Saginaw Valley State University is a Division II member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).  As a member, SVSU is accountable for the actions of coaches, student-athletes, faculty and staff, alumni, donors and friends to ensure that NCAA rules and regulations are followed.

The recruitment of any prospective student-athletes is the sole responsibility of Saginaw Valley State University coaches.  Any representatives of SVSU’s athletic interests (boosters) cannot be involved in the recruiting process.

Compliance with NCAA rules is crucial, as any violations may affect the eligibility of prospective student-athletes and current student-athletes.  Penalties could be imposed as a result of any violations, leading to restrictions on your involvement with SVSU’s athletics programs.

Below is important information for boosters.

Representatives of Athletics Interest (Boosters)
A “representative of SVSU’s athletics interests” is an individual who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of SVSU’s institutional or athletics administration to:

• Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization, including corporate entities (e.g., apparel and equipment companies), promoting Saginaw Valley Athletics.
• Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of SVSU;
• Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes;
• Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
• Have been involved otherwise in promoting SVSU Athletics.

*Note: once an individual is identified as such a representative, the person retains that identity indefinitely. (Bylaw 13.02.11.1)

Defining a Prospective Student-Athlete (PSA):

• Any person that has started classes for the 9th grade or if SVSU has provided the individual (including relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits not provided to PSAs in general prior to the 9th grade.
• PSAs remain as such until they have officially registered and enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies and attend classes in any term of a 4 year institution’s regular academic year or the individual participates in a regular squad practice or competition at a 4 year collegiate institution.
• Even after a PSA signs a National Letter of Intent (NLI) or accepts an offer of financial aid to attend Saginaw Valley, they are still considered a prospect.
• This applies to any junior college student-athletes as well.

Defining “Extra Benefits”
An extra benefit is any special arrangement by a representative of athletics interests to provide a student-athlete or their relatives and friends a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Boosters are not permitted to provide enrolled student-athletes and PSA, or their relatives and friends with any “extra benefits.” Examples of “extra benefits are as follows but not limited to:

• Providing cash or loans in any amount or signing/co-signing for a loan
• Giving gifts of any kind, including birthday/holiday gifts
• Any free or reduced-cost services, including entertainment or admission to professional events
• Providing use of an automobile, or rides anywhere
• Free or reduced-cost rent or housing
• Employment arrangements for a student-athlete or a prospect's family/friends
• Entertaining a prospect or their friends and families
• Payment for work not performed or at a rate above the going rate
• Payment of fees or expenses to attend camps/clinics

Permitted Actions of Boosters:

• Providing an occasional family home meal to a student-athlete or an entire team
• This meal must take place in a home, not a restaurant and may be catered
• Requests for these meals must be approved in advance by the compliance office
• Employing a student-athlete under certain circumstances with prior approval from the athletics department
• Both the student-athlete and the employer must sign a written statement prior to employment during the academic year and compensation can only be for work actually performed at a rate equal to the going rate for similar services
• Notifying coaches about prospects in the area but may not contact the prospects
• Attending high school or 2-year college athletic contests or events where prospects may compete, but cannot contact prospects or their relatives in any way
• Continuing pre-existing relationships with prospects provided no recruitment takes place
• Any questions from the prospect about SVSU athletics should be directed to coaches or the athletic department
• Conversing with a prospect via phone only if the prospect initiates the call
• Such a call may not be prearranged by any staff member or booster

Prohibited Actions of Boosters:

• Use the name or picture of a student-athlete to directly or indirectly advertise, recommend or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service
• Provide extra benefits to a student-athlete or their family
• Provide free or reduced rate housing for a student-athlete or family
• Student-athletes are especially not allowed to house-sit for boosters
• Contact prospects or their families in any way (in-person, by phone, or in writing)
• This includes e-mail, message boards, or any messenger service
• Provide PSAs or their family and friends with any extra benefits
• Send any materials to prospects, including newspapers, media guides, posters, programs, e-mails, etc.
• Contact a PSA’s school in order to evaluate a prospect.

Additional Information:

• Only coaches and athletic department staff members can be involved in the recruiting process off campus and representatives of SVSU’s athletic interests are prohibited from recruiting a prospective student-athlete
• A contact is defined as any face-to-face encounter between a PSA or the prospect’s parent or legal guardians and a SVSU staff member or athletics representative during which time any dialogue in excess of an exchange of a greeting occurs
• In general, all representatives of SVSU athletics interest who are not employed by SVSU are prohibited from contacting a PSA or the PSA’s family off campus in order to encourage the PSA to participate in intercollegiate athletics at Saginaw Valley State University