NCAA Rules Regarding University Faculty and Administrators
The NCAA has strict rules regarding University faculty and administrators' interaction with enrolled student-athletes and prospective student-athletes being recruited by the University of Tennessee. A violation could affect the reputation of the University and jeopardize the student's athletic eligibility. It is the responsibility of every University staff member to ensure that no violations occur.
A student athlete is not permitted to receive an extra benefit. By definition, an extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a representative of the institution's athletics interests to provide a student-athlete, or the student-athlete's relative or friend, a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.
A faculty member or administrator should never provide preferential treatment to a student athlete, such as:
- Creating assignments for student-athletes that differ from those required of all other students in a class.
- Offering student-athletes extra credit work unless the opportunities are available to all students.
- Authorizing a waiver or substitution of academic requirements unless the same would be done for any other student under similar non-athletics-related circumstances.
- Authorizing a grade change, unless for valid, non-athletics-related reasons.
- Handling any case of academic dishonesty or other prohibited classroom behavior by student-athletes in a manner different from which you would handle such behavior by any other student.
A faculty member or administrator should never provide a student-athlete with the use of copying machines, typing services, computers, printers, fax machines, cell phones, PDA's, credit cards, automobiles or any other support that is not available to the general student body.
A faculty member or administrator may only have contact with a prospective student-athlete (high school aged student) on-campus during a visit. Unavoidable, incidental off-campus contact is permissible provided no discussion relevant to Tennessee athletics takes place.
A faculty member or administrator may make telephone calls to or receive telephone calls from a prospective student-athlete (or their parents or legal guardians) only after the calendar day on which a prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent (NLI).
If you have any questions regarding these guidelines or any other NCAA rules please contact the Compliance Office.
