NCAA Athletics Certification Self Study Dear Alumni & Friends,

The University of New Mexico strives to have a competitive athletic program with the highest of integrity. In meeting this goal, we need the help of all alumni and friends of our athletic programs.

Compliance with NCAA and MWC rules is important to ensure the honor and continued prominence of The University of New Mexico's athletic program. As a NCAA member institution, the University of New Mexico is responsible for the actions of its faculty, staff, coaches, alumni, boosters, student athletes and friends of the athletic department.

The following information is a brief overview of the NCAA rules. However, it is not all inclusive so please contact the Compliance Office if you have any questions and prior to making contact with any enrolled or prospective student-athlete.

Please make sure you have read and understood these issues pertaining to the NCAA rules and remember, ask before you act! Any inappropriate contact or any inadvertent action on your part can jeopardize the eligibility of our enrolled and prospective student-athletes and the compliance of the university with NCAA regulations.

Thank you for your diligence on this matter and feel free to contact us if you have any specific questions. Go Lobos!

The NCAA's Position on Sports Wagering

(from the NCAA Website)

The NCAA opposes all forms of legal and illegal sports wagering. Sports wagering has the potential to undermine the integrity of sports contests, and jeopardizes the welfare of student-athletes and the intercollegiate athletics community. Sports wagering demeans the competition and competitors alike by a message that is contrary to the purposes and meaning of "sport." Sports competition should be appreciated for the inherent benefits related to participation of student-athletes, coaches and institutions in fair contests, not the amount of money wagered on the outcome of the competition.

For these reasons, the NCAA membership adopted NCAA Bylaw 10.3 prohibiting athletics department staff members and student-athletes from engaging in gambling activities as they relate to intercollegiate or professional sporting events.

NCAA Bylaw 10.3 stipulates that staff members of the athletics department of a member institution and student-athletes shall not knowingly:

a. Provide information to individuals involved in organized gambling activities concerning intercollegiate athletics competition;

b. Solicit a bet on any intercollegiate team;

c. Accept a bet on any team representing the institution;

d. Solicit or accept a bet on any intercollegiate competition for any item (e.g., cash, shirt, dinner) that has tangible value; or

e. Participate in any gambling activity that involves intercollegiate athletics or professional athletics, through a bookmaker, a parlay card or any other method employed by organized gambling.

For more information, please contact the NCAA at (317) 917-6222.

University of New Mexico Guide for Boosters:

BOOSTER COMPLIANCE

The University of New Mexico is responsible for the acts of boosters and booster support groups

As a friend of the University and supporter of its athletics program, the NCAA requires that you adhere to the same regulations as the coaches, administrators and staff members in the Athletic Department. Because of this, it is important that you be aware of the rules that govern athletics so that you can avoid unintentional rule violations.

Definitions You Should Know

"Representative of the University's Athletics Interests"

A "representative of the university's athletics interest" is an individual who has:

• Participated in or been a member of an organization which has promoted the University's athletics program in any way (i.e. Lobo Club);

• Made financial contributions to the athletics department or any other University's athletic booster organizations;

• Promoted UNM's athletics programs in any way;

• Ever helped to arrange or have provided employment for enrolled student-athletes or their families.

As you can see, the definition of a "representative of the university's athletics interest" is very broad. If you think that you have participated in any of the above classifications, you are most likely considered a "representative of athletics interests," and you can possibly jeopardize the eligibility of any student-athlete and/or prospective student-athlete by any interaction with him or her or any family member. (The NCAA also stipulates that once you have become a "representative of athletics interests," you remain such forever even if you are no longer involved with the University's athletics program.)

"Prospective Student-Athlete"

A "prospective student-athlete" is defined as any individual who has started classes for the 9th grade. (It is possible for a younger individual to be classified as a "prospect," so it is safe to treat all students as prospects.)

"Contact"

A "contact" is any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect's parents or legal guardian and an "athletics representative" during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of greetings. In other words, if you engage in any type of conversation with a "prospective student-athlete" besides a cordial "hello", it may be considered a "contact" regardless of the conversation exchanged.

"Recruiting"

"Recruiting" is defined as any solicitation of a prospect or a prospect's relatives or legal guardian by an "athletics representative" for the purpose of securing that prospects enrollment and ultimate participation in that institutions athletics program. Examples of recruiting would be:

• Arranging an in-person off campus encounter with the recruit or his/her relatives; or

• Arranging or initiating a telephone call with the recruit and/or his/her relatives for the purpose of recruiting the prospective "student-athlete" to the institution.

"Extra Benefit"

An "extra benefit" is any special arrangement by 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. If it is not generally available to the student body population it is considered an extra benefit. "Extra Benefits" include transportation, cash, meals, clothes, entertainment, preferential loan terms or other benefits offered to a "student-athlete" which are unavailable to the general student population (i.e. free rounds of golf).

Rules Governing Currently Enrolled Student-Athletes

Contacts With Enrolled Student-Athletes

The NCAA is very strict regarding what "Representatives of the University Athletics Interests" may or may NOT do concerning currently enrolled Lobo student-athletes:

YOU CANNOT provide any "extra benefits" or special arrangements to any enrolled student-athlete or any of their relatives or friends.

YOU CANNOT expend any funds to entertain any enrolled student-athlete or their relatives or friends.

YOU CANNOT provide room, board or transportation costs induced by friends or family of enrolled student-athletes to visit campus or attend any athletics contest.

YOU CANNOT use the name or picture of any enrolled student-athlete to advertise or promote any sales or commercial products in which you or your business may be involved.

YOU CANNOT pay for any transportation expense, or loan any automobile to any student-athlete to return home or go to any other location for any reason.

YOU CANNOT make gifts, provide services or pay any form of compensation to any student-athlete based on his/her athletic performance. A student-athlete may not receive any services at a "reduced rate" unless that same "rate" is available to ALL general students at that institution.

YOU CANNOT provide any enrolled student-athlete with the availability to make free long distance calls for any reason.

YOU CAN provide an enrolled student-athlete or an entire team with an "occasional family meal" provided that it is at the individual's home (as opposed to a restaurant). The representative of institution's athletics interest may provide the student-athlete with local transportation to the meal function so long as the meal is at the home of that representative. The representative of athletics interests must get written approval from the compliance office prior to the meal occurring. Please call (505) 925-5840 to receive information on the written approval.

YOU CAN provide employment for an enrolled student-athlete only for work actually performed and at a going rate in that locality for similar services. It is important to remember that the student-athlete may not receive any "extra benefits" that are not available to your other employees.

Rules Governing Prospective Student-Athletes (Recruits)

(NCAA BYLAW 13.1.3.5.1 states: "In Division I, representatives of an institution's interests are prohibited from making in-person, on or off-campus recruiting contacts, or written or telephonic communications with a prospect or the prospect's relatives or legal guardians.")

DO NOT make in-person on or off-campus recruiting contact with a prospect and his or her parents and/or legal guardians.

Limited Exception: A representative may have contact with a prospect in regard to permissible pre-enrollment activities such as summer employment arrangements, provided the prospect has already signed a National Letter of Intent and the institution is aware that you are making these contacts in regard to the employment.

DO NOT write or telephone a prospect and his or her parents or legal guardians.

Limited Exception: A representative may have a telephone conversation with a prospect only if the prospect initiates the call. The telephone call may not be prearranged by an institutional staff member and the representative is not permitted to have a recruiting conversation but may exhibit normal civility. The representative must refer any questions about the university's athletics program to an Athletic Department staff member.

DO NOT contact a prospect's coach, principal, or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospect.

Limited Exception: NCAA rules do not preclude a representative from viewing a prospect's contest on his/her initiative, subject to the understanding that the representative may not contact the prospect.

If you know of a young person with athletic talent who might want to attend the University of New Mexico, DO NOT contact him/her directly. Instead, notify the appropriate UNM coach.

Your Cooperation Will Keep Our Tradition of Integrity Intact While Serving the Best Interests of Our Student-Athletes and Recruits.

Guide for Prospective Professional Agents

The University of New Mexico asks that all athletic agents who wish to contact UNM student-athletes regarding representation fill out the PDF form below and fax to the UNM Compliance Office along with copies of professional league and/or players' association memberships to: (505) 925-5845.

Agent Contact Form  

A copy of the document will be provided to the student-athlete and a copy will be kept by the UNM Compliance Office.

Please make sure you are in compliance with and understand all NCAA rules and regulations regarding applicable Agent Legislation. They can be found on the NCAA website by clicking here.

The information on this website is general information. For specific question and cases, please contact the NCAA or the University of New Mexico Compliance office.

Important Links

Mountain West Conference
http://themwc.ocsn.com/

NCAA
http://ncaa.org/

University of New Mexico
http://www.unm.edu/

SAT.org
http://www.collegeboard.com/homepage/0,,,00%2ben-USS_01DBC.html

ACT.org
http://ACT.org/

Compliance Staff

Janice Ruggiero
Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Welfare / Senior Women's Administrator
Phone: (505) 277-5067

Dawn Martinez
Assistant Athletics Director - Compliance
Phone: (505) 925-5835

Darnell Smith
Compliance Coordinator
Phone: (505) 925-5840

Mailing Address:
New Mexico Athletics
MSC 11 6340
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

Fax: (505) 925-5845