NCAA Compliance

DONOR AGREEMENT
Donors agree to adhere to and abide by rules and regulations concerning intercollegiate athletics as determined by the NCAA, American Athletic Conference and East Carolina University. Should questions arise concerning the various rules and regulations, donors acknowledge they should contact the ECU Athletic Compliance Office at (252) 737-1522.

Donors agree that should they be found by the NCAA or the University to have violated, knowingly or without regard for the same, rules or regulations, they may be disassociated from the University athletics program and its activities. Donors can be expelled as a member of the ECU Education Foundation (Pirate Club) and will forfeit all benefits and privileges (including the right to receive priority season tickets and parking privileges) until the end of the periods of disassociation and subsequent reinstatement by the ECU Educational Foundation (Pirate Club).

WHO IS A BOOSTER?
A representative of the institution’s athletics interest, or booster, is any person, agency, business or other organization that is known (or should have been known) by a member of East Carolina’s (ECU) executive or athletics administration to:
a) Have ever been a member of or participated in the activities of any organization promoting ECU Athletics (e.g., Friends of Baseball, Letterwinners Club, etc.);
b) Have ever made financial contributions to ECU Athletics or to a booster organization of ECU Athletics (i.e., Pirate Club);
c) Have ever assisted or been requested (by an athletics department staff member) to assist in the recruitment of prospects;
d) Have ever assisted or been requested to assist in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families (e.g., providing an occasional meal); or
e) Have ever been involved otherwise in promoting ECU Athletics.

Once a person, agency, business or other organization is identified as a “representative of athletics interests,” that person/entity retains that identify for life.

WHO IS A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE OR PROSPECT?
Any individual who has started taking classes for the ninth grade.

IMPORTANT NCAA REGULATIONS

It is vitally important that you are aware of NCAA regulations that pertain to your role as an athletic donor. Please read the following general rules carefully. If at any time you have a question about NCAA regulations, please contact Jamie Johnson, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, at johnsonja@ecu.edu, or speak with a Pirate Club staff liaison before you act. There are several principles which are used by the NCAA to guide athletic representatives/boosters/donors:

» RULE 13.1.2.1 states that donors are prohibited from making in-person, on- or off-campus recruiting contacts, or written or telephone contacts with a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardians.

» RULE 13.2.1 states that a donor shall not be involved, directly or indirectly, in making arrangements for or giving or offering any financial aid or other benefits to the prospect or his parents, guardians or friends.

» RULE 16.11.2 states that enrolled student-athletes shall not receive any extra benefit. The term “extra benefit” refers to any special arrangement by an institutional employee or representative of the institution’s athletic interest (donors) to provide the student-athlete or his/her relatives or friends with a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.

Examples of common violations that might occur include: special discounts, credit, use of telephone or credit card, loans, use of an automobile and signing or co-signing a note.

In general, any violation of rules regarding providing transportation, entertainment, meals, or anything else of material value to a student-athlete could affect the eligibility of the young man or woman, and may result in our athletic department being penalized by the NCAA. WE REQUEST THAT YOU DO NOT MAKE ANY RECRUITING CONTACT WITH A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE AT ANYTIME.

BOOSTERS AND RECRUITING PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES

Although recruitment of prospects is reserved for authorized university staff members only:

You May...
- Forward information (e.g., via newspaper clippings, internet postings, telephone calls to coaching staff members, etc.) about a prospect to ECU coaching staff members.
- View a prospect’s athletic contest on your own initiative provided there is a clear understanding that contact with any participating PSA’s, their parents/legal guardians, high school coach, guidance counselor, etc. cannot be made.
- Continue established relationships with friends and neighbors, even if their child (ren) is of prospect age. In addition, such contact may not be made for a recruiting purpose or at the direction or encouragement of ECU’s staff members or coaches.

But please, DO NOT...
- Write, email, text, telephone or “friend” (i.e., social networking sites) in an effort to recruit him or her to ECU.
- Directly or indirectly make any arrangement for a prospect to receive cash, financial aid of any kind or loans of any kind (including signing or cosigning for a loan).
- Make contact with a prospect when he or she is on ECU’s campus for an official or unofficial visit.
- Provide a prospect with any cost-free or discounted gifts or services, including tickets to ECU home or away contests and payment of camp registration fees.
- Provide anything to a prospect without obtaining prior approval from the Office of Compliance.
- Offer, provide or arrange financial assistance to pay any costs or expenses for a PSA or his/her family. This includes expenses related to the prospect’s education.

BOOSTERS AND CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETES

You May...
- Provide a pre-approved occasional meal at your home for a student-athlete or team, but not for their families or friends.
- Provide local transportation to a student-athlete for the occasional meal at your home.
- Employ a student-athlete during the academic year or summer. The student-athlete must be paid at the going rate and only for work actually performed.
- Donate tickets to ECU for a professional sports contest for the entertainment of student-athletes involved in an away-from-home athletics contest. ECU must disseminate the tickets to the student-athletes.
- Endow an athletic scholarship or athletics award through the university’s regular procedures.

But Please, DO NOT…
- Provide a current student-athlete, their parents or friends with a benefit or special arrangement without prior approval from the Office of Compliance.
- Provide, cosign or arrange a loan for a student-athlete, the student-athlete’s parents, relatives or friends – no matter the amount.
- Pay for, arrange for payment of or provide cost-free room, board or transportation for a student-athlete or their family and friends.
- Provide or arrange for the provision of gifts or free or reduced-cost services of any kind (e.g., restaurant meals, summer storage space, use of laundry facilities, retail discounts, etc.).
- Entertain student-athletes or their families (except as permitted above regarding the occasional meal to a student-athlete).
- Provide awards to student-athletes which are not approved by ECU Athletics or not provided through the university. All awards provided to student-athletes must meet NCAA guidelines.

There are many avenues to support your favorite ECU team or student-athlete while playing by the rules!

Our student-athletes are able to receive more benefits from the university than ever before. However, it is important to note that these benefits must be provided through the university. These benefits come not only from your contributions, but also through additional funding provided by the NCAA to assist all student-athletes and/or financially needy student-athletes in many aspects of their academic and personal lives.