This article first appeared in the September, 1990 issue of
"FACEOFF", the newsletter of the Cornell Hockey Boosters
Association.
 
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For this month's feature, we have asked Betsy East, Cornell's
Associate Director of Athletics, to outline the activities that
Boosters are permitted to engage in under the guidelines of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association. The following summary
of rules contained in the 1990-91 NCAA Manual is presented in
a question-and-answer format, with discussion of typical
situations that may arise in the relationship between Boosters
and the student-athletes on Cornell's teams.
 
Members of booster support groups, like the Cornell Hockey
Boosters Association, fall under the category of "athletic
representative" as defined by the NCAA. An individual becomes
an athletic representative when a member of Cornell
University's executive or athletic administration has knowledge
that the individual has participated in or is a member of any of
the various athletic booster support groups. This includes
individuals that have made financial contributions to the
athletic department or athletic booster support organizations.
Additionally, any individual who has been requested by an
athletic department staff member to assist in the recruitment of
prospective student-athletes is considered an athletic
representative.
 
Once an individual has been identified as an athletic
representative, he or she retains this identity forever. Under
NCAA regulations, Cornell University is responsible for the acts
of athletic representatives and booster support groups, which
are governed by the same NCAA and University rules and
regulations as those placed upon all institutional athletic staff
members.
 
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to provide to a
student-athlete or friend any benefit or special arrangement?
A: No. The NCAA considers special arrangements as an "extra
benefit" and specifically prohibits them. "Extra benefits" include,
but are not limited to: special discounts, payment arrangements
or credits on purchases (e.g., airline tickets, clothing) or services
(e.g., laundry, dry cleaning, tailoring); a loan of money in any
amount; a guarantee of bond; the use of an automobile; the
purchase of meals or services at commercial establishments;
transportation to or from a summer job; a benefit connected
with off-campus housing (such as individual television sets or
stereo equipment, specialized recreational facilities, room
furnishings or appointments of extra quality or quantity);
signing or co-signing a note with an outside agency to arrange a
loan; selling or giving a student-athlete tickets to an athletic,
university or town event; the use of personal properties, like
boats, summer homes, cars or stereos; providing Christmas or
birthday gifts.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to pay or
provide the actual and necessary expenses (room, board and
transportation costs) incurred by friends or relatives to visit an
enrolled student-athlete?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to provide or
pay for typing costs associated with school projects or reports?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to purchase
and provide enrolled student-athletes or their friends tickets to
athletic events or University concerts?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to buy an
enrolled student-athlete's complimentary tickets for an athletic
event?
A: No. THIS WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE STUDENT-ATHLETE'S
ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to purchase
tickets to professional sports contests and provide them to
enrolled student-athletes?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative who owns a
commercial agency (e.g., movie theater, hotel, restaurant, car
dealership, etc.) to provide free or reduced-cost rates?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to provide any
payment of expenses or the loan of an automobile for a student
athlete to return home or travel to any other location for any
personal reason? To receive an award?
A: No. No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to provide
enrolled student-athletes with professional services, for which a
fee would normally be charged, for a reduced or no charge?
A: No. Professional services provided at less than normal rates,
or at no expense to a student-athlete, are considered an extra
benefit and are prohibited by NCAA regulations.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to provide
summer employment for student-athletes?
A: Yes; however, compensation must be paid only for work
actually performed and at a rate commensurate with the going
rate in that locality for services of like character.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to expend
funds to entertain student-athletes and friends?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to permit the
use of and pay for long-distance telephone calls?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to provide
gifts or awards to a student-athlete for his or her athletic
performance?
A: No. All awards must conform with NCAA awards legislation
and must be approved by Cornell University.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to employ or
use the name or picture of an enrolled student-athlete to
directly advertise, recommend or promote the sales or use of a
commercial product or service of any kind?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to provide an
honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement?
A: No. Student-athletes may only receive necessary travel
expenses when speaking to educational or charitable groups. All
speaking engagements must be approved in advance by Cornell
University.