PROPOSAL NO. 2005-54 – ELIGIBILITY -- GRADUATE STUDENT OR POSTBACCALAUREATE PARTICIPATION -- TRANSFER ELIGIBILITY

Status: Membership Vote at Convention  


Intent: To permit a student-athlete who is enrolled in a specific graduate degree program of an institution other than the institution from which he or she previously received a baccalaureate degree to participate in intercollegiate athletics, regardless of any previous transfer.


Bylaws: Amend 14.1.9, page 140, as follows:

"14.1.9 Graduate Student/Postbaccalaureate Participation. A student-athlete who is enrolled in a graduate or professional school of the same institution from which he or she previously received a baccalaureate degree, a student-athlete who is enrolled and seeking a second baccalaureate or equivalent degree at the same institution or a student-athlete who has graduated and is continuing as a full-time student at the same institution while taking course work that would lead to the equivalent of another major or degree as defined and documented by the institution, may participate in intercollegiate athletics, provided the student has eligibility remaining and such participation occurs within the applicable five-year period set forth in Bylaw 14.2 (see also Bylaw 14.1.8.2.1.4).

"14.1.9.1 One-Time Transfer Exception. A graduate student who is enrolled in a graduate or professional school of an institution other than the institution from which he or she previously received a baccalaureate degree may participate in intercollegiate athletics if the student fulfills the conditions of the one-time transfer exception set forth in Bylaw 14.5.5.2.10 and has eligibility remaining per Bylaw 14.2. Graduate Student in Specific Degree Program Transfer Exception.  A graduate student-athlete who is enrolled in a specific degree program in a graduate or professional school of an institution other than the institution from which he or she previously received a baccalaureate degree may participate in intercollegiate athletics, provided the student-athlete has eligibility remaining and such participation occurs within the applicable five-year period set forth in Bylaw 14.2 (see also Bylaw 14.1.8.2.1.4)."

 [14.1.9.2 and 14.1.9.3 unchanged.]

Source: NCAA Division I Board of Directors [Management Council (Academics/Eligibility/ Compliance Cabinet) (Subcommittee on Continuing Eligibility) (Ad Hoc Group to Study the One-Time Transfer Exception)].


Effective Date: Immediate


Proposal Category: Amendment


Topical Area: Eligibility


Rationale: This proposal would allow a student-athlete to enroll in a specific graduate degree program at an institution other than the one from which he or she earned a four-year degree and be immediately eligible for intercollegiate competition, provided the graduate student has remaining eligibility. A student-athlete who earned his or her undergraduate degree has achieved the primary goal of graduation and should be permitted to choose a graduate school that meets both his or her academic and athletics interests, regardless of his or her previous transfer history.


Estimated Budget Impact: None.


Impact on Student Athlete's Time: None.


Position Statement(s)

 Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet: The cabinet unanimously supports Proposal No. 2005-54. In the spirit of student-athlete well-being, student-athletes that complete their degrees and have eligibility remaining should be able to transfer and enroll in the graduate program of their choice without NCAA transfer restrictions.


Primary Contact Person:

  na


History

Jun 03, 2005

Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet, Recommends Approval

Jun 24, 2005

Submit; Submitted for consideration.

Sep 09, 2005

Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet; See position statement.

Jan 08, 2006

Mgmt Council 1st Review, Approved - (Yea=37, Nay=14, Abstain=0, Not Present=0)

Jan 08, 2006

Mgmt Council 1st Review, Approved; Amended to specify that the student-athlete must be enrolled in a specific graduate degree program. - (Yea=45, Nay=6, Abstain=0, Not Present=0)

Jan 09, 2006

Board Consideration; Deferred Action until April 2006.

Apr 27, 2006

Board Consideration, Adopted - (Yea=13, Nay=4, Abstain=0, Not Present=1)

Apr 27, 2006

Adopted, Override Period; Start of Override Period

Jun 26, 2006

Adopted, Override Period; End of Override Period; (Number of Override Request = 46)

Jun 27, 2006

Board Review; Based on the number of override requests received, the Board of Directors will review its action on the proposal at its August 2006 meeting.

Aug 03, 2006

Board Review; Upheld adoption. Override vote by Division I membership will occur during the Division I business session scheduled for Saturday, January 6 at the 2007 NCAA Convention.

 


FINDINGS OF THE GRADUATE STUDENT TRANSFER SURVEY

 

Executive Summary of Findings:

 

Approximately 25 student-athletes in the 2006-07 academic year benefited from Proposal 2005-54.  This represents less than one percent of all graduates with remaining athletics eligibility who continued to participate in athletics at an institution other than from where they graduated.

 

Overview:

 

In April 2006, the Division I Board of Directors adopted Proposal No. 2005-54, which created an exception to the transfer year-in-residence rule and allows a student-athlete who has graduated with his or her undergraduate degree to transfer to another institution and be immediately eligible for financial aid, practice and competition, regardless of previous transfer history, provided they have been accepted to a specific graduate program at the second institution.

 

During the override period, the required number of member institutions requested an override and the legislation will be voted on by the membership at the 2007 NCAA Convention.  In preparation for the upcoming override vote and to help inform future decisions related to this legislation, the following information has been prepared regarding the use of the newly adopted exception during the 2006-07 academic year.

 

The NCAA research staff conducted a survey of the Division I membership via an online survey sent to compliance coordinators at all Division I institutions and follow-up phone calls to non-respondents.

 

Summary of Findings:

 

A total of 301 institutions responded to the survey (92% of the total Division I membership).

 

In response to the question, “Does your institution have incoming transfer student-athletes in any sport entering a graduate program who will be competing in 2006-07?”, 84 institutions (27.9%) indicated “Yes”:

 

 

Total

Percent

No

217

72.1%

Yes

84

27.9%

Total

301

 

 

The 84 institutions with graduate transfer student-athletes reported a total of 112 graduate transfer student-athletes. Twenty-five (22.2%) of those transfers compete in one of the four sports not eligible for the one-time transfer exception: men’s and women’s basketball, Football Bowl Subdivision football, and men’s ice hockey.  Student-athletes in these sports are those most significantly impacted by the proposal.  The remaining 87 (77.8%) student-athletes participate in sports which are eligible for the one-time transfer exception if they meet the specified conditions; however, it is not known how many were certified for the 2006-07 academic year using the one-time transfer exception.

 

Total Number of Graduate Transfer Student-Athletes by Sport

Sport

Number of Student-Athletes reported

Percent of Total

Baseball

5

4.5%

Men’s Basketball

8

7.1%

Women’s Basketball

1

0.8%

Football

16*

14.3%

Men’s Ice Hockey

0

0.0%

Men’s Other Total

44

39.3%

Women’s Other Total

38

33.9%

Total

112

 

 

*Note:  Some football student-athletes would have been eligible to use the one-time transfer exception, so this is a high estimate of the number of students impacted by the new rule.

 

According to data from the 2004-05 APR submission, 94,445 student-athletes received athletics aid or were recruited for a NCAA Division I championship sport team (were in the APR cohort) in the 2004-05 academic year.  It was reported that 14,457 of these student-athletes (15.3% of the total) graduated during the 2004-05 year and that 4,830 (33.4% of all graduates) graduated with remaining eligibility.  Based on this information, approximately two percent of graduates with remaining eligibility continued their participation at an institution different from where they graduated.

 

 

 

 


PROPOSAL NO. 2005-128 – PLAYING AND PRACTICE SEASONS -- NUMBER OF CONTESTS -- FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION

Status: Membership Vote at Convention  


Intent: In championship subdivision football, to permit an institution to compete annually in 12 regular-season contests.


Bylaws: Amend 17.11.5.1, as follows:

[Federated provision, FCS only]

"17.11.5.1 Maximum Limitations -- Institutional.  In bowl subdivision football, a member institution shall limit its total regular-season playing schedule with outside competition during the permissible football playing season in any one year to 12 contests (games or scrimmages), except as provided for member institutions located in Alaska and Hawaii, under Bylaw 17.30.2, and except as provided for all members under Bylaw 17.11.5.2.  In championship subdivision football, a member institution shall limit its total regular-season playing schedule with outside competition during the permissible football playing season in any one year to 11 contests (games or scrimmages), except as provided for member institutions located in Alaska and Hawaii, under Bylaw 17.30.2, and except as provided for all members under Bylaw 17.11.5.2.  Twelve football contests shall be permissible during those years in which there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date through the last playing date in November (2008, 2013, 2014 and 2019).

[17.11.5.1.1 unchanged.]

"17.11.5.1.2 Maximum Limitations -- Student-Athlete.  In bowl subdivision football, an individual student-athlete may participate in each academic year in not more than 12 football contests.  In championship subdivision football, an individual student-athlete may participate in each academic year in not more than 11 football contests, except that 12 football contests shall be permissible during those years in which there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date through the last playing date in November (2008, 2013, 2014 and 2019).  This limitation includes those contests in which the student-athlete represents the institution in accordance with Bylaw 17.02.8, including competition as a member of the varsity, junior varsity or freshman team of the institution."

Source: NCAA Division I Management Council [Championships/Competition Cabinet (Football Issues Committee) (Ohio Valley Conference)].


Effective Date: August 1, 2007


Proposal Category: Amendment


Topical Area: Playing and Practice Seasons

Rationale: Currently, football championship subdivision institutions must limit their football regular-season playing schedule with outside competition to 11 contests some years and 12 contests in others, depending on the number of Saturdays between the first and last permissible playing dates. Permitting institutions to schedule 12 regular-season football games every year allows for greater consistency and provides additional competitive opportunities for football student-athletes. There would be no increase in the length of the regular playing season by adding permissible playing dates at either the start or the end of the current regular season. If an institution chooses to add a 12th game, the contest may be scheduled only on what otherwise would have been a "bye" date. Additionally, NCAA research regarding Division I football injury rates for seasons in which 12 football contests were permitted suggests that the rates in those seasons were in the same range as the rates in previous 11-game seasons.


Estimated Budget Impact: Varied with a potential positive impact on revenue generated.


Impact on Student Athlete's Time: None.

 

Position Statement(s)

 Championships/Competition Cabinet: Based on a recommendation from the Playing and Practice Seasons Subcommittee, the cabinet agreed to support the proposal as written.


Primary Contact Person:
  Lee Moses, Director of Institutional Services
  Ohio Valley Conference
  215 Centerview Drive
  Brentwood, TN 37027
  Phone: 615/371-1698   FAX: 615/371-1788   Email: lmoses@ovc.org


History

Jul 14, 2005

Submit; Submitted for consideration.

Jul 21, 2005

Football Issues Committee, Recommends Approval; See position statement.

Sep 21, 2005

Championships/Competition Cabinet, Recommends Approval; See position statement.

Oct 13, 2005

; Sponsor modified effective date from August 1, 2007 to August 1, 2006.

Jan 08, 2006

Mgmt Council 1st Review, Approved - (Yea=6, Nay=5, Abstain=1, Not Present=1)

Jan 09, 2006

Comment Period; Start of Comment Period

Mar 12, 2006

Comment Period; End of Comment Period; (Official Comment Totals: Support = 1, Oppose = 2, Abstain = 0)

Apr 10, 2006

Mgmt Council 2nd Review, Approved - (Yea=8, Nay=4, Abstain=0, Not Present=0)

Apr 27, 2006

Board Consideration, Defeated - (Yea=0, Nay=3, Abstain=0, Not Present=1)

Apr 27, 2006

Defeated, Override Period; Start of Override Period

Jun 26, 2006

Defeated, Override Period; End of Override Period; (Number of Override Request = 32)

Jun 27, 2006

; Based on the number of override requests received, the Board of Directors will review its action on the proposal at its August 2006 meeting.

Aug 03, 2006

Board Review; Deferred consideration of the override request until October 2006.

Oct 26, 2006

Board Review; Upheld defeat. Override vote by the football championship subdivision membership will occur during the Division I business session scheduled for Saturday, January 6 at the 2007 NCAA Convention.