Current DU Student-Athletes

NCAA, Conference and University rules governing student-athletes are extensive and complex. It is always a good rule of thumb to ask before you act by simply consulting with your coach, a Department of Athletics administrator, or the Athletics Compliance Office if you have any questions about an NCAA regulation. The Compliance Office exists to educate everyone about the rules and help you to prevent errors that could jeopardize your eligibility, financial aid and your personal and/or team's success. It is your obligation as a student-athlete to "Know Your Role."

This site has been created to assist you in the process of staying informed about NCAA requirements and to know what is expected of you as a student-athlete at the Division I level. The helpful links and related topics offer a quick reference to information that could directly effect your eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the DU Athletics Compliance Office:

Rick Christensen, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance
Mendel Hall - Room 13 (First Floor)
(412) 396-4917
christensen@duq.edu

Lindsay Bussey, Graduate Assistant for Compliance
Mendel Hall - Room 26 (Second Floor)
(412) 396-1189
busseyl@duq.edu


HELPFUL LINKS:

• NCAA Web Site - General Information
• DU Academic Support Services
 
RELATED INFORMATION:





Academic Standards

What are the Academic Standards?

To be eligible to compete, you must:

  • Have been admitted as a regularly enrolled, degree seeking student according to the published entrance requirements of your institution;

  • Be in good academic standing according to the standards of your institution; and

  • Be enrolled in at least a minimum full-time baccalaureate degree program (not less than 12 semester or quarter hours) and maintain satisfactory progress toward that degree, be enrolled in a full-time graduate or professional degree program (not less than eight semester or quarter hours) be enrolled and seeking a second baccalaureate degree at your institution. [Bylaws 14.1.2, 14.1.7.1, 14.1.8.2 and 14.1.8.2.1.4]

If you are enrolled in less than a full-time program, you are eligible to compete only if you are enrolled in the last term of your degree program and are carrying credits necessary to finish your degree. [Bylaw 14.1.8.2.1.3]

You are eligible to compete during the official vacation period immediately preceding initial enrollment, provided you have been accepted by your institution for enrollment in a regular, full time program of studies at the time of your initial participation, you are no longer enrolled in your previous educational institution and you are eligible under all institutional and NCAA requirements. [Bylaw 14.1.8.2.1.1]

You are eligible to compete between terms if you are continuing enrollment, provided you have been registered for the required minimum full-time load at the conclusion of the term immediately preceding the date of competition, or if you are either continuing enrollment or beginning enrollment, provided you have been accepted for enrollment as a regular full-time student for the regular term immediately following the date of competition. [Bylaw 14.1.8.2.1.2]



Eligibility for Practice

How do I become Eligible to Practice?

You are eligible to practice if you are enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies leading to a baccalaureate or equivalent degree as defined by the regulations of the certifying institution. [Bylaw 14.1.8.1]

You are eligible to practice during the official vacation period immediately preceding initial enrollment, provided you have been accepted by your institution for enrollment in a regular, full-time program of studies at the time of your initial participation, you no longer are enrolled in your previous educational institutional and you are eligible under all institutional and NCAA requirements. [Bylaw 14.1.8.1.1]

You are also eligible to practice if you are enrolled in the final semester or quarter of a baccalaureate program while enrolled in less than a minimum full-time program of studies and your institution certifies that you are carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete the degree requirements, as determined by the faculty of the institution. [Bylaw 14.1.8.1.3]



Continuing Eligibility

What are the Continuing Eligibility Standards for Current Student-Athletes?

If you are entering an institution for the first time, your eligibility for competition shall be based upon satisfactory completion of at least:

  • Have successfully completed 24-semester or 36-quarter hours of academic credit prior to the start of the institution's third semester or fourth quarter following the student-athlete's initial full-time enrollment;

  • Have successfully completed 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 preceeding regular two semester or three quaters (hours earned during the summer may not be used to fulfill this requirement); and

  • Six-semester or quarter hours of academic credit the preceding regular academic term (e.g., fall semester, winter quarter) in which the student-athlete has been enrolled at any collegiate institution.

  • You must choose a major that leads to a specific baccalaureate degree by the beginning of your third year of enrollment. (This includes transfer students who have not yet completed an academic year in residence or used one season of eligibility in a sport at their current institution.) [Bylaw 14.4.3.1.5]

  • If you are entering your second year of collegiate enrollment, you must present a cumulative grade-point average that equals at least 90 percent of the institutions overall cumulative grade-point average required for graduation (based on a 4.00 scale). [Bylaw 14.4.3.3.1]

  • If you are entering your third year of collegiate enrollment, you must have completed successfully at least 40 percent of the course requirements in your specific degree program and you must present a cumulative minimum grade-point average (based on a 4.00 scale) that equals at least 95 percent of the institution's overall cumulative grade-point average required for graduation. For this purpose, a student-athlete's grade-point average will be certified on a term-by-term basis. [Bylaw 14.4.3.3.1]

  • If you are entering your fourth year of collegiate enrollment, you must have completed successfully at least 60 percent of the course requirments in your specific degree program and you must present a cumulative grade-point average (based on a 4.00 scale) that equals at least 100 percent of the institution's overall cumulative grade-point average required for graduation. For this purpose, a student-athlete's grade-point average will be certified on a term-by-term basis. [Bylaw 14.4.3.3.1]

  • If you are entering your fifth year of collegiate enrollment, you must have completed successfully at least 80 percent of the course requirments in your specific degree program and you must present a cumulative grade-point average (based on a 4.00 scale) that equals at least 100 percent of the institution's overall cumulative grade-point average required for graduation. For this purpose, a student-athlete's grade-point average will be certified on a term-by-term basis. [Bylaw 14.4.3.3.1]


What is the Extra Benefit Rule?

As defined by the NCAA (Bylaw 16.02.3), an "extra benefit" is any special arrangment by an institutional employee or a representative of the institution's athletics interests (i.e. "booster") to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete's relative(s) or friends(s) a benefit not expressly authorized by the legislation. Basically, the student-athlete cannot accept benefits from individuals with whom they are not naturally or legally dependent. The acceptance of an extra benefit is a violation of NCAA regulations and will jeopardize the eligibility of the student-athlete.

Another part of the rule to keep in mind is referred to as "preferential treatment" for benefits or services. This coincides with an extra benefit arrangement and is defined by the NCAA as preferential treatment, benefits or services because of the individual's athletics reputation or skill or pay-back potential as a professional athlete, unless such treatment, benefits or services are specifically permitted under NCAA legislation.

The Following are some examples of prohibited special arrangements and extra benefits to a prospective or enrolled student-athlete:

    • Giving cash or loans in any amount
    • Signing or co-signing a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan
    • Guarantee of a bond
    • Giving gifts of any kind
    • Use of an automobile or providing transportation for any reason
    • Purchase of meals at restaurants - On infrequent, special occasions (i.e. birthday, Thanksgiving), a student-athlete may accept an invitation to the home of an athletics' staff member or a "booster" for a meal
    • Rent free or reduced room and/or board costs for any period of time
    • Providing the use of a summer home
    • Use of free summer storage space
    • Free or reduced cost on merchandise (i.e. shoes, clothing, CD's)
    • Providing special discounts or payment arrangements on services (i.e. laundry, dry cleaning) and purchases (i.e. airline tickets)
    • Free or reduced cost on tickets to any kind of entertainment (i.e. concert, ball game, movies)
    • Use of telephone or credit card for personal calls at reduced or no cost
    • Employing relatives or friends of a student-athlete

You should also keep in mind that the receipt of a benefit by student-athletes or their relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA regulations if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution's students or their relatives and friends or to a particular segment of the student body (e.g. foreign students, minority students) determined on the basis unrelated to athletic ability.

If you have any questions, or would like to request additional information on this NCAA legislation, please feel free to contact Rick Christensen, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at (412) 396-4917, or send an e-mail to christensen@duq.edu



NCAA Ethical Conduct Standards & Gambling

What are the Ethical Conduct Standards?

The NCAA's guidelines state that you must act with honesty and sportsmanship at all times so that you represent the honor and dignity of fair play and the generally recognized high standards associated with wholesome competitive sports. (Bylaw 10.01.1)

On the topic of Gambling or Sports Wagering, please note that you are not eligible to compete if you knowingly: provide information to individuals involved in organized gambling activities concerning intercollegiate athletic competition; solicit a bet on any intercollegiate team; accept a bet on any team representing the institution or solict or accept a bet on any intercollegiate competition for any item (e.g. cash, shirt, dinner) that has tangible value. (Bylaw 10.3)

You are not eligible to compete if you knowingly participate in any gambling activity that involves intercollegiate or professional athletics, through a bookmaker, a parlay card or any other method employed by organized gambling. (Bylaw 10.3)

Click here for more information on the NCAA's position Regarding Gambling & Sports Wagering Activities by student-athletes and how it could effect your eligibility.



NCAA Drug Testing Program

What is the Drug Testing Program?

If the NCAA tests you for the banned drugs listed in Bylaw 31.2.3.1 and you test positive (consistent with NCAA drug-testing protocol), you will be ineligible to participate in regular-season and postseason competition for one calendar year (i.e., 365 days) after your positive drug test and you will be charged with the loss of a minimum of one season of competition in all sports.

If you test positive a second time for the use of any drug, other than a "street drug" as defined in Bylaw 31.2.3.1, you will lose all remaining regualr-season and postseason eligibility in all sports.

If you test positive for the use of a "street drug" after being restored to eligibility, you shall be charged with the loss of one additional season of competition in all sports and also shall remain ineligible for regular season and postseason competition at least through the next calendar year. (Bylaw 18.4.1.5.1)

A policy adopted by the NCAA Executive Committee establishes that the penalty for missing a scheduled drug test is the same as the penalty for testing positive for the use of a banned drug. You will remain ineligible until you retest negative and your eligibility has been restored by the NCAA Division I Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement. (Bylaw 18.4.1.5.1)

Click here for more Information on the NCAA's Drug Testing Policy and an updated list of Banned Substances.



Student-Athlete Employment Guidelines

What are the Student-Athlete Employment Guidelines?

If you intend to work at any time, including holiday and summer breaks, you are required by NCAA rules to sign a statement about your employment. Your first step should be to visit the DU Athletics Compliance Office (1st Floor-Mendel Hall). NCAA rules require Duquesne University to monitor student-athlete employment. Failure to abide by these rules could make you ineligible to participate in your sport.

The compensation you receive is subject to several rules, most importantly that it is only for work actually performed and at a rate communsurate with the going rate in that in that locally for similar services. These restrictions are in place to prevent a student-athlete from receiving a job or a form of compensation due in large part because of his or her reputation as an athlete at DU (NCAA Bylaws 12.4 and 15.2.6).

All Duquesne student-athletes that are planning on being employed at some point during the academic year, should notify the Compliance Office to insure that the proper documentation is on file to fulfill eligibility requirements. You can download the Student-Athlete Employment Information Form from this site and submit it to Rick Christensen, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance

Feel free to inquire about additional employment regulations pertaining to Camps/Clinics, Fee-For-Lesson Instruction and Athletics Equipment Sales in the NCAA Division I Rules Manual (Bylaw 12.4). Again, if you have any questions regarding student-athlete employment and its possible effects on your eligibility, contact the Compliance Office at (412)396-4917.



Athletically Related Time Demands - 20/8 Hour Rule



Defining Countable Athletically Related Activities


What are the daily and weekly time limitations on countable athletically related activities?

Student-athletes may not participate in countable athletically related activities for more than:

In Season: Out-of-Season (during the academic year):
4 hours per day 2 hours per day
20 hours per week 8 hours per week

The daily and weekly hour limitations DO NOT apply to the following time periods:

  • During preseason practice prior to the first day of classes or the first scheduled contest, which ever is earlier.
  • During an institution's term-time offical vacation (e.g., Thanksgiving, spring break), as listed in the institution's official calendar, and during the academic year between terms when classes are not in session.
Are student-athletes required to have a day off from countable athletically related activities?

During the academic year when school is in session, student-athletes shall have one day per week in which there are no countable athletically related activities. The day off may occur on any day of the week and may change from week to week. A "week" is defined as any seven consecutive days, determined at the institution's discretion.

Below are partial lists of common activities that count and do not count against your daily and weekly time limits:

Countable* Noncountable
Athletically Related Activities Athletically Related Activities
Practices (not more than 4 hours per day). Compliance meetings.
Athletics meetings initiated by a coach or required by a coach (e.g. end of season individual meetings). Meetings with a coach initiated by the student-athlete.
Competition (and associated activities, regardless of their length, count as 3 hours. However, no countable athletically related activities may occur after the competition. Drug/Alcohol educational meetings or CHAMPS/Life Skills meetings.
On-court or on-field activities called by any member of the team and confined primarily to members of that team. Voluntary weight training not conducted by a coach or staff member.
Required weight-training and conditioning activities. Voluntary sport-related activities (e.g., initiated by student-athlete, no attendance taken, no coach present).
Participation outside the regular season in individual skill-related instructional activities with a member of the coaching staff. Recruiting activities (e.g., student host).
Discussion or review of game films. Training table meals.

* There may be additional rules that are applicable only to certain sports. Also, conferences and institutions may adopt more restrictive rules. Please feel free to contact Rick Christensen, Director of Compliance at (412)396-4917, or send an e-mail to christensen@duq.edu if you have questions or would like additional information.

Participation in Countable Athletically Related Activities Out of Season
What is the difference between in-season and out-of-season?

In-season (20 Hours)

  • Time between the team's first officially recognized practice session and the last practice session or competition, which ever occurrs later.
  • Sports other than football and basketball may have their seasons separated into two distinct segments: championship segment and non-championship segment.
  • During the in-season period (i.e., championship and non-championship segments), a student-athlete may participate in a maximum of 20 hours per week of countable athletically related activities.
Out-of-season (Eight Hours)
  • The remaining days during the academic year not included in the in-season period.
  • A student-athlete may participate in a maximum of eight hours per week of countable athletically related activities.
Outside the playing season (during the academic year), student-athletes are limited to not more than eight (8) hours per week of certain countable athletically related activities. Those activities are shown below:

Permissible Countable Athletically Related Nonpermissible Activities
Activities During the Out-of-Season Period During the Out-of-Season Period
Required weight training and conditioning activities supervised by an ahtletics department staff member. Conditioning drills may not simulate offensive or defensive alignments
In sports other than football, participation in up to 2 hours per week of voluntary skill-related instruction, provided not more than four (4) student-athletes from the same team are involved at any time in any facility. No equipment related to the sport may be used. In the sport of ice hockey, a student-athlete may be involved in on-ice conditioning activities, provided no equipment other than skates is used.
In football, participation in up to 2 hours per week of watching and reviewing films. Any other countable athletically related activity that may hav been permissible during the in-season period.
Participation in a physical fitness class conducted by a member of the athletics department staff. Required participation in any countable athletically related activities during any institutional vacation period (e.g., Christmas break, summer) that occur outside the declared playing and practice season (i.e., in-season)
Any voluntary athletically related activity in which the student-athlete chooses to participate (does not count in the 8 hours)(e.g., initiated by student-athlete, no attendance taken, no coach present).  

NOTE: Student-athletes may be involved in any noncountable athletically related activity during the off-season period (e.g., workouts using the safty exception, voluntary workouts, other noncountable activities permitted during the in-season period).



Voluntary Activities
What is a "voluntary" activity?
To be considered a "voluntary" activity, all of the following must be met:

  • The student-athlete must not be required to report back to a coach or other athletics department staff menber (e.g., strength coach, trainer, manager) any information related to the activity. In addition, noncoaching athletics department staff members who observe the activity (e.g., strength coach, trainer, manager) may not report back to the student-athlete's coach any information related to the activity. [NOTE: Coaches may not observe voluntary activities. However, coaching staff members be be present during permissible skill-related instruction requested by the student-athlete pursuant to NCAA Bylaw 17.1.5.2.2.]
  • The activity must be initiated and requested solely by the student-athlete. Neither the institution nor any athletics department staff members may require the student-athlete to participated in the activity at any time. However, it is permissible for an athletics department staff member to provide information to student-athletes related to available opportunities for participating in voluntary activities (e.g. times when the strength and conditioning coach will be on duty in the weightroom or on the track). In addition, students who have initiated a request to engage in voluntary activities, the institution or an athletics department staff member may assign specific times for student-athletes to use institutional facilities for such purposes and inform the student-athletes of the time in advance;
  • The student-athlete's attendance and participation in the activity (or lack thereof) may not be recorded for the purposes of reporting such information to coaching staff members or other student-athletes; and
  • The student-athlete may not be subjected to penalty if he or she elects not to participate in the activity. In addition, neither the institution nor any athletics department staff member may provide recognition or incentives (e.g., awards) to a student-athlete based on his or her attendance or performance in the activity.



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