution for the competition. Exception for Field Hockey, Soccer and Women’s Volleyball: If a student-athlete in field hockey, soccer or women’s volleyball did not compete during the fall season, he/she may participate during the spring season in a contest against outside competition without using a season of competition, provided he/she was academically eligible during the fall season.
Red Shirting Red shirting is not an official NCAA term, but the term is used when a student-athlete does not participate in any competition (as defined above) during a particular academic year (i.e., neither in the championship nor nonchampionship segment of the playing season). A student-athlete may red-shirt at any point in his/her athletic career. Medical Hardship Waiver If a student-athlete competes during a season and is then injured to the point that he/she will not compete again that season, the student-athlete may regain the season of competition if all of the following conditions are met: (a) The injury or illness suffered is incapacitating (i.e., season-ending); and (b) The incapacitating injury or illness occurs in one of the four seasons of intercollegiate competition at any two year or four-year collegiate institution; and (c) The injury or illness occurs prior to the completion of the first half of the playing season that concludes with the NCAA championship in that sport and results in an incapacity to compete for the remainder of the playing season; and
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(d) The injury or illness occurs before the student-athlete has participated in more than three events or 30 percent (whichever number is greater) of the institution's scheduled or completed events in his or her sport. Nature of Injury/Illness It is not necessary for the incapacitating injury or illness to be the direct result of the student's participation in the institution's organized practice or game/competition. The student-athlete may qualify for the hardship waiver as a result of any incapacitating injury or illness occurring on or after the student-athlete’s first day of classes for his/her senior year of high school. Reinjury in Second Half of Season A student-athlete who suffers an injury in the first half of the season that concludes with the NCAA championship, attempts to return to competition during the second half of that season and then is unable to participate further as result of aggravating the original injury cannot qualify for the hardship waiver. Procedure to Request Medical Hardship Waiver Requests for medical hardship waivers must be made in writing at the end of the season for which the hardship waiver is being requested via the following procedure: 1. The head coach must make the written request to the Office of Compliance via the Medical Hardship Waiver Request Form. 2. The Office of Compliance will request from the Director of Sports Medicine the appropriate medical documentation to support the hardship waiver. 3. The Office of Compliance will prepare and submit the formal request to the Big Ten Conference office for consideration (if sufficient documentation exists to warrant the request).
AWARDS NCAA rules limit the type and number of awards you may receive for participation on teams representing Rutgers, teams not representing Rutgers (i.e., approved outside teams), and awards you receive for participation as an individual. All awards you receive (other than those received from your coach or the athletics department) must be approved by your coach and the Office of Compliance before you receive them. Not seeking approval may cause you to jeopardize your eligibility.
BOOSTERS AND BENEFITS The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics is proud to have the loyal support of its alumni, fans and friends. These individuals are also referred to as “boosters” or “Representatives of Athletic Interests” by the NCAA. Alumni, friends and boosters are a very important part of our athletics program. They provide necessary moral and financial support for all of Rutgers’ teams. We expect everyone associated with the Rutgers athletics program, including alumni, friends of the program and boosters, to exhibit the highest standards of ethical conduct and sportsmanship in their association with Rutgers, including following the NCAA rules and regulations related to interactions with student-athletes. It is important that you become familiar with these regulations and abide by them in order to ensure you do not jeopardize your eligibility. If you have any questions about contact with alumni, fans, friends of the program or boosters please contact the Office of Compliance.
A Booster or Representative of Athletic Interests is anyone who: 1. Is or has ever been a member of the Touchdown Club, Court Club, Cagers Club, R Team, or any of the sport specific support groups; 2. Has ever made a donation to Rutgers Athletics, including to a specific men’s or women’s program; 3. Has ever arranged or provided summer employment for enrolled student-athletes; 4. Has ever assisted in providing any benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; and/or 28
5. Has ever been involved in promoting the Rutgers University athletic program. NCAA rules stipulate that once someone becomes an “athletic representative” they retain that identity forever, even if they no longer contribute to the athletic program.
EXTRA BENEFITS FOR PROSPECTIVE AND ENROLLED STUDENT-ATHLETES NCAA rules specifically state that athletic representatives cannot provide an “extra benefit” or make a special arrangement for a prospective student-athlete or an enrolled student-athlete, their relatives or friends. An extra benefit is defined as: any special arrangement by an institutional employee or athletic representative to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete’s relative or friend a benefit not expressly permitted by NCAA rules. A Booster MAY NOT participate in any of the following activities with prospective or enrolled student-athletes – or their relatives or friends: 1. Give cash or loans in any amount. 2. Sign or co-sign a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan. 3. Give gifts of any kind (e.g., birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day) or free services (e.g., clothing, airline tickets, laundry, car repair, haircuts, meals in restaurants). 4. Provide special discounts for goods or services (e.g., restaurant meals, laundry, storage during the summer/academic year). 5. Provide use of an automobile. 6. Provide hospitality in their home other than for special occasions (e.g., Thanksgiving, birthday). 7. Invite student-athletes to their summer home to go waterskiing, sailing, etc. 8. Provide transportation within or outside of the campus area (e.g. from the airport to campus, to a summer job, etc.). The only exception is that a booster can provide a student-athlete with transportation to the booster’s home (not someone else’s home) for an occasional meal. 9. Entertain or contact a prospect or prospect’s family on or off campus. 10. Provide tickets to an athletic, institutional or community event. 11. Provide rent free housing, reduced rent housing or a benefit connected with on or off campus housing (e.g., individual television sets or stereo equipment, specialized recreational facilities). 12. Provide guarantee of a bond. 13. Provide promise of financial aid for post graduate education or employment after college. 14. Allow use of a telephone to make free long distance calls. Receipt of a benefit by student-athletes or their relatives or friends, is not violation of NCAA rules if the same benefit is proven to be available in the same manner to the institution’s students and their relatives or friends. In addition, NCAA rules specifically permit a booster to be involved in the following activities with enrolled student-athletes (not prospects): 1. Provide a student-athlete a meal at the booster’s home or on-campus – only on a special occasion (e.g., Thanksgiving, birthday). Boosters may provide transportation to their home for a meal provided at their home. Prior to attending any such meal, contact your coach and the Office of Compliance. 2. Invite a team for dinner or to meet with a group of alumni in a city where they are competing. As a team, the NCAA permits you to receive special benefits not permitted as individuals. Arrangements for such events must be made in advance with the head coach and athletic department. It is your responsibility and obligation to report to your coach or the Office of Compliance any information you have regarding potential rules violations - either intentional or unintentional.
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BENEFITS FROM RUTGERS STAFF MEMBERS The NCAA restricts the types of benefits student-athletes may receive from coaches and other institutional staff members. While the “extra benefit” rule also applies to benefits you might receive from a coach or staff member of the university, the NCAA rules allow coaches and institutional staff members to provide many specific benefits to student-athletes and their families. Below is a partial list of benefits that Rutgers and its staff members are permitted to provide you: • Academic support, counseling and tutoring services. • Use of computers, copy machines, and fax machines for course related work, only with the approval of your academic advisor. • Occasional local transportation. • An occasional meal with a staff member in the Rutgers area (including at a restaurant). • Credit for frequent flier miles for airplane flights associated with team travel. • Refreshments at educational and business meetings, and for celebratory occasions – for you and your family. • Entertainment in conjunction with away from home contests and during official vacation periods when your team is in season.
COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSIONS NCAA rules permit each student-athlete to assign up to four complimentary admissions per game for the sport in which they participate (in sports in which the athletics department charges admission). The department may set a lower limit at its discretion. Student-athlete guests must be admitted to the event via a pass list and are required to show identification in order to receive admission. No actual tickets may be issued. Student-athletes must sign up for complimentary admissions following procedures set up by the Athletic Ticket Office in accordance with NCAA regulations. Student-athletes are not permitted to sell their complimentary admissions or exchange them for other items/services of value. EMPLOYMENT NCAA rules do not limit the amount of money student-athletes may earn through legitimate employment during the academic year or summer. However, you must still follow some basic rules related to employment in order to ensure that you retain your eligibility: • You may not be paid because of the reputation, fame or personal following you have achieved as an athlete. • You may be compensated only for work you actually perform. • You must be compensated at the same pay rate as others employed for similar services. Student-athletes who wish to work are required to contact their coach and the Office of Compliance at 445-8339, prior to accepting off-campus employment.
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Exhausted Eligibility: If you have exhausted your eligibility and will never practice or compete in intercollegiate athletics again, you may be employed without checking with your coach or the Office of Compliance. Employment at Camps: Student-athletes in sports other than football may be employed in a Rutgers camp but must receive written permission from the Director of Athletics prior to such employment. See your head coach or the Office of Compliance for further information. Football student-athletes may be employed in a Rutgers sports camp other than a football camp.
FINANCIAL AID SCHOLARSHIPS NCAA rules permit athletic financial aid to be awarded for no less than one academic year and not for a period that would exceed the student's five-year period of eligibility. One year grants-in-aid shall be awarded in equal amounts for each term of the academic year. Rutgers may cover no more than tuition, fees, room, board, and course required books. All scholarship recommendations are made by the head coach to the Office of Compliance and approved by the sport’s administrator and Director of Athletics. The Office of Compliance, in turn, communicates the recommendations to the University Office of Financial Aid. The University Office of Financial Aid administers all scholarship awards and need-based financial aid. Financial aid agreements must be signed and returned by the first day of classes of the academic semester.
FINANCIAL AID LIMIT While a student-athlete may receive athletics financial aid to cover tuition, fees, room, board and course required books, he/she may also receive additional financial aid from non-athletically- related sources up to his/her cost of attendance (or up to a full grant-in-aid plus a Pell Grant, whichever is greater).
STUDENT LOANS/GRANTS Any student may apply for a student loan or need-based financial aid via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). All financial aid must be administered by the University Office of Financial Aid in accordance with federal, state, university, and NCAA guidelines. If you receive any athletically-related financial aid, any other Rutgers financial aid you receive may count against your team’s financial aid limit. You must check with your coach before accepting any Rutgers financial aid. Failure to do so could result in loss of scholarships for you and your team.
OUTSIDE SCHOLARSHIPS You must report to the Office of Compliance all financial aid and assistance received from sources other than your parents/legal guardians and Rutgers (e.g., high school booster club, church, civic organization, club teams, etc.) prior to accepting any such aid. If not received in accordance with NCAA rules, receipt of such scholarships could affect your eligibility and could result in loss of scholarships for you and your team.
STUDENT-ATHLETE RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNIVERSITY CHARGES Even if you are receiving an athletic scholarship or other financial aid, you must ensure that all financial obligations and appropriate paperwork are processed so your term bill will be paid. This includes reviewing and acting on your term bill (if necessary) even if you receive an athletics scholarship. Failure to do so will cause you to be automatically de-registered from your courses. Student-athletes are responsible for all late fees, dorm damage, fire code violations, parking tickets, failure to return keys and other costs related to their negligence. Payment of such fees must be in keeping with normal university policies and procedures. Any special arrangement for payment of such fees that is not normally afforded to other students is considered an extra benefit and an NCAA violation.
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BOOK POLICY Only student-athletes receiving a scholarship that covers books may receive books at no charge from the university or any staff member of the university. Nonscholarship student-athletes and student-athletes receiving a scholarship that does not cover books will be in violation of NCAA rules if they receive books at no charge from any athletic department staff member, academic support staff member (including tutors), or other student-athlete who is receiving a book scholarship. For any individual who receives books as part of their scholarship, NCAA rules permit the university to provide only required course related books (not recommended books and readings). Individuals receiving books as part of their scholarship must see their academic advisor for their books at the start of each semester. The books will be charged to the athletics department. At the end of the semester (not before the end of the semester), individuals may return their used books to the bookstore and retain the money received for the books, or may keep the books. Student-athletes who receive books as part of their scholarship are NOT PERMITTED to pick up their textbooks from the bookstore unless approved by their athletic academic advisor. Any student-athlete who receives books as part of their scholarship and who wishes to drop or withdraw from a course, must bring the book for that course to their academic advisor before the advisor will drop or withdraw the student-athlete from the course. Furthermore, if a student-athlete fails a course that must be repeated, the Athletic Department will not provide a new textbook for the same course. Student-athletes are advised NOT to sell back the books from the failed course.
Any attempt by a student-athlete receiving books via scholarship to sell back their books prior to the end of the semester will jeopardize their athletic eligibility immediately and they will face disciplinary action by the athletic department. Any attempt by a student-athlete receiving books via scholarship to purchase additional books for courses not on their registration schedule or for another student (including another student-athlete) will also jeopardize their eligibility immediately and result in disciplinary action by the athletic department.
LOST AND STOLEN BOOKS The athletic department may not replace lost books for a student-athlete – including a student- athlete receiving books as part of their scholarship. The athletic department may replace stolen books for student-athlete receiving a book scholarship. For such replacement to occur, the student-athlete must file a police report in regard to the books being stolen and must provide a copy of the police report to the athletic department before new books can be purchased for the student-athlete. Should the student-athlete’s original books be located, one set of books must be returned to the student-athlete’s academic advisor. CANCELLATION, REDUCTION, RENEWAL AND NONRENEWAL OF FINANCIAL AID The university is required to annually notify each student-athlete with eligibility remaining whether or not his/her athletically-related financial aid will be renewed at the conclusion of the award period. Notices of athletic aid renewal, reduction, and nonrenewal must be sent out by the university by July 1 each year. A student-athlete’s athletic scholarship may be reduced or cancelled immediately, including while the semester is in progress, if: the student-athlete becomes ineligible for competition; misrepresents any information on an application, letter of intent or financial aid agreement; violates university or athletics department rules resulting in disciplinary action; voluntarily withdraws from the team; or violates any other provision of the terms and conditions of his/her financial aid. Hearing Opportunity If Aid Is Cancelled/Reduced/Not Renewed Anytime a student-athlete’s financial aid is cancelled, reduced or not renewed, the student-athlete shall receive written notification of both the cancellation/reduction/nonrenewal and an opportunity 32 to appeal this decision to a committee made up of individuals outside of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. Included with the written notification will be a copy of the university’s established policies and procedures for conducting the hearing. This hearing, if requested, will be the student-athlete’s only opportunity to appeal the cancellation/reduction/nonrenewal. All facts pertinent to the student-athlete’s appeal must be presented at the hearing to be considered in the committee’s decision making process. FINANCIAL AID FOR FIFTH-YEAR STUDENT-ATHLETES (WITH NO REMAINING ELIGIBILITY) Student-athletes who have completed their eligibility and must complete additional coursework towards their undergraduate degree may request financial assistance via their coach. Their coach may provide funding via his/her scholarship budget or request assistance via the Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund. All student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and who continue receiving an athletics scholarship must sign a Nonparticipating Student-Athlete Agreement in addition to their scholarship agreement. The Nonparticipating Student-Athlete Agreement outlines what is expected of student- athletes who continue to receive an athletics scholarship and are no longer an active member of a team. The agreement is binding on the student-athlete and carries financial consequences for not adhering to the agreement. The agreement will be administered to student-athletes by the Office of Compliance.
FINANCIAL AID FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES WITH CAREER-ENDING INJURIES On the occasion that a student-athlete becomes injured or ill to the point that they will never again be able participate in intercollegiate athletics, it is permissible under NCAA rules for a coach to continue that student-athlete’s scholarship without the amount of scholarship aid provided to that student-athlete being countable in that team’s financial aid limitations. For the scholarship aid to be exempted, the student-athlete’s injury or illness must be certified as career-ending by a physician, usually the team physician. For the medical documentation to be complete, the student- athlete must sign a statement with the team physician indicating that they understand their medical condition and that they cannot participate in intercollegiate athletics again. All student-athletes who become permanently medically unable to participate and who continue receiving an athletics scholarship must sign a Nonparticipating Student-Athlete Agreement in addition to their scholarship agreement. The Nonparticipating Student-Athlete Agreement outlines what is expected of student-athletes who continue to receive an athletics scholarship and are no longer an active member of a team. The agreement is binding on the student-athlete and carries financial consequences for not adhering to the agreement. The agreement will be administered to student-athletes by the Office of Compliance. SUMMER SCHOOL FINANCIAL AID POLICY Athletic scholarships do not include financial aid for summer school. Financial aid for student- athletes taking summer courses is limited. Student-athletes must apply for summer funding through their academic advisor and head coach during the spring semester. Applications are reviewed by the following individuals: academic advisors, the Director of ASSSA, the Director of Athletics, sport administrators, and the Associate Athletic Director for Finance and Administration. To be considered for funding for summer school, a student-athlete must have been on a team roster during the preceding academic year including the spring semester and have not completed his or her eligibility during the previous school year and/or needs the hours for graduation. Once the administration determines who will be funded for summer school, student- athletes are notified of their summer aid award through the ASSSA staff. The following criteria will be used to evaluate a student-athlete’s eligibility to receive athletically related aid.
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Funding Priorities 1. Student-athletes who fall short of NCAA eligibility and require improvement in any of the following areas: (a) credit accumulation, (b) major, (c) GPA. 2. Student-athletes who do not meet graduation requirements. 3. Student-athletes who request special consideration to attend summer school. Funding Factors The following factors will be taken into consideration before final funding decisions are made: 1. A history of poor academic performance for the preceding fall and spring semesters by failure of one or more courses, excessive unexcused class absenteeism, failure to do required course assignments, failure to seek and utilize tutorial assistance, and unauthorized course withdrawals. 2. Unresolved temporary grades for preceding fall or spring semesters. 3. Course withdrawals without authorization or failure of a summer course(s) due to unexcused absenteeism and/or failure to complete required assignments may cause loss of continued funding for sessions in the same or subsequent summers. Housing 1. Student-athletes who are approved to receive funding for housing during summer school have the option of residing either on or off campus while attending summer school. Athletics may only cover the portion of their summer housing that is in conjunction with their summer school attendance. 2. Student-athletes living on-campus must make their own arrangements for summer housing. Information regarding summer housing may be found at http://ruoncampus.rutgers.edu/. 3. Student-athletes living off-campus will receive their funding for housing via a refund check. (See also “Refund Checks” below.) 4. Student-athletes are not eligible to be funded for housing if commuting from home. Meals Student-athletes receiving funding for meals during the summer will receive their funding via a refund check. (See also “Refund Checks” below.) The university does not offer summer meal plans. Student-athletes are not eligible to be funded for meals if commuting from home. Refund Checks Students receiving housing and/or meal money for multiple summer sessions will receive approximately half of their summer refund on the first day of classes for the first summer session they attend. The balance of the refund will be provided on the first day of classes for the final summer session the student attends. In May each year, head coaches will be informed of specific dates that refund checks will be available to student-athletes. Students must pay any outstanding university charges (e.g., parking tickets, student accounts holds, fire code violations, etc.) prior to a refund check being issued. Any charges not paid by that time will be deducted from the student’s first summer refund check. Student-Athlete Responsibilities 1. All student-athletes who are funded by the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics to attend summer school are required to meet with their academic advisor the first week of classes for the summer session. 2. Student-athletes assume personal responsibility for all late registration fees, fines for dorm damage, failure to return room keys and meals cards, and other university charges related to summer session attendance. Continuing eligibility for summer and academic year assistance may be jeopardized by failure of the student-athletes to meet his/her above outlined financial responsibilities. 3. All student-athletes attending summer session are required to abide by the university, division, and team codes of conduct. 4. Student-athletes who earn a grade of “D”, “F”, and/or “E-F” will be responsible to pay the full in-state tuition for the course. 34
5. Student-athletes who earn a temporary grade must complete the work for the course by Dec. 1st of the same calendar year. If the temporary grade is ultimately a “D” or “F”, the student-athlete will be responsible to pay the full in-state tuition for the course. 6. Student-athletes who withdraw from a course and receive a “W” grade will be responsible to pay the full in-state tuition for the course. NCAA Guidelines 1. Student-athletes must have attended Rutgers as a full-time student for at least one semester of the previous academic year (and have received an athletics scholarship) in order to be funded for summer session in that year (except for incoming student-athletes – see below). Scholarship student-athletes may receive up to, but are not guaranteed, the same percentage of financial aid during the following summer term as was received during the previous academic year. 2. The university is permitted to use funding from the Student Athlete Opportunity Fund to fund any student-athlete for summer school.
SUMMER SCHOOL FINANCIAL AID POLICY FOR INCOMING STUDENT-ATHLETES A student-athlete who has not yet begun attendance as a full-time student at Rutgers University may be awarded athletically-related financial aid during the summer prior to his or her initial full- time enrollment under the following conditions: 1. The individual has been admitted to Rutgers for the fall semester as part of a special admissions population; or 2. The individual has been regularly admitted to Rutgers for the fall semester and presents special non-athletically-related circumstances. If approved for summer school funding through the athletics department, the individual must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours of academic course work that is acceptable toward any of the university’s degree programs. Remedial, tutorial and noncredit regular courses offerings may be used to satisfy the six credit hour requirement provided the courses are considered by the institution to be prerequisites for specific courses acceptable for any degree program and are given the same academic weight as other courses offered by the institution. Any individual who receives athletics aid under these conditions and is considered “recruited” by Rutgers is subject to NCAA transfer provisions should they decide not to continue enrollment at Rutgers. A student-athlete may receive athletics financial aid to attend summer school up to a maximum of five summers, including the summer prior to initial full-time enrollment at Rutgers. NCAA STUDENT-ATHLETE OPPORTUNITY FUND The NCAA provides colleges and universities with grant funding each year to provide direct benefits to student-athletes. The funds are to be used to assist student-athletes in meeting financial needs that arise in conjunction with participation in intercollegiate athletics, with enrollment in an academic curriculum or with programs that recognize academic achievement. Specific appropriate uses of the fund are determined by the university and must be approved by the BIG TEN Conference. Prior to the start of each academic year, Rutgers Athletics determines the permissible uses of the funds for that year. For 2014-15, Rutgers will use its SAOF funding for the following: fifth year and summer scholarship aid, academic initiatives and supplies, medical/dental needs of student- athletes, emergency travel for student-athletes, leadership and life skills initiatives, payment of select student fees, and other purposes as determined necessary by the athletics administration. For more information on the SAOF, see Brian Colvin or your sport administrator.
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GAMBLING NCAA rules prohibit student-athletes and athletic department staff members from the following: • Providing information concerning college athletics to individuals involved in organized gambling activities – including student bookies; • Engaging in any sports wagering activity that involves college, amateur or professional athletics, including placing, accepting or soliciting a bet of any type with any individual or organization. . Examples of sports wagering include, but are not limited to, use of a bookmaker or parlay card; internet sports wagering; auctions in which bids are placed on teams, individuals or contests; and pools or fantasy leagues in which an entry fee is required and there is an opportunity to win a prize. Participation in any of these activities will cause you to become immediately ineligible.
PRACTICE AND COMPETITION LIMITS Before the start of each academic year, your coach must specify your team's playing and practice season: the times of the year when your team will be allowed to practice and compete, or condition and lift only. Each sport is limited to the number of days it may be in-season. The Office of Compliance reviews all playing season declarations to ensure that no sport exceeds its limit. DAILY/WEEKLY LIMITS - IN SEASON In-season, your coach may require you to participate in athletic activities for a maximum of four hours per day and 20 hours per week. No athletic activities may occur between midnight and 5am on any day. All competition and associated athletically related activities on the day of competition count as three hours regardless of the actual length of these activities. (Note: Your team's week does not have to be defined from Sunday through Saturday. Check with your coach or the compliance staff to find out your team's designated week.) Day Off: During each week of your team’s playing season, except most vacation periods, you must be given one day off from all required athletic activities. A travel day when no required athletic activities occur can be considered a day off. In basketball, your coach may opt not to give you a day off in a week in which you have three games. If this occurs, you must have two days off during either the week before or the week after the week in which you did not receive a day off. Final Exams: Daily and weekly hour limitations apply until the last day of finals each semester. Golf student-athletes: A team practice round of golf may exceed the four hour per day limitation, but the weekly limit of 20 hours shall remain in effect. Practice After Competition: Practice, including viewing game tapes, may not be held following competition (on the same calendar day as the competition), except between contests, rounds or events during a multi-day or multi-event competition. Vacation Periods: Daily and weekly hour limitations do not apply to countable athletically related activities occurring during any official vacation period, as listed in Rutgers' official academic calendar. If such vacation periods occur during any part of a week in which classes are in session (e.g., Thanksgiving break), the daily and weekly hour limitations apply during the portion of the week when classes are in session and you must be given a day off during that week.
DAILY/WEEKLY LIMITS - OUT OF SEASON 36
Each week that your team is not in-season, your coach can require you to participate in a maximum of eight hours of athletically-related activities, including skill instruction (except in football) and strength and conditioning activities. Strength and conditioning activities may not involve equipment directly related to your sport (except in the sport of swimming where equipment such as starting blocks, kickboards, pull buoys may be used). No athletic activities may occur between midnight and 5am. Also, please note: All sports other than football: Up to two hours of the eight hours may be skill instruction with coaching staff members and may be required. Between September 15 and April 15, skill instruction may involve any number of student-athletes from your team. Prior to and after that time period (during the academic year), no more than four student-athletes may be involved in skill instruction at any one time. Also, your coach may not require you to participate in any athletically- related activities during the seven days prior to final exams through the end of your final examination period. (Reminder: this is applicable during your off-season only.) Football: Student-athletes may be required to view game film for up to two hours of the eight hours of athletically-related activities permitted outside their playing season. Football student-athletes may not participate in skill instruction with their coaches outside their playing season. Days Off: During each week your team is out-of-season, you must be given two days off from all required and supervised activities. (Note: A “week” includes Sunday and Saturday, so those days may be used as the required days off.) Vacation Periods & Countable Activities: In sports other than baseball, when your team is out of season, you may not participate in any countable athletically-related activities during an official university vacation period (e.g., winter break, spring break). In baseball, student-athletes may participate in skill instruction activities at the start of the spring semester beginning January 15.
PRACTICE/COMPETITION LOGS Coaches are required to submit monthly logs of their team’s and individual student-athletes’ activities, recorded on a daily basis. The logs are reviewed by the Office of Compliance for the 20/8 hours/week, four hours/day and required day(s) off. They are also signed off monthly by select student-athletes. MISSED CLASSES NCAA rules permit you to miss class for a competition as well as activities related to competition (e.g., travel, shoot-around, pre-game activities, etc.). (See fall softball exception below.) You may never miss class for a practice or strength/conditioning session (even if you would rather attend practice/workouts than attend class). Additionally, you may not miss class in conjunction with a competition conducted in a non championship segment (e.g. softball fall season, volleyball spring season, soccer spring season).
NCAA DEFINITION OF COUNTABLE ATHLETICALLY-RELATED ACTIVITY Countable athletically-related activities include any required activity with an athletics purpose involving student-athletes and at the direction of, or supervised by, one or more of an institution’s coaching staff (including strength and conditioning coaches) and must be counted within the weekly and daily hour limitations. Administrative activities (e.g., academic meetings, compliance meetings) are not considered as countable athletically-related activities. Some activities that are considered COUNTABLE: 1. Practice and competition. 2. Required weight-training and conditioning activities. 3. Film or videotape reviews of athletics practices or contests required, supervised or monitored by Rutgers staff members. 4. Required participation in camps or clinics. 37
5. Meetings initiated by coaches or other Rutgers staff members on athletically-related matters. 6. Individual workouts required or supervised by a Rutgers coaching staff member, except: In swimming/diving, track & field (field events, hurdles and steeplechase only), wrestling, and, when using sport specific equipment in the sports of gymnastics and rowing, the coach may be present during voluntary individual workouts in the institution's regular practice facility and may provide safety or skill instruction. The coach may not conduct the individual's workout. 7. On-court or off-court activities called by any member or members of a team and confined primarily to members of that team that are considered to be required (e.g., captain's practices). 8. Participation outside the playing season in individual skill-related instructional activities with a member of the coaching staff. (Except in football where such skill instruction is not
permitted.) Some examples of activities which are NOT COUNTABLE: 1. Training-table or competition-related meals. 2. Medical exams, treatment, rehab, taping. 3. Showering and dressing. 4. Study hall and tutoring. 5. Meetings with coaches on nonathletic matters. 6. Travel to and from practice and competition. 7. Fund-raising activities (e.g., meet-and-greets, dinners, etc.) 8. Recruiting activities (e.g., serving as a student host for prospective student-athletes during official visits). 9. Public relations activities related to the student-athlete's sport (e.g., media days) 10. Voluntary individual workouts, provided these workouts are not required or supervised by coaching staff members, except that such activities may be monitored for safety purposes by the institution's strength and conditioning personnel. 11. Individual consultation with a coaching staff member initiated voluntarily by a student-athlete, provided the coach and student-athlete do not engage in athletically related activities. 12. Use of an institution's athletic facilities by student-athletes, provided activities are not supervised by/held at the direction of any member of an institution's coaching staff.
VOLUNTARY SUMMER WORKOUTS Summer workouts may not be required in any sport. Voluntary summer workouts are allowed as follows: In individual sports, a coach may participate in individual workout sessions with student-athletes during the summer, provided the request is initiated by the student-athlete. In team sports, a coach may not supervise, direct, observe or otherwise participate in workout sessions or physical activities with their student-athletes during the summer. Strength/Conditioning Workouts: Student-athletes may workout voluntarily with the university’s strength and conditioning staff provided the following conditions are met: • No student-athlete is required to report back to a coach or other athletics department staff member any information related to the activity; • No institutional staff member who observes the activity (e.g., strength coach, trainer) may report back to the student-athlete’s coach any information related to the activity; • The activity must be initiated and requested by the student-athlete; • The student-athlete’s attendance and participation in the activity (or lack thereof) may not be recorded for the purposes of reporting such information to coaching staff members or other student-athletes; • The student-athlete may not be subject to penalty if he or she elects not to participate;
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• Recognition awards and incentives may not be provided to a student-athlete based on his/her attendance or performance in the activity. In football, student-athletes are permitted to participate in up to eight hours per week of nonmandatory strength and conditioning conducted by a strength and conditioning coach. Student-athletes may participate above and beyond the eight hours per week provide workouts beyond the eight hours are only supervised (not conducted) by the strength and conditioning coach. Football student-athletes must receive one week of “discretionary time” during the summer. During this time, student-athletes may work out on their own. Strength and conditioning coaches may be present for safety purposes only. Also during this time, no institutional staff members may recommend that student-athletes workout.
In basketball, a student-athlete who is enrolled in summer school may engage in required weight- training, conditioning and skill-related instruction for up to eight weeks (not required to be consecutive weeks). Participation in such activities shall be limited to a maximum of eight hours per week with not more than two hours per week spent on skill-related instruction. An individual who is not eligible to use the exception to summer school enrollment may participate only during the period of the institution's summer term or terms (opening day of classes through last day of final exams) in which he is enrolled.
OUTSIDE COMPETITION During the academic year, student-athletes are subject to the following Rutgers University policy in response to the BIG TEN Conference Outside Competition condition. Head Coaches must submit a request the Outside Competition Form to the Office of Compliance (contact your Head Coach for the form), including all requested information, for any student-athlete who wishes to participate in outside/unattached competitions or clinics, at least TEN (10) business days prior to the date of travel for the competition. Per BIG TEN Policy, the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) must review and approve/deny these requests; he/she will do so at least FIVE (5) business days prior to the scheduled departure for the activity. In addition, the FAR must consult with Academic Support Services for Student-Athletes (ASSSA) to determine any issues that might affect the student-athlete’s academic performance.
If the FAR denies a student-athlete permission to compete through this process and the student-athlete chooses to participate in the competition or clinic, he/she will be immediately deemed ineligible for intercollegiate competition. The FAR’s review will be based on missed class time and the overall academic performance of the student-athlete. In all instances, the FAR has the authority to grant exceptions to this policy.
The FAR will apply the following standards:
1. If the student-athlete will miss no classes and if the ASSSA academic advisor provides the FAR with no academic concerns, the FAR will APPROVE the request. 2. If a student-athlete will miss class(es) and/or may have academic performance concerns, the FAR will request that the student-athlete develop a written academic plan, in consultation with the ASSSA academic advisor, to address the issue(s), which should include class absences, cumulative and term GPA, academic progress in the impacted class(es), etc. The academic plan must also include an acknowledgment from all faculty members whose classes are affected that they have discussed the implications of the missed class time with the student-athlete and the schedule for any make-up work. After considering all the factors presented in the academic plan, the FAR will then render a decision to APPROVE or DENY the request.
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All decisions will be final and no further appeals will be permitted. Other outside competition regulations: • In basketball, student-athletes may participate in one summer event or league that is sanctioned by the NCAA. Summer participation must be approved by the Office of Compliance. Participating in an unsanctioned event or league, in multiple events or leagues, or without permission will cause the student-athlete to lose eligibility. • In baseball, some summer leagues require written permission from the Office of Compliance. See your head coach or the Office of Compliance for more information. • Exceptions to the outside competition rule include participation in the following activities: a high school alumni game (limited to one per year), Olympic games, National teams (U.S. and other countries), official world championships & world cup tryouts, official Pan Am games and tryouts. • In individual sports, you may participate in outside competition as an individual at any time, provided you are not representing anyone other than yourself in the competition (e.g., running in a road race or participating in a tennis tournament where you represent only yourself). In limited circumstances during the summer vacation period, you may receive prize money based on your place finish in an open event (i.e., one that is not by invitation only). The prize money you receive may not exceed what it actually costs you to participate in the event and must be provided by the sponsor of the event. Any such receipt of prize money for participation in an event must be approved by the Office of Compliance. Aside from these limited circumstances in which you can receive prize money, there are no other circumstances under which you may receive any type of expenses from an outside team for participation on the team or prize money for participating in an event. Prior to competing on any outside team, consult your head coach and the Office of Compliance to ensure that your participation will not jeopardize your eligibility.
PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICE As a Division I student-athlete, you are a recognized role model on campus and in the community. During your athletic career, you will be asked to participate in a variety of promotional activities. • You may participate in promotional activities on behalf of Rutgers athletics. • You may NOT endorse or promote in any manner (explicitly or implicitly) any commercial product or service. Doing so will immediately jeopardize your eligibility. • All entities requesting your participation in public service or a promotional activity must complete the Rutgers Promotional Activities/Community Service Request Form. You may participate in promotions for nonprofit and charitable organizations and entities of Rutgers University as long as the activity is approved in advance. • All activities must meet the following requirements: 1. Written Permission: You must get written permission to participate from your Head Coach and the Office of Compliance. 2. Written Release: You and an authorized representative of the charitable or educational agency must sign a release statement ensuring that your name, image or appearance will only be used in a manner consistent with NCAA rules. 3. No commercial involvement: The specific activity or project must not have any commercial involvement other than a logo appearing on material such as pictures, posters or calendars. 4. No payment to student-athlete except for normal expenses: All monies derived from the activity or project must go directly to the member institution or the charitable/educational agency. You may accept legitimate and normal expenses for participating (e.g., lunch if the activity is held during the mid-day, or reimbursement for transportation costs). 5. Classes: You must not miss any classes to participate in the activity. 40
RECRUITING - STUDENT-ATHLETE INVOLVEMENT As a student-athlete, you have the opportunity to help your coach recruit prospective student- athletes to the university every year. At some time during your career, you may be asked to host a prospective student-athlete or be involved in a prospective student-athlete’s recruiting visit in some other way (e.g., attending a game with your team and the prospect, attending a meal at your coach’s home with your team and the prospect, etc.). Your involvement in the recruiting process is intended to help prospects and their families learn more about the student-athlete experience at Rutgers. The Rutgers Recruiting Philosophy and Campus Visit Policy, below, includes detailed information that you need to know about your role in the recruiting process. Please note NCAA rules limit your involvement in recruiting to activities that occur on-campus only. You are not permitted to have any contact (other than incidental contact) with a prospect at any off- campus location (except that you may have contact within a 30-mile radius of campus with a prospect that is on-campus for an official paid visit). RECRUITING PHILOSOPHY AND CAMPUS VISIT POLICY The following reflects Rutgers’ philosophy and procedures related to the recruitment of prospective student-athletes and outlines the policies the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has developed for recruiting visits made to Rutgers’ campus and locale. The below information is intended to guide staff, coaches, student-athletes, and visiting prospects; and clearly communicate the university’s expectations for recruiting visits.
Recruiting Philosophy Rutgers is committed to the fair and respectful treatment of all students and prospective students and to operating an athletics program with the highest standards of behavior and practices in all areas, including recruiting. The recruiting process should assist prospective student-athletes and their families in making informed decisions regarding their possible enrollment at Rutgers as both a student and an athlete, and to honestly evaluate their opportunities for successful integration into the Rutgers academic, athletic and social communities. Rutgers’ personnel should be afforded the opportunity to fairly and reasonably evaluate the potential of a prospective student-athlete for academic and athletic success and for integration into the Rutgers community. Prospects who decide to attend Rutgers will be expected to contribute constructively to the academic mission of the university and in turn, benefit by gaining knowledge and skills through education and athletics participation that will prepare them professionally and personally to contribute to society. Activities during Recruiting Visits Good judgment is expected of student hosts during recruiting visits. Although this policy cannot account for all possible activities, following are some examples of both appropriate and inappropriate activities for recruiting visits: Appropriate activities: During a campus visit, it would be appropriate to take the prospect for pizza or a snack; to the movies; to an on-campus athletics event; to an on-campus student event; to an on- or off-campus party; to play pool; to participate in recreational activities (e.g., bowling, paintball, etc.). Inappropriate Activities: Activities in which it would be inappropriate to participate during a recruit’s visit to campus include, but are not limited to: any activity that violates any law, university policy or NCAA rules; attendance at adult entertainment facilities; providing alcohol and/or drugs to any prospective student-athlete; permitting any prospective student-athlete to consume alcohol and/or use drugs during a recruiting visit; consumption of alcohol and/or use of drugs by current student-athletes in conjunction with the prospect’s visit; use of escort services, exotic dancers, or 41 any other similar services; gambling; activities at any location that may cause a perception of impropriety. Student Hosts If you are selected to be the student host for a recruit you will be expected to read and sign the Student Host Instruction Form prior to receiving host money. Some stipulations on student hosts and use of student-host money include: • Student host money may be used to entertain prospects in line with the appropriate forms of entertainment as outlined above and on the Student Host Instructions form. • Following entertainment activities, student hosts must ensure that the prospect or prospects they are hosting return safely to their place of lodging by a reasonable hour or by the curfew established by the head coach. • Student hosts may not leave a prospect or prospects at any location and allow them to return to their place of lodging on their own. • All unused host monies must be returned to the head or assistant coach to be returned for accounting with the Business Office. • Receipts are not required. • Student hosts must inform the head or assistant coach of the entertainment activities that occurred during the visit. This must be done in writing at the conclusion of the visit. TRANSFER REGULATIONS PERMISSION TO SPEAK WITH ANOTHER INSTITUTION NCAA rules prohibit an institution’s coaches or staff members from speaking with a student-athlete of another NCAA or NAIA four-year collegiate institution without first receiving permission from that institution to speak with that student-athlete. Permission must be granted in writing and is generally provided via the other institution’s Director of Athletics or Office of Compliance. Any Rutgers University student-athlete wishing to discuss the possibility of transferring with another institution must follow the procedure outlined below: • The student-athlete must inform his/her coach at Rutgers of his/her desire to contact another institution to inquire about transferring. o The Head Coach may issue a blanket release to the student-athlete at his/her discretion; o The Head Coach may provide permission to contact to a select number of institutions; o The Head Coach may provide permission to contact on a per school request; or . The student-athlete contacts the new institution’s coach (preferably by email) to inform the coach that he/she is interested in transferring and that Rutgers requires the other institution to request permission to speak with the student- athlete. The other institution may request permission to speak with the student-athlete by faxing a request to the Rutgers Office of Compliance (fax # 732-445-7712) or by emailing Brian Warcup ([email protected]). • Optional: A student-athlete who requests permission to contact for a particular institution in writing (or email) to the Office of Compliance will receive a final decision within seven business days from receipt of the request per NCAA rules. • Upon receiving a written request from another institution to speak with a Rutgers student-athlete, the Office of Compliance will contact the student-athlete’s current head coach for his/her consent, followed by the Athletic Director’s consent, if necessary.
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• Whether permission to contact the other institution is granted or not, the Office of Compliance will respond to the other institution accordingly and generally within a 48 hour period. • In the event that Rutgers denies the student-athlete’s request to speak with the other institution regarding transferring, the Office of Compliance will inform the student- athlete in writing that permission has been denied and that the student-athlete has the opportunity to appeal the decision to a committee comprised of individuals who do not work for the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (e.g., professors, deans, etc.) as well as two student-athletes. • If the student-athlete appeals the decision and the Committee upholds the decision to deny permission for the student-athlete to contact the other institution, the other institution(s) may neither contact the student-athlete nor encourage the student-athlete to transfer (directly or indirectly). In addition, in this situation, Division I and II institutions may not provide financial assistance to a student-athlete until the student has attended the other institution for one academic year. Note: If you would like to transfer to another institution and not participate in athletics, you are NOT required to follow the above procedure. You may contact an institution’s admissions office for the purpose of transferring. You should still inform your coach. Contact the Office of Compliance if you have any questions. ELIGIBILITY FOR COMPETITION AT ANOTHER INSTITUTION In general, student-athletes who transfer from one institution (two-year or four-year) to another institution may not compete during their first academic year at the second institution. There are many exceptions to this rule. For more information regarding transfer exceptions, please visit www.ncaa.org, or contact the Office of Compliance. ELIGIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AID AT ANOTHER INSTITUTION A student-athlete who transfers to a Division I institution may receive an athletic scholarship during his/her first academic year at the institution only if he/she was released to speak with the institution by the previous institution and would have been academically eligible to compete during the next regular academic term had the student-athlete remained at the previous institution. TRANSFERRING WITHIN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE In addition to the above-mentioned regulations, the signing of a BIG TEN Tender (your financial aid agreement) or enrolling at a BIG TEN institution initiates the BIG TEN Intraconference Transfer Policy. The policy stipulates any prospective student-athlete who signs a BIG TEN tender regardless of enrollment shall be subject to the policy. If a complete release of the NLI or the NLI is declared Null and Void, prospective student-athlete may enroll at another BIG TEN institution without penalty. Further, cancellation of the tender due to inadmissibility to RU shall be considered Null and Void. The condition also applies to current student-athletes at a Big Ten institution. The penalties for transferring within the BIG TEN Conference require the student-athlete to sit out a year and a loss of year of eligibility.
ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA RELATIONS The Office of Athletic Communications (OAC) serves as a conduit between Rutgers athletics, student-athletes, coaches, and administrators, and the media and other external constituents. The OAC provides coverage of Rutgers athletics programs by coordinating interviews; servicing information needs of reporters; compiling and maintaining statistics, photos and records; producing editorial content in publications such as yearbooks and game programs along with scarletknights.com. Always remember – you are a student-athlete participating in your sport at high profile institution, in a high profile conference, in the number one media market in the world. As a Rutgers student- 43 athlete, it is your responsibility to be cooperative with the media, and with the guidance and support of the OAC.
INTERVIEWS. All interviews/requests for interviews MUST be coordinated through the OAC. If you receive a call at your dorm, at home, or on your cell phone from a member of the media, or are approached by a member of the media (in person, via e-mail Twitter or Facebook or any form of communication), politely direct that person to contact the OAC. Tell them that this is university/athletic department policy. Also, if you have had a problem with a member of the media, or have any other concerns, let the OAC know. We are here to work with you and help you.
PHONE NUMBERS. Cell/dorm/home phone numbers will not be given out to the media by the OAC. Do not give your phone number(s) to media members.
TIPS FOR WORKING WITH THE MEDIA Control Your Message! The most important guideline is to control your message! You can be asked any question, but you can always respond with the message you want to deliver. Be Positive! Be positive and upbeat whenever possible. Praise your coaches, your teammates, and your sport. You can’t go wrong that way! Be on Time! Be on time for interviews when scheduled. Be on time for all appointments and commitments! Personalize: Especially in 1-on-1 interviews, learn the reporter’s name, and use it. Be Yourself: Don’t stiffen up or be uptight. Relax, and share your enjoyment of your sport. Be human! Remember Who You Are Speaking To: While you might be doing a 1-on-1 interview, you’re also talking to someone who is representing a large number of readers, listeners or viewers. 20-Second Rule: Here’s a good rule of thumb: try to make your point in 20 seconds or less. You can elaborate if there is time, interest or need. Think Before You Answer: Reporters are often in a hurry because of deadlines, but that doesn’t mean you should feel rushed into giving quick answers. Also, remember to speak clearly. Don’t Get Boxed In and Don’t Get Baited: Don’t provide any bulletin board material. Don’t get trapped into how many games your team will win, or if your team will beat a specific opponent, etc. (example of a response: “… our goal is to continue to get better and improve, and as we do that, everything else will take care of itself.”) Don’t Forget, You’re Always On: If you see a microphone, tape recorder, or pad and pen, assume your words are on the record. There’s no such thing as “off the record.” Say Thanks! At the conclusion of your interview, say thanks. It’s a final action that will leave a strong impression with a reporter. Make every encounter a memorable one; chances are you’ll get more favorable stories in the future.
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SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AND OTHER FORMS OF INTERNET COMMUNICATION There are many outlets available to you to communicate with current and future friends and acquaintances as well as family members. Social networking sites, (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,) chat rooms, bulletin boards and blogs are just a few of these outlets. Rutgers Athletics understands the importance and usefulness of these outlets and encourages responsible use of them. Whether in the real world or the cyber world, you represent yourself, your team, the athletics department and the university and we expect you to do it with the highest standards of honesty, integrity and class. Rutgers Athletics has developed the following guidelines that you are expected to follow as you participate in any of the above-mentioned or similar communications. • Keep your page/site private but understand that anything you post on-line (even if you make your site private) is out of your control the moment you place it on line and is really then available to anyone in the world. • Do not post your home address, local address, phone numbers, date of birth, class schedule, location your team is staying on the road, etc. If you do, you open yourself up for predators, stalkers, identity thieves, and other criminals. • Do not post information, photos, videos, or other items on-line that could embarrass you, your family, your team, the athletics department or the university. This includes information, photos and items that may be posted by others on your page/site. • Be sure you know who you are adding as a “friend” to your page/site. Many people are looking to take advantage of student-athletes or to get close to the program. These individuals could be criminals, journalists, individuals involved in organized gambling, etc. • Many potential employers and graduate schools analyze these sites in their search processes. Anything posted that is attributed to you could be damaging to your future. • Law enforcement, university officials and athletics department officials may check these websites if necessary. • Student-athletes could face discipline, including loss of athletic scholarship and even dismissal from a team for inappropriate postings.
MEDICAL SERVICES The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics provides comprehensive, high-quality medical services to every student-athlete. The sports medicine team is comprised of a team physician, certified athletic trainers, orthopedic consultants, sports psychologists, a registered dietitian, and other health care professionals throughout Rutgers University and the surrounding medical community. The following pages detail the Sports Medicine Program with regard to Athletic Trainer and Physician Services, Emergency Procedures, Pre-Participation Exams, Drug Education, Insurance Issues, and Special Programs. Additional medical resources and up-to-date information may also be found on the Rutgers Athletics website, www.scarletknights.com, under Sports Medicine.
ATHLETIC TRAINING SERVICES An athletic trainer is an allied health professional who works under the direction/supervision of a licensed physician to provide the athletes with the following: injury prevention; recognition/evaluation of injuries; management/treatment of injuries; and education and counseling for athletes. An athletic trainer provides on-site evaluation and treatment for the injured athlete, immediate first aid care, application of physical treatment modalities, follow-up rehabilitation care, and specific conditioning programs for injury prevention. Each team is assigned an athletic trainer. All injuries should be reported to the athletic trainer assigned to your team. If you do not know who your team’s athletic trainer is, contact your coach to find the appropriate athletic trainer or report to the nearest athletic training room and let one of the on duty athletic trainers make an assessment of your injury.
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The Hale Center is the main athletic training room, conveniently located near the Team Physician's Office in case further follow-up is needed. The other athletic training rooms are located in the lower levels of the RAC (Louis Brown Athletic Center) and the College Ave Gym. In general, the Hale Center and RAC training rooms are open five days a week during the morning and afternoon, while the College Ave training room is open during the afternoon only, throughout the fall and winter sport seasons. Hours will vary by team, season, and semester. There will be weekend hours and extended weekday hours while teams are in-season. For information on the schedule, call the training room or your athletic trainer, or visit the Sports Medicine website (www.scarletknights.com/sportsmed). Phone numbers for all training rooms are listed in the front cover of this Handbook. Student-athletes with injuries (athletically or non-athletically related) and/or illnesses (all medical problems, i.e., colds, viruses, allergies, infections, skin disorders, chest pain) should contact the athletic trainer for their team. They will be evaluated and started on a course of treatment that may include visiting the Team Physician, who then, if necessary, will refer them to appropriate consultants. The student-athlete should not try to diagnose and treat their injuries or try to decide how severe an injury might be. Our Team Physician makes all referrals. Service in the Orthopedic Clinic is by referral only. Student-athletes with personal/confidential matters may be seen directly by the Team Physician without first being referred by an athletic trainer. Contact the Team Physician's Office to make an appointment in such instances. Our medical staff will closely monitor the recuperation and recovery process after an athlete's injury or illness to ensure appropriate health status before returning to full athletic participation. Off-season/vacation injuries should be reported and evaluated by a member of our medical staff. Please report all injuries and illnesses to our medical staff in a timely fashion. If an injury or illness occurs when the training rooms are closed, please follow the steps of the Emergency Procedures detailed below.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES A medical emergency is a situation requiring immediate action to prevent a loss of life. The emergency procedures are for those medical emergencies that need to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible and occur beyond the normal office hours. 1. Attempt to contact your coach, the athletic trainer for your sport, or the Sports Medicine Office at 732-445-6258. 2. When unable to contact the above mentioned staff immediately, you can also call the Hurtado Health Center at 848-932-7402. Semester Hours: Weekdays: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. After 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, call the RUHS Advice Nurse Line, 800-890-5882, for urgent medical problems. 3. In an extreme emergency or life-threatening situation, call campus police at 932-7211 or 911 to get to the local hospital emergency room (Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital ER: 732-828-3000) or (St. Peters Medical Center ER: 732-745-8525) and have campus police contact the Team Physician. 4. Follow-up with your team athletic trainer and/or the Team Physician for additional evaluation and treatment. 5. After evaluation of the problem and approval by the Team Physician, in conjunction with the athletic trainer, the student-athlete will be allowed return to competition.
EMERGENCY PLAN FOR PRACTICE AND COMPETITION The athletics department has adopted a Sports Medicine Emergency Plan for all practices and competitive events. An emergency is any sudden life threatening injury or illness that requires immediate medical attention. When emergency situations arise, expedient action must be taken in order to provide the best possible treatment. The Sports Medicine Emergency Plan will help ensure the best care is provided. Coaches and athletics department staff members who work closely and
46 directly with student-athletes are required to be familiar with the Emergency Plan. All coaches and strength coaches are required to be certified in CPR and AED. An emergency plan must exist for all organized practices and competitions, including out of season training, strength training and conditioning workouts. The individual with the highest level of health training (in general, physician, certified athletic trainer and emergency medical staff, strength and conditioning coach and student athletic trainer) at a session/event are responsible for the emergency plan. If a member of the sports medicine staff or strength and conditioning coach is not available at a practice, the coach is responsible for the emergency plan. A complete copy of the Emergency Plan may be obtained through the Sports Medicine Office.
PHYSICIAN SERVICES The Team Physician's Office is located on the Busch Campus at the Hale Center. There is a full- time and a part-time sports medicine physician on staff who are available for the treatment of all student-athletes. Appointments to see a physician should be arranged by calling the Sports Medicine Office at (732) 445-6258, during the routine working hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (closed noon - 1:00 p.m.), Monday-Friday. Hours will vary by team, season, and semester. There are weekend hours and extended weekday hours during football and basketball seasons. Call the office or your athletic trainer to find out the doctor's schedule. The Sports Medicine Office provides a full range of medical services, from orthopedic care to the treatment of common viral illness. Any medical condition that requires the care of medical specialists is to be coordinated through this office. Student-athletes may also use the services of Rutgers Student Health Services (Hurtado, Willets, Busch-Livingston Health Centers) for their particular medical needs, such as: gynecologic care, immunizations, emergencies, pharmacy, and laboratory tests). All injuries and any illness that effects athletic participation must be directed through the Sports Medicine Staff.
X-RAY, LABORATORY, AND PHARMACY PROCEDURES X-Rays/Diagnostic Ultrasound The Sports Medicine Office is equipped with a fluoroscope that is used by our team physician to X- ray bones of the hand, wrist, arm, leg, ankle, and foot. The sports medicine office is also equipped with a diagnostic ultrasound machine that is used by our team physician to view musculoskeletal injuries. The X-ray and ultrasound results are seen on a screen in the presence of the student- athlete and can be printed out at that time. If you need an X-ray or diagnostic ultrasound, please contact the team physician's office. Our team physician will determine if an X-ray can be done in the office or if it is necessary to have films taken at an outside facility. Outside student radiographs are done by referral only at University Radiology (800-758-5545) which has multiple locations throughout the locale. Contact your Athletic Trainer or the Sports Medicine Office for directions. Outside X-rays for student-athletes are done on a scheduled basis. You should call to make an appointment. Report to the front desk with the x-ray request form given to you by the physician and a copy of your insurance card. You will be given a CD of your x-ray or scan that you can bring back to the Sports Medicine Office. Please schedule a follow-up appointment with the sports medicine office to review the study. Laboratory Work: Blood work requested by the physician can be obtained at one of the health centers, or the Sports Medicine Office. Hours are listed below for each health center. Results usually take one to four days. Your physician will call you immediately if a follow-up is needed. Most routine blood work is free of charge; however, for certain tests a cost may apply. Your physician will discuss this with you in advance, if indicated. Prescriptions: You may fill prescriptions from a physician on campus at the health centers. Pharmacy hours are listed below for each health center. Many prescription co-pays are covered by the athletic department if the injury/illness is athletically related. You will be required to use your prescription card for all medications. Please have it available on campus to present to the health center if needed. 47
Because of certain NCAA regulations some medical problems may require you to pay a fee for your medications. The physician will discuss this with you in advance, when needed. The on-campus health centers are as follows: Busch/Livingston Health Center, 848 445-3250 Corner of Hospital Road & Avenue E (Livingston Campus) Limited prescriptions available Hurtado Health Center, 848 932-7402 Bishop Place (Rutgers Campus) Willets Health Center, 732 932-9805 Suydam Street (Cook/Douglas) Limited prescriptions available See http://health.rutgers.edu for the most up to date schedule of hours for all locations.
PRE-PARTICIPATION PHYSICAL EXAMINATION Prior to participating in any of our sports, a student-athlete is required to pass an athletic pre- participation physical examination performed by a member of our sports medicine team. The procedure to arrange for an evaluation varies, depending on whether the individual is a new student-athlete, returning student-athlete, or trying out for the team (see below). Consult your coach, athletic trainer, or the Sports Medicine Office (732-445-6258) for further information. New Student-Athletes (Freshmen, Transfers, New Team Members) All new student-athletes, including first year participants and transfers, are required to undergo a complete physical by a member of the sports medicine team in order to obtain clearance for participation. In order to expedite this process, new student-athletes will receive a blue insurance form and a pre-participation medical questionnaire. These are to be completed in their entirety and sent back to the Sports Medicine Office for evaluation. Evaluations will be performed at the Hale Center Sports Medicine Office. In order to facilitate the completion of a large volume of evaluations, each student athlete residing in the local tri-state area (NJ, NY, and PA) will be given a date and time in July for their physical examination. Those student-athletes who were unable to attend these dates or who reside outside the local area will receive their physicals with the remainder of their team, when they arrive on campus in the fall. Medical questionnaires and insurance forms will be reviewed with the student-athlete at the time of the examination. Pertinent medical information should be forwarded to the Sports Medicine Office to help expedite a student-athlete's care. Please be advised that incomplete information regarding medical history or insurance coverage may result in a delay in clearance, this means you cannot practice or participate in your sport. It is therefore in your best interest to complete these forms carefully and without omission. Incomplete insurance forms may delay a student-athlete's clearance. In the interest of expediting the evaluation process, proper attire is requested. Student- athletes should report in or bring a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. NCAA Videos In addition to filling out and returning the necessary forms, new student athletes are required to view three NCAA education videos on sickle cell, concussions and NCAA drug testing. Please go to the following website to view the videos, http://scarletknights.com/sportsmed/ncaa/. This is required in order to be cleared to participate.
Returning Athletes Returning student-athletes will be required to complete a blue insurance form and pre-participation medical questionnaire for review by the Team Physician. If warranted, a pre-participation evaluation will be scheduled (e.g., if you have undergone surgery since your last evaluation or suffered an injury). In addition, all academic juniors will be required to have a pre-participation evaluation at the end of their sophomore year. If they are unable to make this time, they may make 48 an appointment with the Team Physician over the summer or have their exam with the remaining new student-athletes before their fall season begins. Insurance forms must be completed in their entirety before a student-athlete can be cleared. Incomplete information will result in a delay in clearance. Tryouts A student-athlete trying out for a team need only obtain a note from his/her physician or a physical exam from a Rutgers Health Center facility other than the Sports Medicine office, indicating eligibility to participate within six (6) months of the date of the scheduled tryout. Should the student-athlete become a team member, he/she will be required to obtain a pre-participation evaluation by the Team Physician in order to gain final clearance for continued participation. Exit Physical Those student-athletes who complete their eligibility at Rutgers are required to fill out an exit physical form. The student-athlete may elect to have a review of their medical care before leaving the athletic department. A physician may request an evaluation also.
ALCOHOL AND DRUG EDUCATION/TESTING The Alcohol and Drug Education & Testing Program may be revised at any point. Student athletes are responsible to periodically review this policy at the Scarlet Knights web site, www.scarletknights.com.
RUTGERS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM I.) Introduction and Rationale Drug and alcohol abuse are major problems on college campuses, and student athletes are not immune to this problem. Because drug and alcohol abuse endangers the health, development, and well being of student-athletes, the Rutgers University Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has formulated and enacted policies, procedures and programs, for prevention and treatment of substance abuse. In essence, the information contained in this document is best considered as a policy statement. It shall be sent to coaches and it is to be reviewed with all Rutgers student-athletes prior to their participation in their designated sports, with all student-athletes receiving copies of this document in its entirety. Moreover, this document shall be distributed and reviewed with all Rutgers coaches, athletic trainers, administrative personnel and support staff who participate in the ongoing development of our student-athletes. More functionally, the information that follows is embedded in a preventive and treatment framework. In particular, the policy, procedures, and programs that are reflected in this document are aimed at realization of three separate, yet interrelated goals: 1.) To educate student-athletes about the harmful effects of drugs, alcohols and related substances upon themselves and teammates, thereby promoting and protecting the health and safety of themselves and often times the health and safety of teammates. 2.) To identify and effectively intervene with drug users and alcohol abusers, in order to help them develop to their full potential in all aspects of life, including academics and athletic competition. 3.) To inform student-athletes of the applicable drug testing regulations from both the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Rutgers Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. These regulations are dedicated to the ideals of fair and equitable competition in which no one participant might possess an artificially induced advantage, or be pressured to use chemical substances in order to remain competitive. Each of the above goals is addressed through carefully developed and targeted policies, procedures and programs. These programmatic domains are discussed next.
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II.) Education and Prevention Programs Programs in this domain reflect ongoing educational efforts to help student athletes avoid involvement with alcohol abuse and prohibited drugs. In addition to the programs described below, any student-athlete, athletic trainer, coach, or other person affiliated with the Rutgers Division of Intercollegiate Athletics will be provided with expert consultation regarding alcohol or drug issues. Such assistance can be requested through the Department of Sports Medicine. Our prevention programs consist of four interrelated ones. These are: 1.) A mandatory orientation program for all new student-athletes. 2.) A mandatory yearly education program to review NCAA and Rutgers drug and alcohol policies for all student-athletes on all teams. 3.) Targeted educational programs for specific teams and/or groups of student-athletes, based on educational needs and sport specific circumstances. 4.) A mandatory, periodic educational program for coaches and support staff. Descriptions of these programs are contained in the Department of Sports Medicine Policy and Procedure Manual, and these descriptions are available on request from the Director of Sports Medicine. Key elements that student-athletes, coaches, and staff need to be aware about with respect to the programs include the following: A.) The mandatory orientation program The mandatory orientation program is designed to help our new student-athletes to: 1.) Understand the basic structure and intent of the Rutgers University Division of Intercollegiate Athletics substance abuse policies. 2.) Understand the basic structure and policies of the NCAA Division 1 Drug testing program. 3.) Understand the effects of alcohol and other drugs upon development, health, and safety. 4.) Realize the impact that drug use and alcohol abuse can have upon athletic performance.
During the mandatory orientation program, discussion is encouraged in relation to any concern the student-athlete may have, either specifically or generally, about the use of alcohol, other drugs and substances, and/or about the Rutgers University Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Substance Abuse policies as well as about NCAA drug testing policies. All student-athletes are required to attend this program at their first year orientation. Students-athletes, who cannot attend the orientation, must provide a valid reason, in writing to the Sports Medicine office. Those student athletes who do not attend will be required to view a video, detailing Rutgers University Division of Intercollegiate Athletics education and testing policies with their team or on an individual basis. The Director of Athletics in consultation with the Director of Sports Medicine may suspend from practice and competition, (for time periods that are at their discretion all those student- athletes who fail to attend the required educational programs, Coaches of the teams on which these athletes participate also may be penalized, at the discretion of the Athletic Director. B.) Mandatory yearly education program for all teams All coaches are required to view the CD/video provided by the sports medicine staff with their teams on an annual basis, prior to the team’s first competition. Athletes who are new to the team during the year or cannot make a session (with valid permission) are required to sign a statement documenting review of the information prior to participation. Expert consultation will be available to those athletes or coaches who have more specific questions or who may want a more customized program. C.) Specifically Targeted Programs 50
Programs are developed by professionals associated with the sports medicine department and its Sport Psychology Program for all teams and based upon the requests made by coaches, athletic trainers, administrators or student athletes. These programs can be tailored to address the needs of specific teams or groups of student-athletes (e.g. students who may be at high risk for developing substance abuse problems). Each team is expected to have an educational program at a minimum of every other year or more frequently as determined by the athletic department administration / sports medicine office. These programs will address the following: 1.) Gain an informed perspective regarding the prevalence of substance use in our society. 2.) Understand the effects of alcohol and other drugs upon development, health, and safety. 3.) Realize the impact that drug use and alcohol abuse can have upon athletic performance. 4.) Develop strategies to manage themselves within an environment that may provide easy access to alcohol and illegal drugs. D.) The mandatory educational program for coaches and support staff This program for coaches and support staff consists of an educational event held periodically over the years, but on a regular scheduled basis. The program is designed to help participants to: 1.) Become more aware of the prevalence of alcohol and drug use problems in student-athletes. 2.) Develop effective approaches to preventing problems. 3.) Learn to identify student athletes who might be developing alcohol and/or drug problems. 4.) Learn how and where to refer students-athletes for help. All new coaches will receive information regarding the NCAA and Rutgers Athletics Drug testing programs, as well as general information regarding alcohol and drug use in college athletes. In addition, coaches are encouraged to talk with the Director of Sports Medicine regarding any questions or problems associated with alcohol or other drugs in regards to his or her student-athletes. The Director will arrange for the provision of relevant expert consultation for the coach or student-athlete.
III.) Counseling Program Any student-athlete who considers that he or she might have a problem with alcohol or other drugs is encouraged to receive counseling and related forms of assistance. Seeking help voluntarily on the part of the student-athlete is in no way considered a violation of the drug and alcohol education and testing program, and the confidentiality of any student-athlete who seeks help will be fully protected as provided by law. Qualified and confidential assessment and/or counseling for alcohol or other drug problems is available to all student-athletes by referral through the Director of Sports Medicine. The Director of Sports Medicine and the Sport Psychology Team will keep disclosures of alcohol or other drug problems, for the purpose of seeking help, confidential. Student-athletes who seek help will be provided with a thorough and expert assessment and will be able to discuss different treatment options with a professional counselor. All student-athletes who request help will receive appropriate professional treatment for substance abuse problems.
IV.) Alcohol Use - Policies and Procedures A.) Rationale The Rutgers Division of Intercollegiate Athletics does not condone the illegal or otherwise irresponsible use of alcohol. Consumption of alcohol by student-athletes of legal drinking age is not encouraged. The excessive use of alcohol, including beer and wine, is the number one 51
drug problem in the country today. Even low doses of alcohol impair cognitive functioning, judgment, alertness, coordination, and reflexes. B.) Responsibilities of the Student-Athlete A student-athlete who consumes alcohol or drugs will be held accountable for any alcohol related incident in which he or she is involved. An alcohol related incident is defined as the following: 1.) An arrest with possible conviction of state law or any offense with intoxication as one of the charges. 2.) A reported violation of University regulations in which alcohol or drugs is cited. 3.) Excessive use of alcohol or drugs that requires medical attention such as a hospital visit. To assure the identification of student-athletes who may be problematic users of alcohol, any student-athlete who has an alcohol related incident must report this incident to the Director of Sports Medicine as well as to member of the Athletic Department Administration such as the head coach or team administrator. Failure to report such an incident will be considered a violation of the Substance Abuse Policy. The Director of Sports Medicine will decide if and when counseling or other forms of intervention is/are required. Any subsequent alcohol incidents will be considered to be a violation of the drug and alcohol education and testing policy and will be addressed accordingly. Possession or consumption of any amount of alcohol by student-athletes is specifically prohibited at any time or place they are under the supervision of the coaching staff or are in attendance at any official divisional or University function including the hosting of recruitment visits to the University. The prohibition of alcohol extends to travel in team vans, buses, airplanes, or private accommodations. Violation of this prohibition will result in disciplinary action by the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics including possible suspension and dismissal from the athletic program.
V.) Use of Drugs Other than Alcohol - Policies and Procedures A.) Rationale Rutgers University Division of Intercollegiate Athletics and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have established drug testing programs to help curb the use of illegal drugs/and or banned substances by all student-athletes. In order to participate in athletics within the Rutgers Division of Intercollegiate Athletics student-athletes are responsible to submit drug screens according to the procedures outlined below. It is the intent of the drug testing programs to: 1.) Deter the use of banned drugs as defined below. 2.) Assist in identifying the student-athlete who is a substance abuser. 3.) Provide effective counseling and/or education to assist student athletes to come into compliance with the Rutgers Division of Intercollegiate Athletics policies regarding drug use and alcohol abuse. 4.) Provide reasonable safeguards that every athlete is medically competent to participate in athletic competition. B.) Drugs Included for Testing 1.) NCAA Program The NCAA Banned Drug Classes are noted in this handbook following this policy. The list is subject to change by the NCAA Executive Committee. The updated list may be found at www.ncaa.org. Many nutritional-dietary supplements contain NCAA banned substances. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA) does not strictly regulate the supplement industry. Therefore, purity and safety of nutritional dietary supplements cannot be guaranteed. Impure supplements may lead to a positive NCAA drug test. The use of supplements is at the student-athlete’s own risk. The student-
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athletes should contact their university’s team physician or athletic trainer for further information.
2.) Rutgers Program In addition to the NCAA banned list, which includes steroids and their precursors, testing may be conducted by the University for the following illegal street and club drugs: Amphetamines, Opiates, Barbiturates, Marijuana (cannabis), Synthetic Marijuana (cannabis), Benzodiazepines, Hallucinogens such as but not limited to LSD Mescaline, and Psychedelic Mushrooms, Cocaine, Heroin, PCP angel dust, Ketamine, Ecstacy, and GHB. The Director of Sports Medicine may add other drugs to the list of substance tested for. 3.) Provisions against altering urine samples Students-athletes should also note that it is illegal to purposefully take any substance to alter their urine specimen such as diuretics, teas, etc. Tests are conducted for this, and if found the student-athlete will be assessed a violation. 4.) Caution regarding supplements available over the counter Student-athletes should also be aware that many supplements contain NCAA or Olympic Committee banned/illegal substances. Examples include but are not limited to: Andro, dhea, ephedrine, stacker, and many other products. Illegal substances may not be included on the label. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to be knowledgeable regarding the banned substances and the products he or she consumes. Ignorance of the supplement is not an excuse for a positive test. We strongly encourage that any questions regarding supplements be directed to the Director of Sports Medicine. 5.) Medical Prescriptions The Director of Sports Medicine will determine if a test is positive because of a prescription by a qualified physician to treat a specific medical condition. If so, a new prescription should be obtained that does not contain the banned drug(s) (if medically feasible), and no further testing will be done for that prescription. If the positive test is not caused by a medical prescription, sanctions for the violation will be imposed. Sanctions will not be imposed until confirmatory tests are obtained and the student-athlete is officially notified as soon as possible. C.) Frequency of testing At any time during which a student is enrolled in school and on a team’s roster, unannounced tests may be made of all or a random sample of these squad members. Student-athletes can be tested more frequently if they have had previous violations of this Drug and Alcohol Education and Testing policy. Student athletes who are being tested will receive written or verbal notification no more than 24 hours in advance, although a student-athlete may receive less notice. Any student-athlete unwilling to provide a urine specimen within a reasonable period of time, to be decided by the Director of Sports Medicine, may be assessed with a sanction consistent with a violation of this particular Drug and Alcohol Education and Testing Policy. 1. Reasonable Suspicion: The Director of Sports Medicine may authorize a urine specimen collection for drug testing for reasonable suspicion. Coaches and other athletic officials may request a test of an athlete for reasonable suspicion. This request must be in writing and must be approved by the Director of Sports Medicine in consultation with the Sports Psychology Team. Under emergent circumstances, approval may be given for a reasonable suspicion test on the basis of a verbal report. Requests will be evaluated by the director to determine if an athlete is at a significant urgent medical risk to themselves or their teammates to require a non random test. Only 53
athletes showing clear behavioral indicators of a possible substance problem and who are at significant medical risk warrant an evaluation for possible non random test. D.) Testing Procedures The Rutgers Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, Department of Sports Medicine has in place a set of procedures consistent with the NCAA Drug Testing Program Protocol Specimen Collection Procedure and/or the NJ Law Enforcement Drug Testing Program. These procedures are in place to protect the integrity of the student-athlete and the testing system. A description of these procedures is available by request in the sports medicine policy and procedure manual. Admission of drug use prior to testing after a urine specimen has been requested will not exempt the student-athlete from being held to be in violation of this Policy. Any student found to be altering, tampering or providing a false urine specimen will face immediate suspension from the athletic program. Urine samples will be collected in the sports medicine clinic or in an area designated by the team physician. The results of all confirmed positive tests will be immediately communicated to the Director of Sports Medicine who will communicate those results to the Athletic Director, the head coach, the Sport Psychology Team and the student-athlete. Other Intercollegiate Athletic and University personnel may be informed of positive test results only as needed in order to support the education and rehabilitation efforts specified in this policy statement.
VI.) Policies and Sanctions for Violations of these Policies and Procedures For any and all positive NCAA drug tests, sanctions and reinstatement policies under the Rutgers Drug and Alcohol Education and Testing program will be applied concurrently with NCAA sanctions. Rehabilitation under the Rutgers Program will also be required. A.) NCAA Sanctions The first time a student-athlete tests positive for any banned substance during an NCAA drug test, he or she will be ruled ineligible for all competition (regular season and post-season) in all sports for no less than one calendar year. If the student-athlete is later restored to eligibility and tests positive again for any banned substance other than a street drug (e.g. marijuana or heroin) he or she will lose all remaining regular season and post-season eligibility in all sports. If this positive test is for a drug of abuse, the student-athlete will lose one season of competition in all sports and remain ineligible for regular season and post-season competition at least through the next calendar year. Please review the NCAA website annually for any changes in this policy. B.) Rutgers University Sanctions and Procedures A violation of this policy is defined as a confirmation of a positive screen for a banned substance or a violation of the provisions of this policy regarding alcohol. 1.) First Violation: Notification, Treatment, and Sanctions Positive drug test results will be communicated by the laboratory or testing director to the Director of Sports Medicine. The Director of Sports Medicine will communicate to the Athletic Director, Head Coach, and Sport Psychology Team the positive drug screens or other policy violations. The student-athlete will receive a medical evaluation and be required to attend a mandatory counseling session with a counselor assigned by the Director of Sports Medicine. The student-athlete and the counselor will develop an individualized treatment contract. The contract will include treatment expectations for the student and it will detail probable future sanctions should the student-athlete commit further violations of the policy. 54
The specifics of counseling sessions will remain confidential, but the student- athlete will be asked to agree in writing to release reports on attendance and compliance to the Director of Sports Medicine, the Head Coach and the Athletic Director and Sport Psychology Team. If discussion with other parties might be helpful to the student-athlete other appropriate releases of information may be specified. Every student-athlete who commits a first violation of this policy may be suspended for a period of up to two weeks from practice and competition. The Director of Athletics will set the sanction in consultation with the Director of Sports Medicine, the Sport Psychology Team, and the Head Coach. 2.) Second Violation: Notification, Treatment and Sanctions The Athletic Director, Head Coach, and the Sport Psychology Team will be notified by the Director of Sports Medicine of a second positive test result or violation of the alcohol policy. A second violation will be understood to mean that the student-athlete is in need of more extensive help. An appropriate counseling and rehabilitation program will be developed for the student-athlete and a behavioral contract will be formulated that will outline that program. The specifics of counseling sessions will remain confidential, but the student athlete will be asked to release a report on attendance and treatment compliance to the Director of Sports Medicine, the Head Coach and the Athletic Director. The student- athlete will be expected to follow all treatment recommendations. The student-athlete who violates the Substance Abuse Policy for a second time will be suspended from all participation in athletic activities immediately for a minimum period of two weeks. If the violation occurs when the athlete is not in season, he or she may be suspended for the first two weeks of their competitive season. 3.) Third Violation of the Substance Abuse Policy If the student-athlete violates the Substance Abuse Policy for a third time, it must be assumed that the student-athlete has a very significant problem or he or she has made a decision to not abide by the policies of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. This will be treated very seriously. All parties notified of the first two offenses will again be notified. The third offense will dictate a suspension from practice and athletic competition for a minimum of one full calendar year from the date of the positive drug screen. The Athletic Director in consultation with the Director of Sports Medicine, the Head Coach, and the Sport Psychology Team will decide whether he or she will be allowed to return for participation as a student-athlete within the Rutgers Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, following the suspension. Prior to the suspension, however, the student-athlete will have the opportunity to discuss the matter with the Athletic Director and present evidence of any mitigating circumstances that the student feels are important. Any further offenses will result in final dismissal from participation in athletics as a member of the Rutgers Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. The Athletic Director will discuss the appropriate action with the Head Coach and the Director of Sports Medicine and Sport Psychology Team. In addition, the Director will recommend to the University Financial Aid Committee that any athletic grant-in-aid not be renewed for any subsequent year.
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The athletic department recognizes that many factors may be involved in an athlete’s testing positive for illegal substances. For example, in some instances, the treatment context may be a relevant factor to consider in terms of determining the appropriate penalty to be applied. Therefore, the Athletic Director has the discretion, in consultation with the Sports Psychology Team and the Director of Sports Medicine, to alter the penalty in such cases. For these cases, which are anticipated to be rare, the Athletic Director will document in writing the reasons for the specific penalty to be applied and provide for a customized written behavioral contract which the student athlete would be required to comply with.
VII.) Policies and Procedures for Tobacco Use Rutgers University does not condone the use of tobacco, including smokeless tobacco. Tobacco use may result in a physical dependency on nicotine. Tobacco use is documented to be the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. The use of tobacco is prohibited by the University in connection with any intercollegiate team function. A team function is defined as any activity that is held as a team, whether this activity is a meeting, practice, banquet, group appearance, media event, competition, or informal workout, on and off the grounds of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. Effective August 1994, NCAA legislation prohibited the use of tobacco products in a practice or competition. If a student athlete is using tobacco during a practice or a competition, the institution is obligated to apply the rule. Rutgers University also strongly encourages its student-athletes to abstain from tobacco use in their private lives.
VII.) Policies and Procedures for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Under new NCAA rules, students taking drugs to address the symptoms of ADD/ADHD (Attention-Deficit Disorder/Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) need to report the use of those drugs to the Rutgers sports medicine office. Many drugs used in the treatment of ADD/ADHD are part of a class of drugs banned by the NCAA. Some legitimate medications contain NCAA banned substances, and student-athletes may need to use these medicines to support their academics and their general health. The NCAA has a procedure to review and approve legitimate use of medications that contain NCAA banned substances through a Medical Exceptions Procedure. In order to learn if you are taking a banned substance and to be eligible for this exception, Rutgers student-athletes should report the use of any ADD/ADHD medication to the sports medicine office and submit necessary reports documenting diagnosis and treatment.
NCAA Banned Drugs The NCAA bans the following classes of drugs (and any substance related to these classes of drugs): Stimulants, Anabolic Agents, Alcohol and Beta Blockers (rifle only), Diuretics/Other Masking Agents, Street Drugs, Peptide Hormones and Analogues, Anti-estrogens, Beta-2 Agonists. The institution and the student-athlete shall be held accountable for all drugs within the banned drug class regardless of whether they have been specifically identified on this list. Drugs and Procedures Subject to Restrictions: Blood Doping. Local Anesthetics (under some conditions). Manipulation of Urine Samples. Beta-2 Agonists permitted only by prescription and inhalation. Caffeine if concentrations in urine exceed 15 micrograms/ml.
Some Examples of NCAA Banned Substances in Each Drug Class NOTE: There is no complete list of banned drug examples Check with your athletics department staff before you consume any medication or supplement. Stimulants: amphetamine (Adderall); caffeine (guarana); cocaine; ephedrine; fenfluramine (Fen); methamphetamine;56 methylphenidate (Ritalin); phentermine (Phen); synephrine (bitter orange); methylhexaneamine, etc. Exceptions: phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine are not banned. Anabolic Agents (sometimes listed as a chemical formula, such as 3,6,17- androstenetrione): boldenone; clenbuterol; DHEA (7-Keto); nandrolone; stanozolol; testosterone; methasterone; androstenedione; norandrostenedione; methandienone; etiocholanolone; trenbolone; etc. Alcohol and Beta Blockers (banned for rifle only): alcohol; atenolol; metoprolol; nadolol; pindolol; propranolol; timolol; etc. Diuretics (water pills) and Other Masking Agents: bumetanide; chlorothiazide; furosemide; hydrochlorothiazide; probenecid; spironolactone (canrenone); triameterene; trichlormethiazide; etc.
Street Drugs: heroin; marijuana; tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); synthetic cannabinoids (eg. spice, K2, JWH-018, JWH-073) Peptide Hormones and Analogues: growth hormone(hGH); human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG); erythropoietin (EPO); etc. Anti-Estrogens: anastrozole; tamoxifen; formestane; 3,17-dioxo-etiochol-1,4,6- triene(ATD), etc. Beta-2 Agonists: bambuterol; formoterol; salbutamol; salmeterol; etc. Any substance that is chemically related to the class of banned drugs is also banned! (unless otherwise noted)
Before consuming any nutritional/dietary supplement product, review the product with the Sports Medicine Staff.
NOTE: Information about ingredients in medications and nutritional/dietary supplements can be obtained by contacting the Resource Exchange Center, REC, 877-202-0769 or www.drugfreesport.com/rec password ncaa1, ncaa2 or ncaa3. It is your responsibility to check with the appropriate athletics staff before using any substance.
STUDENT INSURANCE COVERAGE New Jersey law requires that all full-time students who attend state colleges and universities have health insurance. Students who do not have personal health insurance are billed for the Rutgers University student insurance plan on their term bill when they register for classes. This coverage can be used for illness, non-athletic injury, and prescription. Full-time students already covered by a health insurance plan will not need to purchase additional insurance. Students are required to provide their insurance information through a pre-enrollment verification process or through the insurance verification form that will be sent by the Registrar’s office. Full-time and part-time student-athletes who do not have health insurance must select an insurance plan offered through a national provider with whom Rutgers has contracted to provide low-cost health insurance. The cost of the selected plan will be added to the student’s term bill. Other health insurance plans that provide greater coverage will be available to students as options for higher premium rates. The athletic department will cover the cost of the basic plan for non-insured student-athletes who receive a full athletics scholarship. If a full scholarship student-athlete opts to purchase a higher cost plan, they will be responsible for the difference in the plan they selected and the basic plan that athletics will cover. All other non-insured student-athletes will be responsible for payment of their insurance plan. Student-athletes on an active roster will also have coverage through the athletic insurance plan (see Athletic Insurance section below). Any significant change in a student- athlete’s health plan (i.e., plan change or plan termination) must be reported to the Sports Medicine office as well as the Student Accounting Financial office. For additional information about the student insurance plan, please contact the student insurance office at 848-932-8285 or 848-932- 7401/7402.
ATHLETIC INSURANCE COVERAGE Non-athletic injuries are submitted through the student’s personal insurance. If the student does not have personal insurance, he/she must purchase coverage through the Rutgers University Student Insurance office (Hurtado Health Center, 848-932-7401 or 7402, x266). Intercollegiate Athletic Insurance coverage is for injuries sustained during supervised practice, contests, or travel. The insurance is “excess type" coverage. It provides coverage for athletic injury only. It will not cover illness or non-athletic injury. All claims must first be submitted to your parent's or guardian’s insurance company for payment. Our insurance carrier will then pay any unpaid portion of the bill within the limits of the policy. No outside treatment is covered by our insurance plan without referral by our team physician. . For further information, contact the Athletic Insurance Coordinator, located in the Sports Medicine Office at (732) 445-6261. In-network providers will be paid at 100%. Out-of-network providers will be paid at the reasonable and customary rate. The reasonable and customary rate is the maximum allowance the insurance carrier will consider for the service rendered. If an out-of-network provider is used, Rutgers
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University will not be responsible for paying any balance that exceeds the reasonable and customary rate, even if the injury occurred at Rutgers or the team physician referred the athlete to an out-of-network provider. Bills for non-athletic injury or illness are submitted through the student’s personal insurance. If the student does not have personal insurance, he/she must purchase coverage through the Rutgers University Student Insurance office (see Student Insurance section above). ). If you are enrolled in summer sessions and utilize the Health Services, a summer “fee” will be charged to the student-athlete. For information on the summer fee please contact the Student Insurance office. A fee will not be charged if you utilize the Sports Medicine office located at the Hale Center. This service is for student-athletes only.
MEDICAL BILLS / INSURANCE PROCEDURES Injury Claim Form: 1. All injuries must be documented with an Injury Claim Form. This form may be filled out by any athletic trainer, team physician, or coach. 2. All injuries must be reported to an athletic trainer, medical staff member or coach within 72 hours of the injury. If you do not report the injury you will be held responsible for any expenses incurred as a result of treating the injury. For those who have personal primary and/or secondary insurance: 1. Medical bills should first be sent to your primary and/or secondary insurance carrier 2. Your primary and/or secondary insurance carrier will send you an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for the medical services provided. Even if there is a denial of benefits, your primary and/or secondary insurance carrier will send you a denial Explanation of Benefits (EOB). 3. If there is a remaining balance after the medical bill has been sent to your primary and/or secondary insurance carrier, the bill and the EOB from your insurance carrier should be sent to the Rutgers University Sports Medicine office (see contact information listed below). 4. Our office will then submit the medical bill and the EOB for balance payment that is within the limits of the athletic insurance policy. The medical bill must be submitted for claim within 90 days after the injury has occurred or as soon as reasonably possible. For those who do not have personal insurance: 1. The medical provider should submit the bill to the Rutgers University Sports Medicine office (see contact information listed below). 2. Our office will then submit the medical bill for payment that is within the limits of the athletic insurance policy. The medical bill must be submitted for claim within 90 days after the injury has occurred or as soon as reasonably possible. Claims can be faxed to 732-445-3462 or mailed to Rutgers University, Hale Center, Attn: Athletic Insurance, One Scarlet Knight Way, Piscataway, NJ 08854.
BILLING: PERSONAL INSURANCE Rutgers University will bill student-athletes’ personal primary and/or personal secondary medical insurance companies for medical treatments/problems. The student-athletes/parents’ insurance company will be billed for medical treatment that Rutgers University Sports Medicine supplies to the student-athlete. Student-athletes/parents should not receive a bill from the medical provider for these services, however they may receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from the insurance company for these services, describing medical bills that were sent to them. Student- athletes/parents will not be asked to personally pay money for the student-athlete’s care when their insurance is billed by the Sports Medicine office. Medical care for student-athletes is handled through the Hale Center at Rutgers University.
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Student-athletes must supply the Sports Medicine office with a copy of their current insurance card as well as maintain current insurance information.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENT-ATHLETES Student athletes are expected to be aware of and comply with the requirements described above. If you sustain an injury during a supervised practice or competition, or during travel, report to an athletic training room for an evaluation. Should your medical problem require further testing or generate medical bills, please discuss this with the Athletic Insurance Office located in the Sports Medicine Office. The Athletic Insurance Office can help familiarize you with the claims process or check on the status of pending claims. It must be understood by student-athletes and their families that medical expenses are not “automatically taken care of” by the athletic department or the university. Athletic scholarships do not cover medical expenses. Your medical expenses are “real world” debts and you are responsible for ensuring their settlements. Paying athletic related medical expenses requires cooperation of the student-athlete and his/her family and coordination between various offices and departments in and around the Rutgers’ community. The ongoing responsibility and cooperation of student-athletes and their families are both necessary and expected. Student-athletes are expected to understand that if they receive medical bills they should be presented to the Athletic Insurance Office and not taken or sent to the coach or athletic trainers. This creates delays in filing a claim. With due respect to varying health care provider billing cycles, statements for athletic related medical expenses that are presented to the athletic insurance office 30 days or more after their issue date may not be suitable for payment consideration. Claims must be filed within 90 days of the injury date. You must maintain and update your insurance coverage with the Sports Medicine/Athletic Insurance Office. Report any change of insurance immediately to the office.
CONSEQUENCES OF UNSETTLED MEDICAL EXPENSES Student-athlete medical expenses are not “automatically taken care of” by the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics or the university. Failure to comply with policies related to payment of medical expenses will put student-athletes and their families at serious financial risk and may jeopardize the student-athlete’s eligibility to compete. The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics reserves the right to deny financial aid benefits for any situation in which a student-athlete’s actions or decisions (through inattention or design) prevent, evade or delay the settlement of athletic related medical expenses. Some student-athlete actions that may delay settlements include: failure to disclose personal insurance information to health care providers at registration for services; failure to comply with individual policy requirements for preauthorization and notification; failure to adequately respond to requests for information from health care providers, insurance companies or the Athletic Insurance Office; failure to present athletic related medical bills to the Sports Medicine/Athletic Insurance Office in a timely manner. With due respect to confidentiality, the student-athlete’s coach will be notified through the Sports Medicine/Athletic Insurance Office of unresolved athletic related medical care expense situations. This notification will include a request for the coach’s assistance in contacting the student-athlete and persuading the student-athlete to help resolve the issue. Situations that remain unresolved may result in a financial hold being placed on the student- athlete’s university account. Among other restrictions, this will preclude the student from registering for classes and thus rendering the student-athlete ineligible.
MEDICAL HARDSHIP WAIVERS Refer to the NCAA Rules section of this handbook under “Athletic Eligibility” 59
SPECIAL MEDICAL-RELATED SERVICES Sport Psychology The Sports Medicine Office administers a comprehensive sports psychology program for all student athletes. This program provides services in all dimensions of sports psychology including performance enhancement. Please contact the team physician to discuss any questions on how to access these services. General Psychology services are also provided at the following locations: Rutgers College: 932-7884. Sports Nutrition The Sports Medicine Office administers a sports nutrition program for all student-athletes. The program covers all aspects of sports nutrition, from weight loss to help in the management of medical problems. The nutritionist sees patients at the Hale Center. Appointments are by referral through the team physician or athletic trainer. Eating Disorders Program The Sports Medicine Office coordinates a multi disciplinary treatment approach to eating disorders. This program involves the screening of student-athletes for eating disorders, educational programs, and comprehensive medical care of the athlete. Our team includes physicians, psychologists, nutritionists and other allied health care providers who are qualified and experienced in the evaluation and treatment of eating disorders in athletes. Student-athletes should feel free to contact the Team Physician's Office to discuss any case in private. Dating Violence/Sexual Assault Services The Office of Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance, in cooperation with the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, offers annual education for student-athletes on interpersonal violence and related topics. The primary goals of the educational programming are to provide information, clarify myths and misconceptions, and reduce a student-athlete's vulnerability to becoming a crime victim. Education is generally provided by student-athletes through skits dealing with various issues related to violence, especially legal and social definitions on sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, dynamics of each, and ways to reduce the risk of being involved in these situations. Students have the opportunity to interact with each other, discuss their attitudes and perceptions, and gain information that may challenge or enhance their current attitudes. The Office of Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance can be contacted at 732-932-1181. More information on sexual and dating violence can be found in the resource pages of this handbook.
DEPARTMENT AWARDS & RECOGNITION Varsity Letterwinners: Head Coaches of each sport establish criteria to receive a Letterwinner's Award. Requirements vary by sport and are approved by the Athletic Director. The criteria for each sport are on file in the Division's Operations Manual and in the Office of Athletic Communications. Annual letter awards are provided as follows: First letter award: Jacket and certificate with insignia. Second letter award: Watch with RU logo. Third letter award: Blanket with block R. Fourth letter award: Scarlet block "R" shadow box and/or framed jersey. All senior letter winners: Framed certificate with years lettered. Exception: At the coach’s and sport administrator’s discretion, a senior who will not be returning to the team and who is scheduled to receive an award other than a shadow box has the option of choosing the award he/she will receive. He/she may choose to receive any award he/she has not previously received. Team Awards: Each year each team selects a Most Valuable Player and Scholar-Athlete. Other team awards are provided at the discretion of the head coach with the approval of the Athletic Director. 60
Athletic Director’s Excellence Award: Student-athletes who have achieved a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA over at least four semesters at Rutgers and earned All-America honors nationally or regionally in their sport. Coursen Award: Outstanding male student-athlete of the graduating class who has contributed the most to his team. Headley-Singer Award: Outstanding female student-athlete of the graduating class who has contributed the most to her team. Werblin Award: Student-athletes who have achieved national recognition or were a national champion. Rutgers Leadership Academy Award: Refer to the Rutgers Leadership Academy section of this handbook. 15 SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS 1. Take pride in who & what you represent (Family, hometown, Rutgers University, your team, etc…) 2. Your profile photos are how other followers and friends form a first impression of you. Be aware of this. 3. Social media hasn’t made the text message obsolete. Only Tweet/Facebook things that are appropriate for public consumption. Text things that should be kept private (parties, crushes, etc…) 4. Realize that even if you go back and delete a tweet or post, it already has been publicly consumed and can be found. 5. Don’t use social media to complain about how tough your life is. You are getting a college education, traveling to places you may not otherwise, getting free gear, etc. Many people wish they were in your shoes. 6. ReTweeting or sharing profanity or other explicit material is the same as using it yourself. Don’t do it. 7. Avoid replying or ReTweeting twitter users with vulgar names. These names appear on your feed and then represent your personal brand. 8. Don’t tweet or post anything you wouldn’t say to the media. You are being naïve if you think the media isn’t following you via social networks. Privacy settings don’t always work. 9. Don’t post or share pictures (this goes for text as well) that you wouldn’t want your parents to see. 10. Don’t let people take photos of you with a drink in your hands – even if it is only water or juice. If you’re posing for a photo, put the drink on a counter out of frame. 11. Don’t air your dirty laundry on Twitter or Facebook. 12. Don’t tweet or post after a tough loss. Losses are emotionally draining and you aren’t always thinking clearly after. Sleep on it. 13. Don’t engage in a public social media argument with a media member. You won’t win and you’ll only end up looking childish and foolish – even if you are “sticking up” for a teammate or coach. 14. Avoid commenting on polarizing topics such as sexual orientation, race, politics, and religions you may not understand. 15. Don’t tweet or post during class. Be mindful that your professors (or academic advisors) could see the time of these posts. Don’t let these tips prevent you from enjoying social media. Show your personality and have fun but like anything else – enjoy it responsibly.
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How to Meet Your Professors Why is it important to develop a relationship with professors? Simply put, to give you a greater chance at success in your classes. Professors want to see you succeed – especially when they know you. You can learn so much more when you have a one on one meeting to discuss your class; you learn at your pace instead of the speed of the collective class. And, your professor will be more apt to give you a letter of recommendation when you ask. So how do you get started? First, find the right teachers. When you need advice about a professor, good sources of information are: special department members (e.g., administrative assistants), academic advisors (campus and athletics), previous professors, your undergrad director, or your undergrad dean. And, getting to know these individuals can be a huge benefit to you as well – whether you need a letter of recommendation, advice on a career or grad school, or something else. There are also other avenues for you to identify a professor who will be right for you… • Find professors on the tenure track line. Non-tenured professors could be more apt to leave the university than tenure-track faculty. You can’t have a great relationship with someone if he/she isn’t here the whole time you are. • Go on ratemyprofessors.com. Do your homework! • Ask your teammates about a specific class or teacher. Now that you’ve found the right teachers for you, set yourself apart from others… • Introduce yourself after class. • Stand out in class. • Be prepared so you can raise your hand at least once every class. • Don’t be afraid to be wrong. Mental leaps can reap the biggest rewards. • Ask a question or provide an answer. • Do your homework…on your professor. Look him/her up. Find out if he/she is a part of the study abroad program, heads up any special departments, etc. • Find a common interest to ask a question about. Professors are people, too! (For example, the vice-president of undergraduate education loves to cook and will occasionally teach a pastry class.) • Go to Office Hours – with a purpose. Have at least a mental agenda or some kind of structure. Here are some things to think about: • Before you go to office hours, give yourself a class or two to establish some kind of connection and get a sense for your professor. • What do you want to accomplish during your visit? • Bring in a question from class. Even if you know the answer, it will help you get the conversation started. • Tell your professor something about you. • How do you want to meet him/her? Stopping by just to say hi is a great excuse to start talking. • On the other hand, making an appointment is also a good idea. Your professor will have one more place to learn and remember your name. • Travel letters are another excuse to go visit – yet another icebreaker. It’s understandable that anyone might find visiting a professor difficult. Sometimes it’s hard to make connections. If you really don’t want to go-it alone, take a friend with you. If you can develop a bond with a professor, you’ll have someone for advice, direction, letters of recommendation, and a real friend.
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