THE PURPOSE OF THE ATHLETIC COMPLIANCE OFFICE
It is the mission of the Athletic Compliance Office to serve Miami University and its coaches, student-athletes, staff members, and other stakeholders in navigating the rules and regulations of the NCAA and Mid-American Conference. We provide this assistance through the education, monitoring, research, and interpretation of all 19 athletic programs housed under Miami University’s Athletic Department. The Athletic Compliance Office is also responsible for the investigation and reporting of any major or secondary NCAA violations.
For more information, or to ensure NCAA and MAC rules are being adhered to, please reach out to the Athletic Compliance Office. Ask Before You Act.
ANONYMOUS HOTLINE
Click HERE to report information regarding a potential NCAA violation for Miami University.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES
Who is a Prospective Student-Athlete?
Under NCAA legislation, a prospective student-athlete is anyone who:
- Is in the ninth through twelfth grades of high school;
- Has not yet started the ninth grade, but has received financial assistance or other benefits from Miami University;
- Is enrolled at a two-year college; or
- Is a student-athlete from a four-year college who has entered the transfer portal.
Note that while some communications, contacts, and publicity restrictions are lifted after a prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent with Miami, the signee remains a prospective student-athlete until he or she triggers student-athlete status.
All future Miami University Prospective Student-Athletes (PSAs) must complete the following in order to be eligible at the NCAA Division 1 level:
- Create an “Academic & Amateurism” account with the NCAA Eligibility Center (https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/)
- The EC offers 3 different types of accounts: Profile, Amateurism Only, and Academic & Amateurism
- In order to take Official Visits (paid for by the university) a PSA must have an Academic & Amateurism account
- Please note that this does come with a registration fee
- The Academic & Amateurism account is also necessary to receive a scholarship offer
- For more information on what account seems best for you, please refer to this linked document!
- NCAA Eligibility Center Frequently Asked Questions
- Fill out the appropriate sports questionnaire
- Miami University Athletics utilizes the Teamworks: Compliance & Recruiting platform
- By filling out your sports questionnaire, this allows you to build out a profile that is accessible to our coaching staffs, with all the relevant information included. You are able to upload transcripts, highlight videos, and other information about yourself; so that the coaches can have that information available to them.
- Please click the links below to fill out that teams Recruiting Questionnaire:
Baseball Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball Women’s Swim and Dive
Football Men’s Track and XC Field Hockey Synchronized Skating
Men’s Ice Hockey Men’s Swim and Dive Women’s Soccer Women’s Tennis
Golf Softball Women’s Track and XC
Women's Volleyball
- Talk with your High School Counselor/Coaches to ensure that you are on track to meet NCAA Academic Standards to be eligible with the NCAA Division
More Information about Miami University:
NCAA Eligibility Center Links Page:
COACHES AND STAFF
As a Coach or Staff Member of the Miami University Athletic Department, you must always remain cognizant of the NCAA rules and regulations.
It is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that you are promoting a culture of compliance and conducting yourself within the rules/regulations of the NCAA, MAC, NCHC, and Miami University.
Please utilize the Athletic Compliance Office to clarify any questions you may have surrounding any NCAA rules or regulations. It is always better to Ask Before You Act.
Educational Information for Coaches and Staff
GAMBLING / SPORTS WAGERING:
NCAA rules ban participation in sports betting activities and prohibit providing information to individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports betting activities concerning intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics competition.
In other words, if you are a student-athlete, coach or athletics staff member, regardless of sport or division, you are not allowed to bet or provide any useful information that can influence a bet in any sport the NCAA sponsors at any level.
For more information, contact the compliance office, or visit the
NCAA’s Sports Betting page.
COLLIN’S LAW: THE OHIO ANTI-HAZING ACT:
Effective October 7, 2021, Collin’s Law makes acts of hazing a second-degree misdemeanor and acts of hazing that include coerced consumption of alcohol or drugs or abuse that result in serious physical harm a felony of the third degree. Collin's Law also requires reporting to law enforcement and prevention education offered from the university to students, employees and advisors.
The Ohio Revised Code, Section 2903.31 defines hazing as "doing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to do any act of initiation into any student or other organization or any act to continue or reinstate membership in or affiliation with any student or other organization that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person, including coercing another to consume alcohol or a drug of abuse, as defined in section 3719.011 of the Revised Code."
OTHER LINKS:
NCAA Manual : Select the Appropriate Year and download your free version
Miami University Athletic Compliance Manual (Coming Soon)
Miami University Athletic Compliance Education Library
Teamworks Compliance and Recruiting Login
Forms available in ARMs
- Flex Day Declaration
- Occasional Meal Approval
- Roster Status/Financial Aid Change Request
- Team Entertainment Request Form
- Volunteer Coach Agreement
- Unofficial/Official Visit Request
- Declaration of Playing Season Form
- Transfer Evaluation Form
CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETES
STUDENT-ATHLETE HANDBOOK
All relevant policies and procedures for student-athletes can be located within the Student-Athlete Handbook. Please review this resource and familiarize yourself with the policies and procedures within.
GAMBLING / SPORTS WAGERING:
NCAA rules ban participation in sports betting activities and prohibit providing information to individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports betting activities concerning intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics competition.
In other words, if you are a student-athlete, coach or athletics staff member, regardless of sport or division, you are not allowed to bet or provide any useful information that can influence a bet in any sport the NCAA sponsors at any level.
For more information, contact the compliance office, or visit the
NCAA’s Sports Betting page.
COLLIN’S LAW: THE OHIO ANTI-HAZING ACT:
Effective October 7, 2021, Collin’s Law makes acts of hazing a second-degree misdemeanor and acts of hazing that include coerced consumption of alcohol or drugs or abuse that result in serious physical harm a felony of the third degree. Collin's Law also requires reporting to law enforcement and prevention education offered from the university to students, employees and advisors.
The Ohio Revised Code, Section 2903.31 defines hazing as "doing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to do any act of initiation into any student or other organization or any act to continue or reinstate membership in or affiliation with any student or other organization that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person, including coercing another to consume alcohol or a drug of abuse, as defined in section 3719.011 of the Revised Code."
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND EDUCATION
The compliance office has created a library of educational videos and documents that can assist in clarifying many of the complex rules and regulations that you must adhere to. Included in this library, but not limited to, are informative videos regarding the following:
- Beginning of Year Education
- Academic Eligibility Standards
- Playing and Practice Seasons
- Countable Athletic Related Activities
- Outside Competition
- Financial Aid
- Complimentary Admissions
- And so much more. (we will work to continue to build more videos for you)
To access this Educational library,
please click this link.
(If you are having trouble accessing the information, please contact the Athletic Compliance Office, and we will work to sort out the issues)
TAKING #MACtion
The NCAA mandates that all Student-Athletes are provided with educational information regarding a multitude of topics (Financial Literacy, Mental Health, Nutrition, etc.). The Mid-American Conference has provided all conference members with a website to provide information on these topics.
If you would like to further inquire, you may visit the
Taking #MACtion website by clicking this link.
NCAA ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS
To be academically eligible, student-athletes must:
- Maintain full-time status: Student-athletes must be enrolled in a full-time (minimum 12 credit hours) program of studies to remain eligible. For this reason, student-athletes should be sure to consult their academic advisors before adding or dropping a class.
- Fulfill credit-hour requirements: Student-athletes must complete at least:
- 24 semester or 36 quarter hours credit hours before the start of their second year (or third semester) of collegiate enrollment.
- 18 semester or 27 quarter hours of academic credit since the beginning of the previous fall term or since the beginning of the certifying institution’s preceding regular two semesters or three quarters (hours earned during the summer may not be used to fulfill this requirement) and;
- 6 semester or 6 quarter hours of academic credit during the preceding regular academic term (e.g., fall semester) in which the student-athlete has been enrolled full time at any collegiate institution.
- Fulfillment of Percentage of Degree Requirements:
- A student-athlete entering their third year of collegiate enrollment shall have completed at least 40% of the course requirements in the student’s specific degree program.
- A student-athlete who is entering their fourth year of collegiate enrollment shall have completed at least 60% of the course requirements in the student’s specific degree program.
- A student-athlete who is entering their fifth year of collegiate enrollment shall have completed at least 80% of the course requirements in the student’s specific degree program.
AMATEURISM
All RedHawk student-athletes must maintain their amateur status to be eligible to participate in collegiate athletics. NCAA amateurism legislation places limitations or absolute prohibitions relating to the following areas, among other things:
- Entering into a contract with, receiving benefits from, or being represented by an agent, there are exceptions to this in relation to Name, Image, and Likeness.
- Receiving a salary for participating in athletics.
- Entering contracts with a professional organization.
- Participating in tryouts, practices, or competitions with a professional organization.
- Receiving impermissible sources or types of funding for athletics participation.
- Accepting prize money and other performance-based payments; and
- Involvement in impermissible promotional activities, excluding NIL opportunities. Before any student-athlete can participate with any team outside of Miami University, sign any document relating to participation in athletics, or agree to accept payment or funding relating to athletics, they should check with the Compliance Office to determine whether they are potentially jeopardizing their collegiate eligibility.
CARA HOURS
Countable athletically related activities or CARA includes any required activity with an athletics purpose involving student-athletes and at the direction of, or supervised by, one or more of an institution’s coaching staff (including strength and conditioning coaches) and must be counted within weekly and daily limitations under Bylaws 17.1.7.1 and 17.1.7.2. Academic meetings, compliance meetings, etc. shall not be considered CARA.
During the declared playing season segments (In-Season Activity):
- No more than four hours of CARA in a day.
- Must be provided with one (1) day off from all CARA activity during the week;
- No CARA activities may take place following a competition
Outside the declared playing season segments (Out-of-Season Activity):
- No more than four hours of CARA in a day.
- No more than eight hours of CARA each week:
- In football: weight training, conditioning, walkthroughs and film review
- All other sports: weight training, conditioning, and skill instruction
- Must be provided with two (2) days off from all CARA activity during the week;
- For sports other than football and in-season sports, CARA is prohibited one week before the beginning of final exams until their conclusion.
BOOSTERS/LOCAL BUSINESSES
Who is a booster?
A booster is any person or entity who has participated in promoting Miami’s athletics interests, has made financial contributions to RedHawk athletics or any other RedHawk athletics booster club, or has assisted in the recruitment of prospects, provided financial assistance to current student-athletes or their families, or otherwise promoted Miami RedHawks Athletics. Once a person or entity becomes a booster, that person or entity remains a booster indefinitely.
Common Examples of Miami boosters include:
- Miami students
- Miami employees
- Miami alumni
- Miami donors;
- Miami ticket holders
Who is a prospective student-athlete?
A prospective student-athlete, under NCAA Legislation, is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if the institution provides such an individual (or the individual’s family members or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally. An individual remains a prospective student-athlete until:
- The individual signs a National Letter of Intent or the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution receives the individual’s financial deposit in response to its offer of admission, completes all high school graduation requirements or all transfer academic eligibility requirements and receives the benefits or expenses from the institution that may be provided to a student-athlete.
- The individual participates in summer athletic activities, or regular squad practice or competition that occurs before the beginning of any term at the institution;
- The individual enrolls in and attends classes during the institution’s summer term before initial full-time enrollment or enrolls in a minimum full-time program of studies and attends classes in a regular term at the institution; or
- The individual reports to an institutional orientation session that is open to all incoming students within 14 calendar days prior to the opening day of classes of a regular academic year term.
DO’S and DON’TS
What boosters can and cannot do depends on whether they are interacting with a current student-athlete or a prospective student-athlete:
What boosters CAN do for or with RedHawk athletes:
- Speak with student-athletes at games, events, banquets, etc.
- Host an occasional meal for a student-athlete or an entire team
- Meal can now occur at an off-campus restaurant and is not required to be on Miami’s campus or at the booster’s home.
- Coaches still need to make sure that they submit the “Occasional Meal Approval” workflow
- Employ a student-athlete as long as all steps outlined here are followed.
- Enter into NIL deals with student-athletes as long those deals follow Miami University NIL policy found here.
What boosters CAN’T do for or with RedHawk athletes/prospects:
- Provide transportation to a prospect or student-athlete or loan an automobile to a student host for a prospect’s use during an official paid visit.
- Provide or cosign for a loan.
- Provide free or reduced-cost lodging, entertainment, services, or products.
- Purchase items or services from prospects, student-athletes, or their relatives at inflated prices.
- Give cash or allow the use of a credit card.
Additional Restrictions Relating to Prospects:
Booster activities are more strictly regulated when prospective student-athletes rather than activities that involve enrolled student-athletes. The following are IMPERMISSIBLE activities for boosters to participate in when interacting with prospects.
- Engage in any recruiting activities
- Host a meal for a prospect
- Contact a prospect through social media
- Arrange for or finance a prospect’s unofficial visit to Miami University
AGENTS & NIL PROFESSIONALS
NAME, IMAGE, and LIKENESS AGENTS
NCAA rules and regulations allow for student-athletes to enter into agreements with Agents, or other service providers, to assist in the procurement, negotiation, or other actions associated with NIL opportunities.
For information about NCAA, Miami University, and State of Ohio policies regarding NIL, please visit our
Name, Image, and Likeness page.
In order to represent a Student-Athlete as an Agent, the Miami University Compliance Office will need the following steps to be completed:
- Complete your Agent Registration with the State of Ohio
- This can be accomplished by visiting this link.
- Contact the Miami Compliance Office to obtain and complete the following documents:
- Agent & Advisor Registration Application
- Once the previous steps are completed, and you are going to enter into an agreement with a Miami Student-Athlete, they will need to contact the Miami University Athletic Compliance Office to complete the following documents:
PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS AGENTS
The NCAA defines an Agent as the following:
12.02.1 Agent. [A] An agent is any individual who, directly or indirectly:
(Adopted: 1/14/12)
(a) Represents or attempts to represent an individual for the purpose of marketing the individual's athletics ability or reputation for financial gain; or
(b) Seeks to obtain any type of financial gain or benefit from securing a prospective student-athlete's enrollment at an educational institution or from a student-athlete's potential earnings as a professional athlete.
If a Student-Athlete enters into any agreement (verbal or written) with an Agent for the purposes of professional athletics negotiations, that Student-Athlete will jeopardize their remaining eligibility in that sport. Thus, agreements should not be negotiated or entered into, until the conclusion of the Student-Athlete’s eligibility.
In order to represent a Student-Athlete as an Agent, the Miami University Compliance Office will need the following steps to be completed:
- Complete your Agent Registration with the State of Ohio
- This can be accomplished by visiting this link.
- Contact the Miami Compliance Office to obtain and complete the following documents:
- Agent & Advisor Registration Application
- Once the previous steps are completed, and you are going to enter into an agreement with a Miami Student-Athlete, they will need to contact the Miami University Athletic Compliance Office to complete the following documents:
