2/28/08 - Tip of the Week

Good day Stony Brookers -

Can you hear me? Can you hear me now? Yes, this is the Tip of the Week most coaches in SBU land were expecting....(or should have been expecting).

With the recent events happening at Indiana University and their men's basketball program, this week's Tip serves as a reminder regarding the phone call legislation.

It is very important that you log each and every recruiting phone call on your phone logs, as well as to let me know if you did make more phone calls than allowed per the legislation. I/we do review the phone logs that are submitted, but it is possible that this office not see that an impermissible phone call took place. It is helpful that if you do make an impermissible phone call to let me know so that we can handle that situation appropriately. It is also important that if a phone call exception exists, that you note that exception on your phone log.

Below are the telephone call legislation. The general rule is that phone calls are permitted once per week (Sunday through Saturday), beginning on July 1 following completion of prospects junior year. There are some exceptions to this rule in the sports of football, men's basketball and women's basketball as you will see below.

Please review this information and let me know if you have any questions.

Heath

13.1.3.1 Time Period for Telephone Calls -- General Rule.

Telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardian(s)] may not be made before July 1 following the completion of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school (subject to the exceptions below); thereafter, staff members shall not make such telephone calls more than once per week. (Revised: 1/10/91 effective 7/1/91, 1/16/93, 1/9/96 effective 8/1/96, 4/22/98, 4/26/01, 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04, 4/28/05 effective 8/1/05, 1/9/06)

13.1.3.1.1 Exception -- Football.

In football, one telephone call to a prospective student-athlete (or a prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians) may be made from April 15 through May 31 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school. Additional telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete (or a prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians) may not be made before September 1 of the beginning of the prospective student-athlete's senior year in high school; thereafter, such telephone contact is limited to once per week outside of a contact period. During a contact period, such telephone contact may be made at the institution's discretion. (Revised: 1/10/91 effective 7/1/91, 1/16/93, 1/11/94 effective 3/15/94, 1/10/95, 1/14/97 effective 5/1/97, 10/28/97, 1/8/07)

13.1.3.1.2 Exception -- Men's Basketball.

In men's basketball, an institution is permitted to make one telephone call per month to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians) on or after June 15 of the prospective student-athlete's sophomore year in high school through July 31 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school. An institution is permitted to make two telephone calls per week to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians) beginning August 1 prior to the prospective student-athlete's senior year in high school. An institution is permitted to make one telephone call per week to a two-year or four-year college prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians). (Adopted: 11/1/01 effective 4/1/02, 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04, 4/28/05 effective 8/1/05, Revised: 1/9/06)

13.1.3.1.3 Exception -- Women's Basketball.

In women's basketball, telephone calls may be made to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians) as follows: (Adopted: 4/22/98, Revised: 11/1/01 effective 4/1/02, 4/28/05 effective 8/1/05, 10/17/05)

(a) One telephone call during the month of April of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school on or after the Thursday after the conclusion of the NCAA Division I Women's Final Four. (Revised: 10/27/06)

(b) One telephone call during the month of May of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school. (Revised: 10/27/06)

(c) One telephone call on or after June 1 through June 20 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school. (Revised: 10/27/06)

(d) One telephone call on or after June 21 through June 30 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school. (Revised: 10/27/06)

(e) Three telephone calls during the month of July following the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week [see Bylaw 13.1.7.2.2-(c)]. (Revised: 10/27/06)

(f) Thereafter, one telephone call per week. (Revised: 10/27/06)

13.1.3.1.6 Application of Telephone Call Limitations.

Once an institution reaches the applicable limit on telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians) for a particular time period (e.g., one per month, one per week, two per week), the institution may not initiate an additional telephone call during the same time period, even if no direct conversation occurs during the additional call (e.g., voicemail message). (Adopted: 12/13/05)

13.1.3.3.1 Official-Visit Exception.

Institutional coaching staff members (see Bylaw 13.1.3.4.1) may make unlimited telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete during the five days immediately preceding the prospective student-athlete's official visit (per Bylaw 13.6) to that institution. If more than one call per week occurs under this exception and a scheduled official visit is subsequently cancelled due to circumstances beyond the control of the prospective student-athlete or the institution (e.g., trip is cancelled by the prospective student-athlete, inclement weather conditions), there shall be no institutional violations nor shall it affect the prospective student-athletes' eligibility. However, the institution shall submit a report to the conference office noting the cancellation of the official visit and the reasons for such cancellation. (Adopted: 1/10/92; Revised: 4/26/01, 12/12/06)

13.1.3.3.2 Letter-of-Intent Signing-Date Exception.

Institutional coaching staff members (see Bylaw 13.1.3.4.1) may make unlimited telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete on the initial date for the signing of the National Letter of Intent and during the two days immediately following the initial signing date. (Adopted: 1/10/92, Revised: 12/12/06)

13.1.3.3.2.1 Football Exception.

In football, institutional coaching staff members may make unlimited telephone calls to prospective student-athletes during the period 48 hours before and 48 hours after 7 a.m. on the initial signing date for the National Letter of Intent. (Adopted: 1/10/92, Revised: 12/12/06, 12/15/06)

13.1.3.3.3 Telephone Calls After National Letter of Intent Signing or Other Written Commitment.

After the calendar day on which a prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent, there shall be no limit on the number of telephone calls by the institution with which the prospective student-athlete has signed. For an institution not using the National Letter of Intent in a particular sport, or for a prospective student-athlete who is not eligible to sign a National Letter of Intent (e.g., four-year college transfer), there shall be no limit on the number of telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardian(s) by that institution after the calendar day on which the prospective student-athlete signs the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid. (Adopted: 2/9/95; Revised: 11/12/97, 4/29/04)

13.1.3.3.4 Off-Campus Contact Exception.

Institutional coaching staff members (see Bylaw 13.1.3.4.1) may make unlimited telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete on the day a permissible, in-person, off-campus contact occurs. (Adopted: 1/10/92; Revised: 1/16/93, 12/12/06)