Milwaukee Athletics

STUDENT-ATHLETE FORMS

ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY

Student-athletes must meet all NCAA, Horizon League and institutional regulations in order to remain eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics. Continuing eligibility is certified by each student-athlete's Athletics Academic Advisor and the Office of the Registrar at the conclusion of each academic term.

NCAA ELIGIBILITY

1. Student-athletes must successfully complete 24 hours during their initial year of full-time enrollment (this may include AP credits and transfer hours). Student-athletes must also have a minimum of a 1.8 cumulative GPA at the end of their initial year of full-time enrollment (including summer).

2. Student-athletes must successfully complete a minimum of 6 hours during each semester of full-time enrollment.

3. Student-athletes must successfully complete 18 semester hours during each regular academic year (excludes summer).

4. Student-athletes must complete a certain percentage of degree and GPA requirements each year in order to maintain eligibility (see below)

5. Beginning a student-athlete's second year of enrollment, he/she will be certified mid-year for both minimum hour requirements (6) and minimum GPA requirements.

6. Student-athletes must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours each semester (except if enrolled in graduate school)

7. A student-athlete enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee shall be placed on scholastic probation at the end of a semester or summer session when his or her cumulative GPA falls below a 2.0.

8. A student-athlete must choose a major prior to his or her fifth (5th) semester of enrollment. This provision shall be applicable to the eligibility not only of a continuing student, but also of a transfer student from a four-year or two-year collegiate institution who is entering his or her third year of collegiate enrollment, even if the student has not yet completed an academic year in residence or utilized a season of eligibility in a sport at the certifying institution. Designation of a specific baccalaureate degree program may be accomplished by:

(a) Formal enrollment by the student-athlete in a specific baccalaureate degree program; or

(b) Approval by an appropriate academic official (who must not be an academic adviser/counselor employed by the athletics department) of the program leading to the specific baccalaureate degree that the student-athlete is pursuing.

EMPLOYMENT

NCAA regulations allow student-athletes to earn legitimate on- and off-campus employment income, either during the academic year or vacation periods, provided any compensation is for work actually performed and does not exceed the going rate in the locality for similar services. In addition, a student-athlete's compensation may not include any remuneration for the value the student-athlete has to the employer because of his/her athletics reputation.

EXTRA BENEFITS

Student-athletes may not receive any tangible benefit that is not available to the general student body (e.g., discounts on clothing, shoes, free or reduced cost services, non-athletic related medical services, car loans, apartment leases, etc.). Receipt of any extra benefit will jeopardize athletic eligibility and must be reported to the Athletic Director, Head Coach, or Compliance Office.

OCCASIONAL MEALS

Occasional meals may be provided to student-athletes either 1) by a booster at the booster's home or 2) by an institutional staff member at any site in the Milwaukee area. Before an occasional meal may be held, the booster or staff member providing the meal must notify the Head Coach and Compliance Office prior to the meal.

FINANCIAL AID

Some basic information about financial aid is provided below. If you are a current student-athlete and require additional information concerning athletic scholarships, please contact the Jill Jurena, Compliance & Enrollment Services Coordinator, at 414-229-3710.
Please be aware that outside scholarships (aid from any source other than athletics) can impact individual and team financial aid limitations. Student-athletes must check with their head coach and/or the Compliance Office before accepting any outside financial aid.  An Outside Scholarship form must be completed for each outside scholarship a student-athlete receives.

Terms & Conditions of Athletically-Related Aid
All student-athletes on athletics aid/scholarship receive their scholarship for between one to four years.  Student-athletes must sign a receipt acknowledging acceptance of their athletics aid before the aid can be dispersed.

Renewals/Reductions/Cancellations of Athletics Aid
The renewal of institutional financial aid must be made on or before July 1 prior to the academic year in which the aid will be distributed. Student-athletes receiving an athletics scholarship during the previous year will be notified as to whether their aid has been renewed, increased, reduced, or cancelled. At the end of the period of the award, aid may be renewed, increased, reduced, or cancelled at the discretion of the institution. Athletics scholarships may be reduced or canceled during the period of the award if a student-athlete:

• Renders himself or herself ineligible for intercollegiate competition in any manner, including failure to meet academic eligibility requirements or loss of amateur status (e.g., signing with an agent).
• Voluntarily quits the team.
• Fraudulently misrepresents any information on an application, letter of intent, or financial aid agreement.
• Engages in serious misconduct.

Athletics scholarships may not be reduced or cancelled during the period of the award on the basis of:

• A student-athlete's athletics ability, performance, or contribution to a team's success.
• An injury that prevents the student-athlete from participating in intercollegiate athletics.
• Any other athletics reason.

Please note that outside of the period of the award, an athletics scholarship can be reduced or cancelled for any reason - including an athletics reason - at the discretion of the institution.

If a student-athlete's scholarship is cancelled, reduced, or not renewed for any reason, the student-athlete has the right to appeal this decision to the Director of Student Financial Aid within 14 business days (see the student-athlete handbook for the appeal procedure).

Summer School Athletics Aid
Student-athletes receiving athletics scholarships during the regular academic year are eligible to apply for summer school aid. Those wishing to receive athletics aid for summer school must apply through their Athletics Academic Advisor during Spring Semester.

GAMBLING

Placing bets of any kind on any intercollegiate or professional athletics competition in any amount with anyone or on the internet is strictly prohibited. Student-athletes should immediately report any offer to gamble on the outcome of an athletics competition, whether directly or indirectly, to the Athletic Director, Head Coach, Compliance Office, and/or Conference Office. Any individual seeking information or asking student-athletes to "arrange" the outcome of any athletics contest should be reported to the Compliance Office.

Any involvement in activities designed to influence the outcome of an intercollegiate contest or any solicitation or acceptance of a bet involving the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will result in an automatic loss of eligibility.

A student-athlete will be ineligible to compete if he/she does any of the following:

1. Provides information to individuals involved in organized gambling activities concerning intercollegiate athletics competition (e.g., participating in a "fantasy league" with an entry fee and/or cash prize);
2. Solicits a bet on any intercollegiate team (e.g., betting in a Final Four pool);
3. Accepts a bet on any team representing the institution;
4. Solicits or accepts a bet on any intercollegiate competition for any item (e.g., cash, shirt, dinner) that has tangible value; or
5. Participates in any gambling activity that involves intercollegiate or professional athletics through a bookmaker, a parlay card, or any other method employed by organized gambling (e.g., betting on the World Series).

PLAYING & PRACTICE SEASONS

NCAA regulations limit the length of playing and practice seasons. The following are permissible activities for enrolled student-athletes:

During the Playing Season
Student-athletes may engage in only 4 hours per day and 20 hours per week of countable athletically related activities. Student-athletes must be given 1 day off each week.  A countable athletically related activity is any activity with an athletics purpose involving student-athletes that occurs at the direction of or supervised by one or more institutional coaching staff members (including strength and conditioning coaches).

Outside the Playing Season - Academic Year

• Student-athletes may be required to participate in up to 8 hours per week of required strength and conditioning activities and individualized skill instruction.
• No more than 4 hours of the permissible 8 can consist of individualized skill instruction. No more than four student-athletes may be involved in skill instruction at all sites combined at any one time.
• Student-athletes must be given two days off from required activities per week.

Outside the Playing Season - Vacation Periods

• Student-athletes may engage in voluntary workouts at Athletic Department facilities. The University's strength and conditioning coaches (and NOT any countable coaches) may design and conduct specific workout programs for returning student-athletes, provided those workouts are entirely voluntary and are conducted at the request of the student-athlete.
• In individual sports (cross country, track, golf, skiing, swimming/diving, and tennis), student-athletes may also engage in voluntary one-on-one workouts conducted and supervised by an institution's coach. If the workouts take place at a facility that charges a fee, the student-athlete must pay the fee in the same manner as any member of the general public.
• In sports with a safety exception (gymnastics, skiing, swimming/diving, and field events for track & field), countable coaches may be present and provide safety and skill instruction when a student-athlete uses equipment related to the sport. More than one student-athlete may be present for this instruction. However, the coaches may not conduct the student-athlete's workouts.

AGENTS

A student-athlete or prospective student-athlete (any individual who currently participates in or who may be eligible in the future to participate in intercollegiate athletics) may not agree verbally or in writing to be represented by an agent in the present or in the future for the purpose of marketing the student-athlete's athletics ability or reputation. If the student-athlete enters into such an agreement, the student-athlete is ineligible for intercollegiate competition. The term "agent" includes actual agents, runners (individuals who befriend student-athletes and frequently distribute impermissible benefits), attorneys, and financial advisors. Also, a student-athlete may not accept transportation or other benefits from an agent. This prohibition applies to the student-athlete and his or her relatives or friends. It is not a violation of NCAA rules if a student-athlete merely talks to an agent (as long as an agreement for representation is not reached) or socializes with an agent.

For example, a student-athlete could go to dinner with an agent and no NCAA violations would result if the student-athlete provided his/her own transportation and paid for his/her meal.

What happens if a violation occurs?
Example: A men's basketball student-athlete is befriended by a runner for an agent. The student-athlete is unaware of the connection between the runner and agent. The runner gives the student-athlete long-distance calling cards and pays for meals, articles of clothing and a new car stereo. The student-athlete never asks why the runner is providing him with these items.

The student-athlete's educational institution becomes aware of the runner's identity and the provision of benefits to the student-athlete. The institution must declare the student-athlete ineligible for intercollegiate competition and request reinstatement of the student-athlete's eligibility from the NCAA Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement.

At a minimum, the student-athlete will be required to repay the value of the impermissible benefit(s) and will be withheld from a certain number of contests, based on NCAA case precedent.

NCAA RULES CONCERNING AGENTS

Agency Contracts
An individual shall be ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if he or she ever has agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation in that sport. Further, an agency contract not specifically limited in writing to a particular sport or sports shall be deemed applicable to all sports and the individual shall be ineligible to participate in any sport.

Prospective Agreements
An individual shall be ineligible for further intercollegiate athletics competition if he or she enters into a verbal or written agreement with an agent for representation in future professional sports negotiations that are to take place after the individual has completed his or her eligibility in that sport. Benefits from Prospective Agents: An individual shall be ineligible if he/she (or his/her relatives or friends) accepts transportation or other benefits from:

• Any person who represents any individual in the marketing of his or her athletics ability. The receipt of such benefits constitutes compensation based on athletics skill and is an extra benefit not available to the student body in general; or
• An agent, even if the agent has indicated that he or she has no interest in representing the student-athlete in the marketing of his or her athletics ability or reputation and does not represent individuals in the student-athlete's sport. Nonbinding Agreement: An individual who signs a contract or commitment that does not become binding until the professional organization's representative or agent also signs that agreement is ineligible, even if the contract remains unsigned by the other parties until after the student-athlete's eligibility is exhausted. For more information on this topic visit the NCAA's website.

OUTSIDE COMPETITION & SUMMER LEAGUES

NCAA regulations govern all athletic activities that occur outside of a sport's regular playing season. Unapproved participation or receipt of extra benefits may adversely affect a student-athlete's eligibility. Written approval is required prior to any outside competition or summer activity.

All student-athletes should check with the Compliance Office prior to participating in non-collegiate, amateur competition during the summer period. Contact the Compliance Office for regulations pertaining to your sport.

Outside Competition
In sports other than basketball, a student-athlete that participates during the academic year as a member of any outside team in any non-collegiate, amateur competition (e.g., tournament play, exhibition games) except while representing the institution in intercollegiate competition shall be ineligible for intercollegiate competition unless eligibility is restored by the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement.

In the sport of basketball, a student-athlete that participates during the academic year as a member of any outside team in any non-collegiate, amateur competition (e.g., tournament play, exhibition games) except while representing the institution in intercollegiate competition shall be permanently ineligible for intercollegiate competition.

It is permissible for a student-athlete to participate in outside competition as an individual during the academic year in the student-athlete's sport, as long as the student-athlete represents only himself or herself in the competition and does not engage in such competition as a member of or receive expenses from an outside team. Student-athletes wishing to participate in outside competitions during the academic year must first receive permission by filling out the Outside Athletic Competition Form.

GENERAL EXCEPTIONS

• High School Alumni Games
• Olympic Games
• Official Pan-American Games (Tryout and Competition)
• U.S. National Teams
• Official World Championships, World University Games and World Cup tryouts and competition
   

Soccer Exception
After May 1, soccer student-athletes may compete as a member of an outside soccer team provided only five or less student-athletes from any single NCAA institution participate, the competition is approved in advance by the Compliance Office, and no class time is missed for practice activities or competition.

Volleyball Exception
After May 1, volleyball student-athletes may compete as a member of an outside volleyball team provided only two or less student-athletes from any single NCAA institution participate, all practice/competition is confined to doubles tournaments in outdoor volleyball, the competition is approved in advance by the Compliance Office, and no class time is missed for practice activities or competition.

SUMMER LEAGUES

Student-athletes should check with the Compliance Office prior to participating in non-collegiate, amateur competition during the summer period. Each sport has specific regulations regarding permissible summer activities.

Summer Leagues - Basketball
In order to ensure that basketball student-athletes participating in certified summer leagues receive written approval from institution's Athletic Director prior to participating and that leagues comply with all NCAA regulations, the student-athlete or coach intending to compete in summer activities must complete the Summer League Participation Form and turn the form in to the Compliance Office. This should be completed at least two weeks before summer league participation begins. The Athletics Director's signature must be obtained by the Compliance Office prior to the start of league participation.

Student-athletes in the sport of basketball are required by NCAA rules to obtain written permission from the Athletic Director prior to engaging in any summer league activities. Student-athletes must participate in NCAA-certified leagues, and no more than two University of Wyoming basketball players may compete on any certified summer league team. Please see the Summer Basketball Rules for more information.

Note: Only two student-athletes may participate on the same team in the sport of basketball.

See NCAA Bylaw 30.15 for a complete list of summer basketball regulations.