Representative of Athletic Interest
A representative of an institution's athletics interest is an individual who is known by a member of the institution's executive or athletics administration to:
a) Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization, including corporate entities, promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program;
b) Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;
c) Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes;
d) Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
e) Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution's athletics program.
Recruiting by Representative of Athletics Interest
Representatives of an institution's athletics interests are prohibited from making in-person, off campus recruiting contacts or telephone calls with a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians. On campus contact is permitted, as are written communications. Recruiting contacts by representatives during a prospective student-athlete's official visit are confined to campus.
Once you have gained the status of a representative of athletics interest for Mars Hill University you will retain this status forever regardless of your affiliation with Mars Hill University in the future.
Contact With Current Student-Athletes
You may not provide a student-athlete any benefit or special arrangement that would not be offered to the rest of the student population. Such a benefit may cause a student-athlete to lose his or her eligibility. These activities include, but are not limited to:
• You may not entertain current student-athletes, their friends or family.
• You may not use the name or picture of a current student-athlete to advertise, recommend, or promote any product or service of any kind.
• You may not provide awards or gifts to current student-athletes.
• You may not allow a current student-athlete to use your telephone to make free calls, or allow use of a free or discounted automobile.
• You can however, invite a current student-athlete to your home for an occasional meal but you may not take a current student-athlete to a restaurant.
Questions and Answers
Recruiting Issues Involving Representatives of Athletics Interests
As a Representative of Athletics Interests you may NOT:
• Contact a prospective student-athlete’s coach, principal or counselor in an effort to evaluate him/her;
• Visit the prospective student-athlete’s institution to pick up film or transcripts;
• Contact a prospective student-athlete by telephone, letter, email or any other form of electronic media including social networking sites;
• Make special arrangements to entertain a prospective student-athlete; or
• Provide extra benefits to a prospective student-athlete, current student-athlete or the parents, family and/or guardians of a prospective or current student-athlete.
A prospective student-athlete is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade or has been provided with from the institution any benefit not available to general prospective students.
What is an extra benefit?
Any special arrangement by a Representative of Athletics Interests to provide a student-athlete (current or prospective), their relatives or friends a benefit that is not generally available to other Mars Hill University students.
Can a Representative of Athletics Interests meet with a prospective student-athlete?
A Representative of Athletics Interests cannot meet with a prospective student-athlete off of the Mars Hill University campus. However, a Representative of Athletics Interests can meet with a prospective student-athlete on the Mars Hill University campus.
Can a Representative of Athletics Interests provide a gift or treat a prospective student-athlete to a free meal?
No. It is not permissible to give a prospective student-athlete a gift or treat him/her to a free meal. Once the prospect becomes a current student-athlete at Mars Hill University it would be permissible to invite the current student-athlete over for an occasional meal at the individual’s home.
Is Mars Hill University responsible for the actions of its representatives of athletics interests?
Yes! Mars Hill University is subject to penalties for all violations of NCAA rules committed by its representatives of athletics interests.