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2024-2025 Rules Education

Compliance

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Compliance Office

  • Tayler Harrell – Senior Associate Athletic Director/Compliance

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  • Cami Carrera – Director of Compliance

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  • Fadia Rouhana – Director of Compliance – Athletics Aid

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Financial Aid

Athletic Scholarships

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Athletic Scholarship

  • Financial assistance other than from those you are legally dependent must be reported to Fadia
    • Examples may include, but are not limited to:
      • Community scholarships
      • High school scholarships
      • Any other form of grants or scholarships that are not part of UTEP
  • All funding is subject to Cost of Attendance limitations and failure to report other grants/scholarships could affect your eligibility!

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Athletic Scholarship

  • All athletic scholarships are one-year agreements that obligate the athletic department to provide you any portion of or up to full tuition, fees, room, board, books, and other expenses related to the cost of attendance at UTEP

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Athletic Scholarship

  • If your athletic scholarship is reduced, canceled, or not renewed, you will receive formal notification from the Office of Student Aid explaining the opportunity of a hearing
    • All hearings are administered by a committee outside the Athletics Department.
  • This committee will see both sides and make a FINAL decision

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Complimentary Admissions

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Complimentary Admissions (for ticketed sports)

  • Student-athletes may receive up to 4 complimentary admissions for home games
    • Away game allotments are at the discretion of the host institution – your coaches will communicate such if available.
  • Student-athletes may receive up to 6 complimentary admissions for postseason
  • Request complimentary admissions in Spry
    • Make sure you include the cell phone number and/or email for your guests
      • Cell phone number is preferred
      • Not YOUR cell or email
    • Tickets will be distributed digitally
    • You cannot sell your tickets
    • May share tickets with teammates; May NOT share tickets with managers or coaches
    • Window closes 24 hours in advance

https://support.spry.so/hc/en-us/articles/30972049850779-Request-or-Transfer-Comp-Tickets

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Athletically Related Activities

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Countable Athletically Related Activities (CARA)

  • Required activity with an athletics purpose
  • Directed or supervised by coaching staff (including strength coaches)
  • CARA Includes:

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    • Any activity on the playing surface
    • Chalk talk
    • Setting up offensive and defensive alignment
    • Strategy related to the sport
    • Using equipment related to the sport
    • Review of film

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    • Required strength and conditioning
    • Required participation in camps
    • Individual workouts
    • Practice or skill instruction
    • Competition

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Countable Athletically Related Activities (CARA)

  • In Season
    • Maximum of 20 hours a week
    • Maximum of 4 hours a day
    • 1 day off per week is required
    • During a vacation period – unlimited hours, 1 day off per week
  • Out of Season
    • Maximum of 8 hours a week
    • Maximum of 4 hours a week of skill instruction
    • 2 days off per week is required
  • Must have continuous 8-hours off between 9:00 PM-5:00 AM
    • If a practice or meeting ends at 9:30 PM, no activities until at least 5:30 AM the next day

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Football – Countable Athletically Related Activities (CARA)

  • In Season
    • Maximum of 20 hours per week, no more than 4 hours per day
    • 1 day off per week is required
    • During a vacation period – unlimited hours, 1 day off per week
    • Spring Practice
      • 34-day period may include up to 15 practice sessions
      • 20 hours per week, no more than 4 hours per day
  • Out of Season
    • January 1-start of preseason practice (late July) –
      • 8 weeks of discretionary time (voluntary workouts only)
    • During non-discretionary weeks –
      • Maximum of 8 hours per week
      • Not more than 2 hours of film/walk throughs
  • Must have continuous 8-hours off between 9:00 PM-5:00 AM
    • If a practice or meeting ends at 9:30 PM, no activities until at least 5:30 AM the next day

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Required Athletically Related Activities (RARA)

  • Other activities required of student-athletes because of your participation in college athletics – not countable in weekly hours
  • Cannot occur on a day off (except academic/health/medical activities)
  • Examples:
    • Compliance meetings
    • Team promotional activities
    • Recruiting activities (student-host duties)
    • Media activities
    • Fundraising events
    • Travel to and from away-from-home competition

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Voluntary Athletically Related Activities (VARA)

  • All 4 must be satisfied:
    • No Requirement
      • Activity must be initiated by student-athlete
      • Not required by institution/coaches
    • No Reporting
      • Cannot be required to be reported back to coach or other athletics staff
    • No Recording
      • Attendance or participation cannot be recorded for purpose of reporting back to coaches/staff
      • You can voluntarily inform your coach what you have been working on in your spare time
    • No Repercussions
      • No penalty or recognition for participation
  • If your coach is present, it must fit within your weekly hours!
    • Some sports do have a safety exception where coaches can be present- your coach can not require you to be there or count it against you if you are not there.
      • Track and field- hurdles, steeple chase, jumps, throws
      • Rifle

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Outside Competition

  • You must complete the appropriate form prior to competing in an event while not representing UTEP
    • This form will be on SPRY

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  • If you participate during the academic year as a member of an outside team in any non-collegiate, amateur competition (e.g., Rec League, YMCA, Club), you may be ruled ineligible

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Student-Athlete Recruiting Activities

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Student Hosting

  • You are a representative of your program, the athletic department, and the university
  • Communicate with your coaches
  • You are responsible for the recruit
  • All entertainment must be within a 30-mile radius of UTEP’s campus
  • Student host money is for entertainment purposes only ($60 per person)
  • You must use your own vehicle for transportation purposes
    • You cannot borrow a staff member’s vehicle
  • Do not arrange or allow for boosters to interact with recruits
    • You may introduce the recruit to a former student-athlete while on campus
  • Do not take recruits to casinos, nightclubs, or other adult entertainment establishments
  • NO drugs, alcohol, or hazing will be tolerated
  • You may not be required to serve as a student host on your required day(s) off

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Other Recruiting Activities

  • Off-campus Contacts
    • Off-campus, in-person contact with PSAs is permissible, provided it is not at the direction of coaches/staff members
  • Written Correspondence
    • Written correspondence with a PSA is permissible, provided it is not at the direction of coaches/staff members
  • Social Media
    • Contact with PSA via social media is permissible, as long as it is not at the direction of coaches/staff members
  • Transportation and Expenses
    • Coaches/staff members may not provide a student-athlete transportation or expenses to recruit a PSA

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Benefits

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Extra Benefits

  • Any special arrangement by a UTEP employee or a booster to provide you or your relatives or friends with a benefit not authorized by NCAA legislation

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  • It is permissible to accept something that is available to the general public or general student body and has nothing to do with athletic ability or your status as a student-athlete

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  • Ask your coach or a member of the compliance office before you accept anything from anyone who is not related to you!

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Examples

  • Free/Discounted tattoos
  • Free hair cuts
  • Money, loans, bonds, or co-signing of loans
  • Free transportation (use of a car, airline tickets, bus tickets, etc.)
  • Free storage
  • Free/discounted merchandise (clothes, video games, etc.)
  • Free meals
  • Free entertainment (sporting events, movies, concerts, etc.)
  • Free use of a credit card, calling card, etc.
  • Free use of the athletic department copy machine, fax, mail, etc.
  • Relatives and friends receiving expenses from UTEP (staying in SA’s hotel room during road games, meals, etc.)
  • Note:
    • If you, your relatives, or friends accept an extra benefit due to your athletic status it is an NCAA violation and your eligibility for intercollegiate competition will be in jeopardy

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Awards

  • You may receive certain awards during your time as a UTEP student-athlete

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  • Awards received as part of your participation MAY NOT be sold, exchanged, or assigned for another item of value even if your name or picture does not appear on the award
    • Bowl gifts, C-USA tournament gifts, NCAA tournament gifts, letterman awards, gear, apparel, etc.

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Outside Jobs

  • You may be employed provided the employment meets these guidelines:
    • You are compensated only for work actually performed; and
    • Compensation is consistent with the going rate for similar services

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  • If you have a job, you need to fill out the Student-Athlete Employment Form with Compliance

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Private Lessons

  • A student-athlete may receive compensation for teaching or coaching sport skills or techniques in his or her sport on a fee-for-lesson basis, provided:
    • Institutional facilities are not used;
    • The compensation is paid by the lesson recipient (or the recipient’s family member) and not another individual or entity;
    • A Fee For Lesson Approval Form must be on file with Compliance

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Name, Image & Likeness

  • Per Texas state law and NCAA rules, student-athletes may utilize their name, image, & likeness for the purposes of self-employment & endorsements of commercial products and services
    • International student-athletes should check with Office of International Programs (OIP) before engaging in any NIL activities
  • Per Texas state law, before entering into any agreement, you must disclose the terms of any contract for your NIL activities
    • This is done through INFLCR using the “Exchange” button at the bottom of the main screen
  • You may enter into an agreement with an agent or advisor to represent your personal/marketing brand and NIL activities (NOT your athletics abilities)

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Name, Image & Likeness

  • You may not enter into an agreement for the use of your NIL if:
    • A provision of the contract violates team rules, any of UTEP’s institutional contracts, or UTEP or athletic department policies or procedures;
    • The duration of the contract extends beyond your eligibility for participation in intercollegiate athletics (5-year clock);
    • The compensation is provided in exchange for your enrollment at UTEP;
    • Use of any UTEP property or intellectual property is part of the endorsement;
    • If the product endorsed relates to alcohol, tobacco, e-cigs, anabolic steroids, sports wagering, casino gambling, firearms you could not legally purchase, or sexually oriented businesses

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Amateurism/Eligibility

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Eligibility Clock

  • Generally, student-athletes have five (5) years to complete four (4) seasons of competition
    • A minimum amount of competition = a season used
      • Ex: one at-bat, one free throw, subbing in and right back out, etc.
    • Football – may play in 4 or less games without using a season
  • If minimum amount of competition has resulted in a season used
    • Medical Redshirt waiver must be filed at end of season to get year back
      • Must include medical documents, note from doctor that states injury was season ending, Athletic training logs, ect.
      • Reminder: No NCAA waiver is a “ for sure thing” we cannot promise or ensure the results of a waiver. If you are planning on transferring we will not file the waiver that will be up to the school you transfer to.
  • If you are unsure of how many seasons you have remaining – please reach out to Compliance!

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Amateurism

  • You are not eligible for participation in a collegiate sport if you have ever:
    • Taken pay, or the promise of pay, for competing in your sport
    • Agreed (orally or in writing) to compete in professional athletics in your sport
    • Played on any professional athletics team as defined by the NCAA in your sport
    • Used your athletics skill for pay in any form in your sport

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  • You are not eligible in any sport if, because of your athletics ability, you were paid for work you did not perform

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Athlete Agents

  • You may not enter into a written or oral agreement with an athlete agent to represent your athletics abilities
  • If you (or your family) accept anything from an athlete agent you will render yourself ineligible
    • This can include former student-athletes (e.g., offseason training)
  • All Athlete Agents must be certified by the appropriate players association (e.g., NFLPA, NBPA) and registered with the state of Texas
  • If you are contacted by an Athlete Agent, you must report this activity to the Compliance Office

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Ethical Conduct

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Unethical Conduct (Bylaw 10.1)

NCAA unethical conduct provisions apply to all student-athletes, coaches, and institutional staff members who perform any work for the institution or the athletics department.

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Unethical conduct may include, but is not limited to:

  • Refusal to furnish information relevant to an investigation of a possible violation of an NCAA regulation when requested to do so by NCAA or institution;
  • Knowing involvement in offering or providing a PSA or current student-athlete an improper inducement, extra benefit, or improper financial aid;
  • Knowingly providing false or misleading information concerning the individual’s involvement in or knowledge of matters relevant to a possible violation of an NCAA Regulation;

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Sports Wagering

  • Definition of Sports Wagering: Risk + Reward
    • Putting something at risk with the opportunity to win something in return
      • Ex: Fantasy Football/Draft Kings/Fan Duel
  • Impermissible:
    • To wager on any sport the NCAA hosts a championship in, even if UTEP does not sponsor that sport
    • To be involved in point shaving or other activities designed to influence the outcome or win-loss margin of a game
    • To solicit or accept a bet or participate in any gambling activity involving wagering on your institution
  • This will negatively affect your remaining eligibility!

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CUSA Sportsmanship

  • Student-athletes, coaches, and staff shall conduct themselves in an appropriate manner in connection with all NCAA events in which they participate

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  • Student-athletes shall conduct themselves positively and represent their institutions in a manner that exhibits the principles of sportsmanship

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  • Student-athletes shall exhibit respect and courtesy towards all participants

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  • Student-athletes shall only comment on other institutions, coaches, and student-athletes in a positive manner

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Transfers

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Entering the Transfer Portal

  • Student-athletes who wish to transfer must contact Compliance to fill out an “Intent to Transfer” form on SPRY
  • Must also complete the Transfer Portal Module
    • http://d1transfer.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/
      • At the end of the module Student-Athlete must fill out the acknowledgment that they completed the Module before being entered into the Portal.
  • When Compliance receives the completed form, the student-athlete will be placed in the Transfer Portal (pending your sport’s applicable window)
  • Student-athletes who provide notification of transfer may have their scholarship or cost of attendance reduced at the end of the semester in which they provide notification of transfer

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Entering the Transfer Portal

  • Transfer Portal Windows: 2024-2025 Transfer Window Dates
    • Fall Sports – 30-day window beginning the day after championship selections are made; May 1-15
      • Football – 20 days in December; 10 days in April
    • Winter Sports – 30-day window beginning the day after championship selections are made
    • Spring Sports – December 1-15; 30-day window beginning the day after championship selections are made
  • Must leave academically eligible in order to be eligible to compete immediately at the next school
  • Cannot communicate with other NCAA schools until you are officially entered into the portal
  • Please obtain all medical documentation from the training room before you leave campus if you are looking for a waiver at your next school.
    • Makes the process easier for you in the future.

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Questions?��Contact the Compliance Office in the Brumbelow Building