By Receipt of This Document Via Email, I Acknowledge I Have Received the 2020 - 2021 University of Illinois Student-Athlete Handbook
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By receipt of this document via email, I acknowledge I have received the 2020 - 2021 University of Illinois Student-Athlete Handbook. I understand I am responsible for reading, understanding, and adhering to the information contained within this handbook pertaining to rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS DIVISION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS STUDENT-ATHLETE HANDBOOK August 2020 Dear Fighting Illini Student-Athletes: It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to campus for the 2020-2021 year! A special greeting to our new arrivals; it is our expectation that your years at the University of Illinois will transform your lives and position you for success and happiness following graduation. To all of you, newcomers and returners alike, I challenge you to embrace the opportunity in front of you. Leave your mark on the unique and storied tradition of Fighting Illini Athletics. Seize the moment to contribute to our athletic program’s rich history. We are all part of the Fighting Illini Family. Together, let’s do something special. The intercollegiate athletics program at the University of Illinois serves many purposes to a variety of different stakeholders, including student-athletes, staff, the campus, our community, our state, University alumni, fans and ticketholders, donors, business partners, and many others. In service to all these people and organizations, we have developed a concise mission statement, which defines, in broad terms, our reason for being. This mission statement is as powerful in its simplicity and scope as it is straightforward in its recital: Unify. Develop. Inspire. Achieve. It is a privilege, and not a right, to be associated with our program. Your responsibilities: • Live a life of integrity, in which you do things the right way and in which you stand accountable for any mistakes you might make; • Respect other people – all people, all backgrounds, on all issues – even if you do not understand or agree with them; • Immerse yourself in the academic mission of the University of Illinois, and work steadily toward an Illinois degree; • Train and prepare your mind and body with an intensity befitting a champion; and • Compete, every day and in everything you do. Strive to be the best. Make no mistake, being a college student-athlete at the University of Illinois is hard. It is supposed to be hard. To be successful, being among the nation’s best and brightest is not enough. The only way to succeed is to match your natural talents with an unmatched work ethic. You will get from this experience what you put into it. If you invest fully of yourself during your years on our campus, these people and this place will change your lives – and if we do it right, you will change ours as well. At Illinois, we do not use the word “family” as a tagline. We embrace it as a way of life. Between student- athletes and staff, we number roughly 800 family members. We are your guides along this journey during your years on our campus: your coaches, athletic trainers, strength coaches, academic advisors and learning professionals, and dozens of administrators and support personnel committed to providing you a quality, championship-caliber experience as a Fighting Illini student-athlete. Know that we are here because of you. As further guidance on this journey, I encourage you to spend time with this manual, the University of Illinois Student-Athlete Handbook. It provides direction on almost every facet of your experience. It also contains policies and procedures that you are responsible for knowing and following. If there are things we can include in the Handbook that would make it a more helpful resource, please pass that information along to Dr. Brian Russell, Senior Associate Director of Athletics. Again, welcome to campus. We are excited you have chosen to be a Fighting Illini. We are proud of who you are and what you represent. I look forward to getting to know you in the years ahead. If there is ever anything I can do to help you achieve your goals, my door is open. I wish you all the best. GO ILLINI! Josh Whitman Director of Athletics Table of Contents GUIDING PRINCIPLES ........................................................................... 1 Mission Statement ............................................................................................................. 1 Criteria for Excellence ...................................................................................................... 1 Rights and Responsibilities of Student-Athletes ..................................................... 1 Academic Responsibilities and Integrity ................................................................... 2 Class Attendance ................................................................................................................ 2 Responsibilities of Coaches ............................................................................................ 2 Prohibited Relationships Policy ............................................................................................................... 3 Time Management Plan ................................................................................................... 3 Declaration of the Time Management Plan .......................................................................................... 3 Review and TMP Signers ............................................................................................................................. 3 Changes to Time Management Plan ........................................................................................................ 4 Individual Variances in the TMP .............................................................................................................. 4 Annual Review ................................................................................................................................................ 4 Reporting Issues/Violations ...................................................................................................................... 4 KEY POLICIES GOVERNING STUDENT-ATHLETE CONDUCT .... 5 University of Illinois Student Code .............................................................................. 5 Student-Athlete Code of Conduct and Discipline Process .................................... 5 DIA Student-Athlete Expectations ........................................................................................................... 5 Levels of Misconduct ........................................................................................................ 6 Major Offenses ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Secondary Offenses ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Infractions ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 Discipline, Sanctions or Corrective Action for Student-Athlete Misconduct . 8 Major Offenses ................................................................................................................................................ 8 Temporary Suspension from Athletic Activity Pending Resolution of Major Offense ................................................................................................................................... 8 Secondary Offenses ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Infractions ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Notice ................................................................................................................................... 10 Appeals ................................................................................................................................ 11 Request for Review of Suspension Based on Substantial Change in Circumstances: ................................................................................................................. 12 Disclosure of Criminal Charges ................................................................................... 12 Reporting Allegations of Misconduct or other Violations ................................. 12 Student-Athlete Grievances ......................................................................................... 13 Procedure for grievances related to treatment by coaches, staff or student-athletes ....... 13 Student-Athlete Alcohol and Drug Education and Drug Testing Program .. 16 Student-Athlete Hazing Policy ..................................................................................... 29 Gambling, Bribery and Other Sports Wagering Activities ................................. 30 Social Networking Policy ............................................................................................... 31 ACADEMIC SERVICES .......................................................................... 34 Irwin Academic Services Center ................................................................................. 34 Academic Counselors ..................................................................................................... 34 Learning Specialists