University of Louisville Compliance - Extra Benefits
April 09, 2001 | General
Extra Benefits, Gifts and Services
Extra Benefits
An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or 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. Receipt of a benefit by student-athletes or their relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution's students or their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the student body (e.g., foreign students, minority students) determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability (NCAA Bylaw 16.02.3)
A student-athlete may not receive a special discount, payment arrangement or credit on a purchase (e.g., airline tickets, clothing) or a service (e.g., laundry, dry cleaning) from an institutional employee or a representative of its athletics interests.
A student-athlete may not accept athletics equipment, supplies or clothing (e.g., tennis racquets, golf clubs, balls, shirts) from a manufacturer or commercial business.
Academic and Other Support Services
Per NCAA regulations, the University of Louisville must make available general academic counseling and tutoring services to all recruited student-athletes (NCAA Bylaw 16.3.1.1)
The University of Louisville may provide the following permissible support service to student-athletes (NCAA Bylaw 16.3.2):
- Tutoring expenses
- Drug-rehabilitation program expenses
- Counseling expenses related to treatment of eating disorders
- Future professional athletics career counseling
- Use of computers and typewriters
NCAA regulations prohibit member institutions from providing the following services (NCAA Bylaw 16.3.3):
- Typing costs
- Course supplies
- Use of a copy machine
Permissible Medical Expenses
NCAA regulations permit member institutions to provide medical expenses for injury or illness that are incidental to a student's participation in intercollegiate athletics (NCAA Bylaw 16.4.1). These medical expenses include:
- Athletics medical insurance
- Death and dismemberment insurance for travel connected with intercollegiate athletics competition and practice
- Drug-rehabilitation expenses
- Counseling expenses related to the treatment of eating disorders
- Special individual expenses resulting from permanent disability that precludes further athletics participation. The injury or illness must have occurred while the student-athlete was enrolled at the institution or while the prospect was on an official paid visit
- Glasses, contact lenses or protective eyewear (e.g., goggles) for student-athletes who require visual correction in order to participate in intercollegiate athletics
- Medical examinations at any time for enrolled student-athletes
- Medical examinations for prospective student-athletes. The exam cannot include any test or procedure designed to measure athletics agility or skill of the prospect. (Only medical personnel may be present during the exam - no coaches or other personnel are allowed)
- Expenses for medical treatment (including transportation and other related costs) incurred by a student-athlete as a result of an athletically related injury. Medical documentation must be available to support the necessity of the treatment at a location other than the institution.
- Surgical expenses to a student-athlete (including partial or nonqualifier) who is injured during the academic year while participating in voluntary physical activities that will prepare the student-athlete for competition.
- Medication and physical therapy utilized by a student-athlete during the academic year to enable the individual to participate in intercollegiate athletics.
- Preseason dental examination conducted in conjunction with a regular preseason physical examination.
Impermissible Medical Expenses
Student-athlete medical expenses that may NOT be financed by the University of Louisville are (NCAA Bylaw 16.4.2):
- Student-athlete health insurance. Unless the student-athlete is in a certain sector of the student body that is required to purchase health insurance.
- Surgical expenses to treat an injury or illness that was not the result of practice for or participation in intercollegiate athletics at the institution and did not occur in voluntary physical activities that will prepare the student-athlete for competition.
- Medical or hospital expenses incurred as the result of an injury while going to or from class, or while participating in classroom requirements, unless similar services are provided by the institution to all students or by the terms and conditions of the institution's overall insurance program.
- Teeth cleaning, provisional filling of teeth or other dental work, unless the dental work is directly related to an injury to the teeth that occurred during practice or competition.
Free or Reduced Cost Services
An athletics representative may not provide a student-athlete with professional services (for which a fee normally would be charged, e.g., legal, medical, dental) without charge or at a reduced cost. Professional services provided at less than the normal rate or at no expense to a student-athlete are considered an extra benefit unless they are available on the same basis to the general student body (NCAA Bylaw 16.12.2.2.1).
Other Prohibited Benefits
An institutional employee or representative of the institution's athletics interests may not provide a student-athlete with extra benefits or services, including, but not limited to (NCAA Bylaw 16.12.2.3):
- A loan of money
- A guarantee of bond
- The use of an automobile
- Signing or cosigning a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan
