ncaa changes to summer

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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

A New Model For The Summer? Definitely
. . .Probably. . . Maybe--(Apr. 11, 2000)

Yesterday, the NCAA issued a press release announcing that the Division I Management Council (which is a group of college administrators) had voted to recommend to the NCAA Board of Directors new rules concerning the summer evaluation period.

In a nutshell, here's what the Council recommended concerning the "summer evaluation" period:

1. Any drastic overhaul of the current system won't occur until the summer of 2002, which means that the first class of recruits who will be affected by the change will be the current crop of freshmen (remember, the class of 2002, the current sophs, will all have graduated).

2. Starting next summer (i.e., 2001), the Council recommended that the summer evaluation period be reduced from it's current 24 days to just 14 days.

3. Also starting in 2001, the Council recommended increasing the number of evaluation days during the academic year from 40 to 70.

4. The Council took no action to change the recruiting calendar for the 2000 summer open evaluation.

According to the press release, the Council approved a proposal which calls for replacement of the summer system, beginning in 2002, but stopped short of suggesting just excactly what the new system should look like. Apparently sensitive to the concerns of most small and mid-level college basketball programs (the ones that don't have huge recruiting budgets who will be the most affected by reducing the summer evaluation period) noted that "any new summer evaluation period will consider the interests of prospective student-athletes during the fall of their senior year in high school, the interests of first-year student-athletes if coaches are off-campus recruiting during the fall, and . . . balanced access to prospective student-athletes in basketball for all Division I schools."

The Council meets again today (April 11), in Indianapolis, and the vote on the summer is not considered final until the meeting adjourns. Whatever package is ultimately approved by the Council (and it's not likely it will be changed at today's meeting) will be forwarded to the Division I Board of Directors for consideration at its April 27 meeting, also in Indianapolis.

According to the press release, "The Council clearly does not favor eliminating all opportunities for coaches to evaluate prospects in the summer, but it has many of the same concerns about the summer recruiting environment that the Board of Directors and others have," said Ted Leland, athletics director at Stanford University and chair of the Management Council as he summarized discussion about various proposals to curtail summer recruiting opportunities. We combined a number of proposals to send a clear message that change is coming. The summer evaluation structure this year will be unchanged. Next summer, we'll reduce the evaluation period to 14 days, and by 2002, there will be a completely new structure in place," said Leland.

NCAA President Cedric W. Dempsey had announced in recent weeks that he endorsed proposals that eliminate the current summer evaluation period in men's basketball. "College presidents believe we need a strong statement for change," said Dempsey. "We can no longer support the present summer evaluation system. We must immediately begin to develop a system different from what we have now. It may have some of the same elements but it must be controlled differently and we must develop a more accountable system."

Of course, that same system is the one that the NABC and most coaches want to keep in place. But with books like "Sole Influence" and a number of schools and media-types beating the drums for "change" along with the NCAA's rather inconsistent and often-times ridiculous enforcement efforts concerning pre-jurisidiction amatuerism rules, there was little doubt that the NCAA Council would adopt some of the changes suggested last year by the "Basketball Issues Working Group" a smaller committee working group made up of administrators and several college coaches, which had been charged with examining some of the issues affecting recruiting and college basketball in general.

The proposal is not as sweeping as what had been talked about recently, and many observers believe it is just a stop-gap measure designed to placate the critics of the summer. Frank Burlison, in his column in the Orange County Register today (April 11) went so far as to say that nothing will change or come of this recommendation:

The NCAA Management Council believes it can alter the summer basketball "culture" (and it was a term NCAA president Cedric Dempsey used with his nose upturned during the Final Four weekend) for the better by banning its coaches from off-campus evaluation during the summer tournaments and camps?

My spin on the likelihood of that happening: Not a chance, ladies and gentlemen.

The camps and tournaments will continue to flourish, with or without NCAA coaches in attendance.

And the "non-high school coaches" and "street agents" (more terms that get tossed around by NCAA types like so many 25-cent tips at a Denny's) will still hold influence over many of the elite high school prospects in the country.

I'll believe the NCAA wants to put some teeth into its rhetoric once it bans recruiting contact between its coaches and anyone, but the athletes and their high school coaches and parents or legal guardians.

Wake me when that happens, OK?

Frank's view is one that's shared by many, including most observers familiar with the high school recruiting process. The camps and tournaments will still continue. Just look at the tournaments that occur during other dead periods (i.e., Spiece Run N Slam, Bob Gibbons' Tournament of Champions, Mats' Madness [formerly the adidas Hoops Summit]), and the number of quality camps that attract the best prospects in the country during other dead periods, like those college-sponsored "camps" where players come in to their favorite schools for a weekend, or other big-name camps like Eastern Invitaitonal or Five-Star, which have been holding tough and talent-filled sessions for 25 years or more during "dead" periods. . . .And if the coaches can't be there, the scouts and internet guys can. . . you want streaming video? Photos? Player evaluations? Gee, let's find a way to make the "culture" and those in it even more important to the coaches who do the recruiting. . . "Can't be there, Coach? No problem, we can be there for you. . . "

What is the NCAA thinking? Well, the "rationale" appended to the legislation approved yesterday (as amended), is interesting. Here it is:

Rationale: This proposal is part of a package of proposals designed to increase the importance of the scholastic environment and decrease the impact of nonscholastic external influences in the recruitment of prospective basketball student-athletes. The increased emphasis on the recruitment of basketball student-athletes during the summer evaluation period, unfortunately, has served to minimize the importance of the scholastic environment and the role of scholastic administrators (e.g., coach, principals) in the recruitment of basketball student-athletes. The result has been the increased impact of nonscholastic external influences in the recruiting process. Many of these individuals operate in a structure devoid of any accountability. In addition, many of these individuals have strong ties to apparel and equipment companies. These relationships only serve to heighten the perception that institutions with contractual commitments to such companies will receive unfair recruiting advantages, particularly as they relate to the highly skilled prospects.

The proposed changes in the men’s basketball recruiting calendar are designed to focus the recruitment of prospective men’s basketball student-athletes at the scholastic level by increasing the opportunities for coaches to contact and evaluate men's basketball prospects during the academic year and reducing the opportunities to observe men's basketball prospective student-athletes during the summer evaluation period. In addition, proposed changes to permit earlier limited contact of junior prospects should serve to decrease the impact of nonscholastic external influences in the recruitment process.

Unlike the proposal developed by the Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues, this proposal will better accomplish the goal of increasing the importance of the scholastic environment reducing the total amount of time (e.g., 24 consecutive days) that prospects spend on the road with their nonscholastic teams playing in front of collegiate coaches during the month of July. That time away from home for those prospects is highly stressful, and both emotionally and physically exhausting. This proposal reduces that time period to two period of just seven consecutive days, separated by a 10-day dead period. It will enable the coaches to have a break in the recruiting process with the assurance that all other coaches are not recruiting during the dead period.

Specifically, the Council approved yesterday the following legislative proposals (among others we won't be discussing), all of which were part of the 1999 Legislative package:

Proposal 99-128-B (as amended), which revises the Division I men's basketball recruiting calendar to replace the summer evaluation period and, among other changes, increases the number of evaluation days during the academic year from 40 to 70. Effective date: Aug. 1, 2001 (summer 2002).

Proposal 99-128-D (as amended), which revises the Division I men's basketball recruiting calendar to reduce the summer evaluation period from 24 to 14 structured days (10-day dead period surrounded by two seven-day evaluation periods) and increase evaluation days during the academic year from 40 to 50. Effective date: Aug. 1, 2000 (summer 2001). Also permits coaches to contact prospects for 18 days within a 30-day period beginning the Thursday after Labor Day and establishes a contact period beginning the Friday following the Division I Men's Basketball Championship through nine days following the initial spring signing date.

Proposal 132-B, which establishes a new Division I Basketball Issues Committee to ensure oversight of basketball with emphasis on recruiting, enhance the development and public perception of the sport and make recommendations on policy issues unrelated to legislative and playing rules changes. Effective date: Immediately.

There were other portions of Proposal 128, which were rendered moot, withdrawn or not moved (e.g., 128-A, 128-C, 128-E, 128-F and 128-G). These proposals will not move forward as a part of the Management Council package.

For those of you who are interested in reading the actual text of the portion of Proposal 128 which was approved (i.e., 128 B and 128 D) we've included them both below:

IN PROGRESS

99-128-B
RECRUITING CALENDAR – DIVISION I MEN'S BASKETBALL

New language is indicated by underlining in bold and blue.
Deleted language is indicated by ~~red italics with a strike-through~~

Intent: To revise the Division I men's basketball recruiting calendar as follows:

A.

Eliminate the summer evaluation period.

B.

Increase the number of evaluation days during the academic year evaluation period from 40 to 70.

C.

Permit coaching staff members to evaluate only basketball activities and events approved, sanctioned, sponsored or conducted by the applicable state high-school association, national federation of state high-school associations or national junior college athletic association (other than contests that are part of the prospect's normal high-school, preparatory school or two-year college season).

D.

Increase the time period for making contacts during the fall.

E.

Eliminate all contacts or evaluations following the conclusion of nonscholastic basketball events.

A. Bylaws: Amend 13.02.7, page 90, as follows:

"13.02.7 Evaluation Days—Division I Basketball and Softball. An evaluation day is defined as one coach engaged in the evaluation of any prospect on one day (12:01 a.m. to midnight); two coaches making evaluations on the same day shall use two evaluation days. The combined total of such days for all staff members shall not exceed 40 in the sport of women's basketball, 70 in the sport of men's basketball and 50 in the sport of softball."

B. Bylaws: Amend 13.1.9.4, page 99, as follows:

13.1.9.4 Evaluation Days—Division I Basketball. In Division I ~~men’s and~~ women’s basketball, each institution is limited to 40 evaluation days, per 13.02.7 during evaluation periods that occur during the academic year. In Division I men's basketball, each institution is limited to 70 evaluation days, per 13.02.7. In Division I men's basketball, institutional coaching staff members are restricted to evaluating only basketball activities that are part of a prospect's normal high-school, preparatory-school or two-year college season, and events that are approved, sanctioned, sponsored or conducted by the applicable state high-school association, National Federation of State High School Associations or the National Junior College Athletic Association."

C. Bylaws: Amend 13.1.8.2, page 98, as follows:

"13.1.8.2 Practice or Competition Site. Recruiting contact may not be made with a prospect prior to any athletics competition in which the prospect is a participant during the day or days of competition, even if the prospect is on an official or unofficial visit. In Divisions I and II, such contact includes the passing of notes to a prospect by a third party on behalf of an institutional staff member. In all divisions, such contact shall be governed by the following:

[13.1.8.2-(a) though 13.1.8.2-(d) unchanged.]

"(e)

In Division I men's basketball, contact shall not be made with a prospect at any basketball event that is not part of a prospect's normal high-school. preparatory-school or two-year-college season, or any event that is not approved, sanctioned, sponsored or conducted by the applicable state high-school association, National Federation of State High School Associations or the National Junior College Athletic Association."

D. Bylaws: Amend 13.13.5, page 122, as follows:

13.13.5 Division I Coaches’ Attendance at Basketball Events. In Division I men's basketball, institutional coaching staff members are restricted to attending events that are approved, sanctioned, sponsored or conducted by the applicable high-school associations, National Federation of State High School Associations or the National Junior College Athletic Association. In Division I women's basketball, A a member of an institution’s basketball coaching staff may attend noninstitutional nonorganized events (e.g., pick-up games), institutional basketball camps per Bylaw 13.13.1.1 and noninstitutional organized events (e.g., camps, leagues, tournaments and festivals) that are certified per Bylaw 30.16."

E. Bylaws: Amend 30.11.1, pages 403-404, as follows:

"30.11.1 Basketball, Division I Men’s. The following contact and evaluation periods shall apply to men’s basketball in Division I:

"~~(a)~~

~~August 1 through September 8:~~

~~Quiet Period~~

"(b a)

September 9 through ~~September 26~~ October 14:

Contact Period

"~~(c)~~

~~September 27 through the final date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent:~~

~~Quiet Period~~

"~~(1)~~

~~Monday through Thursday of the week that includes the initial date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent:~~

~~Dead Period~~

"(b)

October 15 through November 14:

Quiet Period

"(d c)

~~The day following the final date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent~~ November 15 through March 15 [except for (1) ~~and (2)~~ below]—~~Forty~~ seventy evaluation days per 13.02.7 selected at the discretion of the member institution and designated in writing in the office of the director of athletics; institutional staff members shall not visit a prospect’s educational institution on more than one day per week during this period [except for (1) below]:

Evaluation Period

"(1)

Those days beginning with ~~the day following the final date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent~~ November 15 through March15 not designated in (dc) above for evaluation purposes:

Quiet Period

"(e d)

March 16 through March 22:

Contact Period

"(f e)

March 23 through 8 a.m. on the first Wednesday following the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game [except for (1) below]:

Quiet Period

"(1)

Thursday prior to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game to Tuesday noon after the game:

Dead Period

"(g f)

The first Wednesday (8 a.m.) following the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game through seven days following the initial date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent [except for (1) below]:

Contact Period

"(1)

Monday through Thursday of the week that includes the initial date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent:

Dead Period

"(h g)

Eight days following the initial date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent through ~~May 31~~ September 8:

Quiet Period

"~~(i)~~

~~June 1 through July 7:~~

~~Quiet Period~~

"~~(j)~~

~~July 8 through July 31:~~

~~Evaluation Period~~

F. Bylaws: Amend 30.16, pages 410-411, as follows:

30.16 BASKETBALL EVENT CERTIFICATION – WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

In the sport of Division I women's basketball, Iin order for a basketball event (e.g., camp, league, tournament or festival) to be certified, a certification application form must be submitted each year to the NCAA national office three months prior to the start of the event. An event review form for each event also must be submitted to the NCAA national office not later than three months subsequent to the event sessions. The basketball event certification program is not applicable to noninstitutional organized events that are approved, sponsored or conducted by an applicable state, national or international governing body (e.g., intrastate and interstate high-school basketball games, state high-school all-star games, international competitions, U.S. Olympic Festival). The following criteria must be met by each event in order to be certified:

[30.16-(a) through 30.16-(g) unchanged.]

Source: Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference.

Effective Date: August 1, 2000.

Rationale: In an effort to address the numerous problems associated with the current state of summer basketball recruiting, this proposal calls for the both the elimination of the summer evaluation period and the elimination of recruitment at nonscholastic events in Division I men's basketball. By eliminating the summer evaluation period and establishing that no contact, evaluation or attendance may take place at a nonscholastic basketball event, this proposal will greatly reduce the nonscholastic influences in the recruitment of basketball prospects and increase the role of both high-school and two-year-college coaches and state high school and junior colleges associations. As a result, coaches will have increased opportunities to evaluate and contact prospects during the course of the academic year which is a setting that is more conducive to getting to know and evaluate prospective student-athletes absent outside influences.

In conjunction with this proposal, the National Letter of Intent Steering Committee will eliminate the early signing period in the sport of men's basketball. Accordingly, men's basketball will only have one signing period starting the third Wednesday in April and concluding on May 22. This signing period will be approximately the same length as the current late signing period in basketball, but will be pushed back approximately one week to allow for more time to contact prospects. This change in the signing period will eliminate the perceived importance of the summer evaluation period and should help alleviate some of the problems associated with prospects signing early.

IN PROGRESS

99-128-D
RECRUITING CALENDAR – DIVISION I MEN'S BASKETBALL

New language is indicated by underlining in bold and blue.
Deleted language is indicated by ~~red italics with a strike-through~~

Intent: To revise the Division I men's basketball recruiting calendar as follows:

A.
Permit men’s basketball coaches to contact prospective men’s basketball student-athletes for 18 days within a 30-day period beginning the Thursday after Labor Day.

B.
Establish a contact period Friday following the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game through nine days following the initial signing date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent.

[Note: This change would be accompanied by a request to the National Letter of Intent steering committee to alter the date for signing the spring National Letter of Intent from May 15 to May 1.]

C.
Reduce the current July evaluation period from 24 to 14 days. The 14 days shall be structured to provide for a ten-day dead period surrounded by two seven day evaluation periods.

D.
Increase the evaluation days during the academic year evaluation period from 40 to 50.

E.
Establish a 10-day period (Wednesday through Sunday the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May) during which time men’s basketball coaches may evaluate prospective student-athletes during their junior year in high school. During such time period, coaches would be permitted to engage in limited conversation with prospective basketball student-athletes in the presence of the high-school coach.

F.
Permit Division I institutions to make one telephone call per prospect during the 10-day period beginning the Monday after Mother's Day of the prospect's junior year in high school (in lieu of one of the calls permitted between June 21 and July 31).

A. Bylaws: Amend 13.01.6, pages 87-88, as follows:

"13.01.6 Time Periods for Telephone Calls and Contacts. In Divisions I and II, telephone calls or in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or legal guardians prior to July 1 (September 1 in Divisions I-A, I-AA and II football) following the prospect’s completion of the junior year in high school. In Division III, in-person, off-campus contacts with a prospect or a prospect’s relatives or legal guardian(s) may not be made until the prospect has completed the junior year in high school. In Divisions I and II football and basketball, such contacts are confined to specific contact periods. In all Divisions I and II sports, time periods are established during which no on- or off-campus contacts are permitted (see 30.11 and Figures 13-1 through 13-7).

[13.01.6.1 unchanged.]

"13.01.6.3 Exception – Division I Men's Basketball. In the sport of men's basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the 10-day period beginning the Monday after Mother's day of the prospect's junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made from June 21 through July 31 following a prospect's junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week and no more than one call from June 21 through June 30.

"13.01.6.34 Exception–Division I Women's Basketball. In the sports of ~~men’s and~~ women’s basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made on or after June 21 of the prospect’s junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the month of July following the prospect’s junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week."

[13.01.6.5 renumbered as 13.01.6.6, unchanged.]

B. Bylaws: Amend 13.02.3 by adding new 13.02.3.2, page 88, as follows:

"13.02.3.2 Exception – Division I Men's Basketball. The limited conversation that may occur in the presence of the high school coach with prospective student-athletes during the junior year in high school per 30.11.1-(h)-1 (i.e., from Wednesday through Sunday the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May) shall not be considered a contact."

C. Bylaws: Amend 13.1.1.1, pages 91-92, as follows:

"13.1.1.1 High-School Prospects. In Divisions I and II, in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or legal guardian(s) prior to July 1 following the prospect’s completion of the junior year in high school. Telephone calls shall not be made with a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] prior to July 1 (September 1 in Divisions I-A, I-AA and II football) following the prospect’s completion of the junior year in high school. In Division III, in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or legal guardian(s) until the prospect has completed the junior year in high school. U.S. service academy exceptions to this provision are set forth in 13.17.1.

[13.1.1.1.1 unchanged.]

"13.1.1.1.3 Exception – Division I Men's Basketball. In the sport of men's basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the 10-day period beginning the Monday after Mother's day of the prospect's junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made from June 21 through July 31 following a prospect's junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week and no more than one call from June 21 through June 30.

"13.1.1.1.34 Exception–Division I Women's Basketball. In the sports of ~~men’s and~~ women’s basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made on or after June 21 of the prospect’s junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the month of July following the prospect’s junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week."

[13.1.1.1.5 renumbered as 13.1.1.1.6, unchanged.]

D. Bylaws: Amend 13.1.3.1, pages 94-95 as follows:

"13.1.3.1 Time Period for Telephone Calls–General Rule. In sports other than Divisions I and II football and Divisions I and II basketball, telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect's relatives or legal guardian(s)] may not be made prior to July 1 following the completion of the prospect's junior year in high school; thereafter, staff members shall not make such telephone calls more than once per week. If more than one call per week occurs due to a scheduled official paid visit that subsequently is canceled by the prospect, the violation shall be considered an institutional violation per 2.8.1; however, it shall not affect the prospect’s eligibility.

[13.1.3.1.2 unchanged.]

"13.1.3.1.4 Exception – Division I Men's Basketball. In the sport of men's basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the 10-day period beginning the Monday after Mother's day of the prospect's junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made from June 21 through July 31 following a prospect's junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week and no more than one call from June 21 through June 30.

"13.1.3.1.45 Exception–Division I Women's Basketball. In the sports of ~~men’s and~~ women’s basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made on or after June 21 of the prospect’s junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the month of July following the prospect’s junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week; thereafter, staff members shall not make such telephone calls more than once per week."

[13.1.3.1.5 renumbered as 13.1.3.1.6, unchanged.]

E. Bylaws: Amend 13.1.9.4, page 99 as follows:

"13.1.9.4 Evaluation Days–Division I Basketball. In Division I men’s ~~and women’s~~ basketball, each institution is limited to 4050 evaluation days, per 13.02.7. In Division I women's basketball, each institution is limited to 40 evaluation days per 13.02.7."

F. Bylaws: Amend 30.11.1, pages 403-404, as follows:

"30.11.1 Basketball, Division I Men’s. The following contact and evaluation periods shall apply to men’s basketball in Division I:

"(a)

August 1 through ~~September 8~~Wednesday after Labor Day:

Quiet Period

"(b)

~~September 9 through September 26~~30 days beginning the Thursday after Labor Day; institutional staff members shall make contact with prospects for no more than 18 days during the 30-day period:

Contact Period

"(c)

~~September 27~~ 31 days following the Thursday after Labor Day through the final date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent:

Quiet Period

"(1)

Monday through Thursday of the week that includes the initial date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent:

Dead Period

"(d)

The day following the final date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent through March 15 [except for (1) and (2) below]–~~Forty~~50 evaluation days per 13.02.7 selected at the discretion of the member institution and designated in writing in the office of the director of athletics; institutional staff members shall not visit a prospect’s educational institution on more than one day per week during this period [except for (1) below]:

Evaluation Period

[30.11.1-(d)-(1) unchanged.]

[30.11.1-(e) unchanged.]

"(f)

March 23 through ~~8 a.m. on the first Wednesday~~Thursday following the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game [except for (1) below]:

Quiet Period

[30.11.1(f)-(1) unchanged.]

"(g)

The ~~first Wednesday (8 a.m.)~~ Friday following the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game through ~~seven~~ nine days following the initial date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent [except for (1) below]:

Contact Period

[30.11.1-(g)-(1) unchanged.]

"(h)

~~Eight~~10 days following the initial date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent through May 31 [except for (1) below]:

Quiet Period

"(1)

Wednesday through Sunday the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May during which time evaluation is limited to prospective student-athletes during their junior year in high school; institutional staff members shall not visit a prospect's educational institution on more than one occasion during this period and limited conversation with the prospect in the presence of the high-school coach is permitted.

Evaluation Period

[30.11.1-(i) unchanged.]

"(j)

July 8 through July 31 14

Evaluation Period

"(k)

July 15 through July 24

Dead Period"

"(l)

July 25 through July 31

Evaluation Period

Source: Pacific-10 Conference.

Effective Date: Immediately.*

Rationale: This proposal is part of a package of proposals designed to increase the importance of the scholastic environment and decrease the impact of nonscholastic external influences in the recruitment of prospective basketball student-athletes. The increased emphasis on the recruitment of basketball student-athletes during the summer evaluation period, unfortunately, has served to minimize the importance of the scholastic environment and the role of scholastic administrators (e.g., coach, principals) in the recruitment of basketball student-athletes. The result has been the increased impact of nonscholastic external influences in the recruiting process. Many of these individuals operate in a structure devoid of any accountability. In addition, many of these individuals have strong ties to apparel and equipment companies. These relationships only serve to heighten the perception that institutions with contractual commitments to such companies will receive unfair recruiting advantages, particularly as they relate to the highly skilled prospects.

The proposed changes in the men’s basketball recruiting calendar are designed to focus the recruitment of prospective men’s basketball student-athletes at the scholastic level by increasing the opportunities for coaches to contact and evaluate men's basketball prospects during the academic year and reducing the opportunities to observe men's basketball prospective student-athletes during the summer evaluation period. In addition, proposed changes to permit earlier limited contact of junior prospects should serve to decrease the impact of nonscholastic external influences in the recruitment process.

Unlike the proposal developed by the Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues, this proposal will better accomplish the goal of increasing the importance of the scholastic environment reducing the total amount of time (e.g., 24 consecutive days) that prospects spend on the road with their nonscholastic teams playing in front of collegiate coaches during the month of July. That time away from home for those prospects is highly stressful, and both emotionally and physically exhausting. This proposal reduces that time period to two period of just seven consecutive days, separated by a 10-day dead period. It will enable the coaches to have a break in the recruiting process with the assurance that all other coaches are not recruiting during the dead period.

IN PROGRESS

99-132-B
COMMITTEES - DIVISION I BASKETBALL ISSUES COMMITTEE

New language is indicated by underlining in bold and blue.
Deleted language is indicated by ~~red italics with a strike-through~~

Intent: To establish a new NCAA Division I Basketball Issues Committee, as specified.

Bylaws: 21.6.6.3.3 pages 371-372 by adding new 21.6.6.3.3.1, renumbering subsequent sections, as follows:

"21.6.6.3.3.1 Basketball Issues Committee.

"21.6.6.3.3.1.1 Composition. The Division I Basketball Issues Committee shall consist of <TO BE DETERMINED>:

"21.6.6.3.3.1.2 Duties. The committee shall ensure appropriate oversight of the sport of basketball is maintained, with emphasis on recruiting activities, enhance the development and public perception of the sport and make recommendations on policy issues unrelated to legislative and playing rules changes."

[21.6.6.3.3.1 through 21.6.6.3.3.3, renumbered as 21.6.6.3.3.2 through 21.6.6.3.3.4, unchanged.]

Source: Pacific-10 Conference.

Effective Date: Immediately.*

Rationale: This proposal would establish a committee and assign to it the oversight of basketball, including recruiting activities (rather than the creation of a separate committee for that purpose). It differs from the proposal developed by the Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues in that the Basketball Issues Committee would report directly to the Championships Cabinet rather than the Board of Directors. Creating such a reporting line directly to the Board would encourage a similar request from other committees (e.g., Football Issues) and would undermine the new governance structure. The Basketball Issues Committee would have no difficulty communicating up the structure to the Board when it identifies an issue that warrants the Board's attention.

Intent: To revise the Division I men's basketball recruiting calendar as follows:
A.	Eliminate the summer evaluation period.
B.	Increase the number of evaluation days during the academic year evaluation period from 40 to 70.
C.	Permit coaching staff members to evaluate only basketball activities and events approved, sanctioned, sponsored or conducted by the applicable state high-school association, national federation of state high-school associations or national junior college athletic association (other than contests that are part of the prospect's normal high-school, preparatory school or two-year college season).
D.	Increase the time period for making contacts during the fall.
E.	Eliminate all contacts or evaluations following the conclusion of nonscholastic basketball events.
A. Bylaws: Amend 13.02.7, page 90, as follows:
	"13.02.7 Evaluation Days—Division I Basketball and Softball. An evaluation day is defined as one coach engaged in the evaluation of any prospect on one day (12:01 a.m. to midnight); two coaches making evaluations on the same day shall use two evaluation days. The combined total of such days for all staff members shall not exceed 40 in the sport of women's basketball, 70 in the sport of men's basketball and 50 in the sport of softball."
B. Bylaws: Amend 13.1.9.4, page 99, as follows:
	13.1.9.4 Evaluation Days—Division I Basketball. In Division I ~~men’s and~~ women’s basketball, each institution is limited to 40 evaluation days, per 13.02.7 during evaluation periods that occur during the academic year. In Division I men's basketball, each institution is limited to 70 evaluation days, per 13.02.7. In Division I men's basketball, institutional coaching staff members are restricted to evaluating only basketball activities that are part of a prospect's normal high-school, preparatory-school or two-year college season, and events that are approved, sanctioned, sponsored or conducted by the applicable state high-school association, National Federation of State High School Associations or the National Junior College Athletic Association."
C. Bylaws: Amend 13.1.8.2, page 98, as follows:
	"13.1.8.2 Practice or Competition Site. Recruiting contact may not be made with a prospect prior to any athletics competition in which the prospect is a participant during the day or days of competition, even if the prospect is on an official or unofficial visit. In Divisions I and II, such contact includes the passing of notes to a prospect by a third party on behalf of an institutional staff member. In all divisions, such contact shall be governed by the following:
	[13.1.8.2-(a) though 13.1.8.2-(d) unchanged.]
	"(e)	In Division I men's basketball, contact shall not be made with a prospect at any basketball event that is not part of a prospect's normal high-school. preparatory-school or two-year-college season, or any event that is not approved, sanctioned, sponsored or conducted by the applicable state high-school association, National Federation of State High School Associations or the National Junior College Athletic Association."
D. Bylaws: Amend 13.13.5, page 122, as follows:
	13.13.5 Division I Coaches’ Attendance at Basketball Events. In Division I men's basketball, institutional coaching staff members are restricted to attending events that are approved, sanctioned, sponsored or conducted by the applicable high-school associations, National Federation of State High School Associations or the National Junior College Athletic Association. In Division I women's basketball, A a member of an institution’s basketball coaching staff may attend noninstitutional nonorganized events (e.g., pick-up games), institutional basketball camps per Bylaw 13.13.1.1 and noninstitutional organized events (e.g., camps, leagues, tournaments and festivals) that are certified per Bylaw 30.16."
E. Bylaws: Amend 30.11.1, pages 403-404, as follows:
	"30.11.1 Basketball, Division I Men’s. The following contact and evaluation periods shall apply to men’s basketball in Division I:
	"~~(a)~~	~~August 1 through September 8:~~			~~Quiet Period~~
	"(b a)	September 9 through ~~September 26~~ October 14:			Contact Period
	"~~(c)~~	~~September 27 through the final date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent:~~			~~Quiet Period~~
		"~~(1)~~	~~Monday through Thursday of the week that includes the initial date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent:~~		~~Dead Period~~
	"(b)	October 15 through November 14:			Quiet Period
	"(d c)	~~The day following the final date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent~~ November 15 through March 15 [except for (1) ~~and (2)~~ below]—~~Forty~~ seventy evaluation days per 13.02.7 selected at the discretion of the member institution and designated in writing in the office of the director of athletics; institutional staff members shall not visit a prospect’s educational institution on more than one day per week during this period [except for (1) below]:			Evaluation Period
		"(1)	Those days beginning with ~~the day following the final date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent~~ November 15 through March15 not designated in (dc) above for evaluation purposes:		Quiet Period
		"(e d)	March 16 through March 22:			Contact Period
		"(f e)	March 23 through 8 a.m. on the first Wednesday following the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game [except for (1) below]:			Quiet Period
			"(1)	Thursday prior to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game to Tuesday noon after the game:		Dead Period
		"(g f)	The first Wednesday (8 a.m.) following the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game through seven days following the initial date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent [except for (1) below]:			Contact Period
			"(1)	Monday through Thursday of the week that includes the initial date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent:		Dead Period
		"(h g)	Eight days following the initial date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent through ~~May 31~~ September 8:			Quiet Period
		"~~(i)~~	~~June 1 through July 7:~~			~~Quiet Period~~
		"~~(j)~~	~~July 8 through July 31:~~			~~Evaluation Period~~
F. Bylaws: Amend 30.16, pages 410-411, as follows:
	30.16 BASKETBALL EVENT CERTIFICATION – WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
	In the sport of Division I women's basketball, Iin order for a basketball event (e.g., camp, league, tournament or festival) to be certified, a certification application form must be submitted each year to the NCAA national office three months prior to the start of the event. An event review form for each event also must be submitted to the NCAA national office not later than three months subsequent to the event sessions. The basketball event certification program is not applicable to noninstitutional organized events that are approved, sponsored or conducted by an applicable state, national or international governing body (e.g., intrastate and interstate high-school basketball games, state high-school all-star games, international competitions, U.S. Olympic Festival). The following criteria must be met by each event in order to be certified:
	[30.16-(a) through 30.16-(g) unchanged.]
Source: Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference.
Effective Date: August 1, 2000.
Rationale: In an effort to address the numerous problems associated with the current state of summer basketball recruiting, this proposal calls for the both the elimination of the summer evaluation period and the elimination of recruitment at nonscholastic events in Division I men's basketball. By eliminating the summer evaluation period and establishing that no contact, evaluation or attendance may take place at a nonscholastic basketball event, this proposal will greatly reduce the nonscholastic influences in the recruitment of basketball prospects and increase the role of both high-school and two-year-college coaches and state high school and junior colleges associations. As a result, coaches will have increased opportunities to evaluate and contact prospects during the course of the academic year which is a setting that is more conducive to getting to know and evaluate prospective student-athletes absent outside influences. In conjunction with this proposal, the National Letter of Intent Steering Committee will eliminate the early signing period in the sport of men's basketball. Accordingly, men's basketball will only have one signing period starting the third Wednesday in April and concluding on May 22. This signing period will be approximately the same length as the current late signing period in basketball, but will be pushed back approximately one week to allow for more time to contact prospects. This change in the signing period will eliminate the perceived importance of the summer evaluation period and should help alleviate some of the problems associated with prospects signing early.

Intent: To revise the Division I men's basketball recruiting calendar as follows:
A.	Permit men’s basketball coaches to contact prospective men’s basketball student-athletes for 18 days within a 30-day period beginning the Thursday after Labor Day.
B.	Establish a contact period Friday following the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game through nine days following the initial signing date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent.
[Note: This change would be accompanied by a request to the National Letter of Intent steering committee to alter the date for signing the spring National Letter of Intent from May 15 to May 1.]
C.	Reduce the current July evaluation period from 24 to 14 days. The 14 days shall be structured to provide for a ten-day dead period surrounded by two seven day evaluation periods.
D.	Increase the evaluation days during the academic year evaluation period from 40 to 50.
E.	Establish a 10-day period (Wednesday through Sunday the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May) during which time men’s basketball coaches may evaluate prospective student-athletes during their junior year in high school. During such time period, coaches would be permitted to engage in limited conversation with prospective basketball student-athletes in the presence of the high-school coach.
F.	Permit Division I institutions to make one telephone call per prospect during the 10-day period beginning the Monday after Mother's Day of the prospect's junior year in high school (in lieu of one of the calls permitted between June 21 and July 31).
A. Bylaws: Amend 13.01.6, pages 87-88, as follows:
		"13.01.6 Time Periods for Telephone Calls and Contacts. In Divisions I and II, telephone calls or in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or legal guardians prior to July 1 (September 1 in Divisions I-A, I-AA and II football) following the prospect’s completion of the junior year in high school. In Division III, in-person, off-campus contacts with a prospect or a prospect’s relatives or legal guardian(s) may not be made until the prospect has completed the junior year in high school. In Divisions I and II football and basketball, such contacts are confined to specific contact periods. In all Divisions I and II sports, time periods are established during which no on- or off-campus contacts are permitted (see 30.11 and Figures 13-1 through 13-7).
				[13.01.6.1 unchanged.]
				"13.01.6.3 Exception – Division I Men's Basketball. In the sport of men's basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the 10-day period beginning the Monday after Mother's day of the prospect's junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made from June 21 through July 31 following a prospect's junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week and no more than one call from June 21 through June 30.
				"13.01.6.34 Exception–Division I Women's Basketball. In the sports of ~~men’s and~~ women’s basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made on or after June 21 of the prospect’s junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the month of July following the prospect’s junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week."
				[13.01.6.5 renumbered as 13.01.6.6, unchanged.]
B. Bylaws: Amend 13.02.3 by adding new 13.02.3.2, page 88, as follows:
		"13.02.3.2 Exception – Division I Men's Basketball. The limited conversation that may occur in the presence of the high school coach with prospective student-athletes during the junior year in high school per 30.11.1-(h)-1 (i.e., from Wednesday through Sunday the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May) shall not be considered a contact."
C. Bylaws: Amend 13.1.1.1, pages 91-92, as follows:
		"13.1.1.1 High-School Prospects. In Divisions I and II, in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or legal guardian(s) prior to July 1 following the prospect’s completion of the junior year in high school. Telephone calls shall not be made with a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] prior to July 1 (September 1 in Divisions I-A, I-AA and II football) following the prospect’s completion of the junior year in high school. In Division III, in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or legal guardian(s) until the prospect has completed the junior year in high school. U.S. service academy exceptions to this provision are set forth in 13.17.1.
				[13.1.1.1.1 unchanged.]
				"13.1.1.1.3 Exception – Division I Men's Basketball. In the sport of men's basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the 10-day period beginning the Monday after Mother's day of the prospect's junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made from June 21 through July 31 following a prospect's junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week and no more than one call from June 21 through June 30.
				"13.1.1.1.34 Exception–Division I Women's Basketball. In the sports of ~~men’s and~~ women’s basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made on or after June 21 of the prospect’s junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the month of July following the prospect’s junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week."
				[13.1.1.1.5 renumbered as 13.1.1.1.6, unchanged.]
D. Bylaws: Amend 13.1.3.1, pages 94-95 as follows:
		"13.1.3.1 Time Period for Telephone Calls–General Rule. In sports other than Divisions I and II football and Divisions I and II basketball, telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect's relatives or legal guardian(s)] may not be made prior to July 1 following the completion of the prospect's junior year in high school; thereafter, staff members shall not make such telephone calls more than once per week. If more than one call per week occurs due to a scheduled official paid visit that subsequently is canceled by the prospect, the violation shall be considered an institutional violation per 2.8.1; however, it shall not affect the prospect’s eligibility.
				[13.1.3.1.2 unchanged.]
				"13.1.3.1.4 Exception – Division I Men's Basketball. In the sport of men's basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the 10-day period beginning the Monday after Mother's day of the prospect's junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made from June 21 through July 31 following a prospect's junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week and no more than one call from June 21 through June 30.
				"13.1.3.1.45 Exception–Division I Women's Basketball. In the sports of ~~men’s and~~ women’s basketball, one telephone call to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made on or after June 21 of the prospect’s junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect’s parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the month of July following the prospect’s junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week; thereafter, staff members shall not make such telephone calls more than once per week."
				[13.1.3.1.5 renumbered as 13.1.3.1.6, unchanged.]
E. Bylaws: Amend 13.1.9.4, page 99 as follows:
		"13.1.9.4 Evaluation Days–Division I Basketball. In Division I men’s ~~and women’s~~ basketball, each institution is limited to 4050 evaluation days, per 13.02.7. In Division I women's basketball, each institution is limited to 40 evaluation days per 13.02.7."
F. Bylaws: Amend 30.11.1, pages 403-404, as follows:
		"30.11.1 Basketball, Division I Men’s. The following contact and evaluation periods shall apply to men’s basketball in Division I:
		"(a)		August 1 through ~~September 8~~Wednesday after Labor Day:			Quiet Period
		"(b)		~~September 9 through September 26~~30 days beginning the Thursday after Labor Day; institutional staff members shall make contact with prospects for no more than 18 days during the 30-day period:			Contact Period
		"(c)		~~September 27~~ 31 days following the Thursday after Labor Day through the final date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent:			Quiet Period
				"(1)		Monday through Thursday of the week that includes the initial date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent:	Dead Period
		"(d)		The day following the final date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent through March 15 [except for (1) and (2) below]–~~Forty~~50 evaluation days per 13.02.7 selected at the discretion of the member institution and designated in writing in the office of the director of athletics; institutional staff members shall not visit a prospect’s educational institution on more than one day per week during this period [except for (1) below]:			Evaluation Period
				[30.11.1-(d)-(1) unchanged.]
		[30.11.1-(e) unchanged.]
		"(f)	March 23 through ~~8 a.m. on the first Wednesday~~Thursday following the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game [except for (1) below]:				Quiet Period
				[30.11.1(f)-(1) unchanged.]
		"(g)		The ~~first Wednesday (8 a.m.)~~ Friday following the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game through ~~seven~~ nine days following the initial date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent [except for (1) below]:			Contact Period
				[30.11.1-(g)-(1) unchanged.]
		"(h)		~~Eight~~10 days following the initial date for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent through May 31 [except for (1) below]:			Quiet Period
			"(1)		Wednesday through Sunday the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May during which time evaluation is limited to prospective student-athletes during their junior year in high school; institutional staff members shall not visit a prospect's educational institution on more than one occasion during this period and limited conversation with the prospect in the presence of the high-school coach is permitted.		Evaluation Period
		[30.11.1-(i) unchanged.]
		"(j)		July 8 through July 31 14			Evaluation Period
		"(k)	July 15 through July 24				Dead Period"
		"(l)	July 25 through July 31				Evaluation Period
Source: Pacific-10 Conference.
Effective Date: Immediately.*
Rationale: This proposal is part of a package of proposals designed to increase the importance of the scholastic environment and decrease the impact of nonscholastic external influences in the recruitment of prospective basketball student-athletes. The increased emphasis on the recruitment of basketball student-athletes during the summer evaluation period, unfortunately, has served to minimize the importance of the scholastic environment and the role of scholastic administrators (e.g., coach, principals) in the recruitment of basketball student-athletes. The result has been the increased impact of nonscholastic external influences in the recruiting process. Many of these individuals operate in a structure devoid of any accountability. In addition, many of these individuals have strong ties to apparel and equipment companies. These relationships only serve to heighten the perception that institutions with contractual commitments to such companies will receive unfair recruiting advantages, particularly as they relate to the highly skilled prospects. The proposed changes in the men’s basketball recruiting calendar are designed to focus the recruitment of prospective men’s basketball student-athletes at the scholastic level by increasing the opportunities for coaches to contact and evaluate men's basketball prospects during the academic year and reducing the opportunities to observe men's basketball prospective student-athletes during the summer evaluation period. In addition, proposed changes to permit earlier limited contact of junior prospects should serve to decrease the impact of nonscholastic external influences in the recruitment process. Unlike the proposal developed by the Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues, this proposal will better accomplish the goal of increasing the importance of the scholastic environment reducing the total amount of time (e.g., 24 consecutive days) that prospects spend on the road with their nonscholastic teams playing in front of collegiate coaches during the month of July. That time away from home for those prospects is highly stressful, and both emotionally and physically exhausting. This proposal reduces that time period to two period of just seven consecutive days, separated by a 10-day dead period. It will enable the coaches to have a break in the recruiting process with the assurance that all other coaches are not recruiting during the dead period.

Intent: To establish a new NCAA Division I Basketball Issues Committee, as specified.
Bylaws: 21.6.6.3.3 pages 371-372 by adding new 21.6.6.3.3.1, renumbering subsequent sections, as follows:
	"21.6.6.3.3.1 Basketball Issues Committee.
		"21.6.6.3.3.1.1 Composition. The Division I Basketball Issues Committee shall consist of <TO BE DETERMINED>:
		"21.6.6.3.3.1.2 Duties. The committee shall ensure appropriate oversight of the sport of basketball is maintained, with emphasis on recruiting activities, enhance the development and public perception of the sport and make recommendations on policy issues unrelated to legislative and playing rules changes."
	[21.6.6.3.3.1 through 21.6.6.3.3.3, renumbered as 21.6.6.3.3.2 through 21.6.6.3.3.4, unchanged.]
Source: Pacific-10 Conference.
Effective Date: Immediately.*
Rationale: This proposal would establish a committee and assign to it the oversight of basketball, including recruiting activities (rather than the creation of a separate committee for that purpose). It differs from the proposal developed by the Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues in that the Basketball Issues Committee would report directly to the Championships Cabinet rather than the Board of Directors. Creating such a reporting line directly to the Board would encourage a similar request from other committees (e.g., Football Issues) and would undermine the new governance structure. The Basketball Issues Committee would have no difficulty communicating up the structure to the Board when it identifies an issue that warrants the Board's attention.