UTSA Athletics Compliance Office Current Student-Athletes

UTSA Athletics Compliance Office — Current Student-Athletes

  • Student-athlete handbook
  • Academic eligibility (see page 7 of handbook)
  • Drug policy (see page 30 of handbook)
  • Hosting a prospect (NCAA Bylaw 13.6.7.5/see page 8 of handbook)
  • Complimentary admissions policy (see page 8 of handbook)
  • Bookstore policies COMING SOON
  • UTSA Intent to Transfer Policy


Gambling
Student-athletes, athletics department staff members, nonathletics department staff members with responsibilities within or over the athletics department (e.g., chancellor or president, faculty athletics representative, individual to whom athletics reports) and conference office staff members shall not knowingly participate in sports wagering activities or provide information to individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports wagering activities concerning intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics competition.

Sports wagering includes placing, accepting or soliciting a wager (on a staff member's or student-athlete's own behalf or on the behalf of others) of any type with any individual or organization on any intercollegiate, amateur or professional team or contest.

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"Don’t Bet On It"


What is a booster?

A “representative of UTSA’s athletics interests,” or “booster,” is anyone who:

  • Has ever participated in or is currently a member of the various athletic department support groups.
  • Has purchased season tickets.
  • Has made a donation to the athletics program.
  • Has helped arrange summer and/or vacation employment for student athletes.
  • Has been involved, in anyway, in the promotion of UTSA’s athletics program.


 


Extra benefits
Prospective and current student-athletes may not receive extra benefits.  An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or representative of the institution’s athletic interests to provide a student-athlete or his/her family a benefit not authorized by NCAA legislation.  Extra benefits would include, but are not limited to:

  • An employment arrangement for a prospect’s relatives.
  • Gifts of clothing or equipment.
  • Cosigning of loans.
  • Providing loans to a prospect’s relatives or friends.
  • Cash or like items.
  • Use of an automobile.
  • Any tangible items, including merchandise.
  • Free or reduced-cost services, rentals or purchases of any type.
  • Free or reduced-cost housing.
  • Use of a college’s athletics equipment.
  • Sponsorship of or arrangement for an award banquet for high school, prep school or two-year college athletes by a college, athletics representative or its alumni groups.
  • Employment of a student-athlete at a rate higher than the wages paid for similar work.
  • Payment to a student-athlete for work not performed.


Compliance forms


Financial aid

Scholarship renewals, non-renewals and reductions
Before July 1, student-athletes will receive a letter from the Office of Financial Aid notifying them that their athletic aid will either be renewed, non-renewed or reduced for the following academic year.  If athletic aid is not renewed or reduced, the student-athlete may request a hearing through the Office of Financial Aid. Through this hearing, the final decision to renew, reduce or suspend a scholarship will be made by a “hearing committee,” and this committee will be comprised of non-athletic staff personnel. Questions regarding financial aid should be addressed to your coach, the office of athletics compliance or to the university financial aid office.

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Reimbursements
Please see the compliance office to determine what you can be reimbursed for. Please bring your class schedule and syllabus and an original itemized receipt -or- detailed order information and credit card statement - AND - blue reimbursement form (initialed by head coach).
 


Employment

A student-athlete may receive employment compensation:

Only for work that is actually performed and useful in nature;

Only for the number of hours actually worked;

At a rate commensurate with the going rate for similar services in the area.

A student-athlete MAY NOT receive:

Payment for value that you bring to the employer because of publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that you obtained because of your athletics ability;

Transportation to work or other benefits, unless the same benefits are available equally to all employees;

Compensation for working at any facility owned in any part by the athletic department, including the tennis center.

The following additional limitations will apply if you are receiving compensation for providing instruction in your sport (i.e. "fee for lesson"):

You may receive payment for giving lessons in their sport as long as you do not use University facilities;

You must actually provide skill instruction - "playing lessons" are not permitted;

You compensation must be paid by the lesson recipient or the recipient's family and not another outside individual or entity;

You may not use your identity to advertise lesson availability.
 


Amateurism
Criteria for Amateur Status
NCAA amateur status may be lost as a result of activities prior to enrollment in college. You will lose your amateur status and thus be ineligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if you:

Use your athletic skill for pay in any form;

Accept a promise of pay, even if the pay is to be received following completion of intercollegiate athletics participation;

Sign a contract of any kind to play professional athletics;

Receive, directly or indirectly, a salary, reimbursement or expenses or any other form of financial assistance from a professional sports organization

Compete on any professional athletics team, even if no pay or remuneration for expenses was received;

Enter into a professional draft subsequent to initial full-time collegiate enrollment;

Enter into an agreement with an agent.
 


Prohibited forms of pay
Only amateur student-athletes are eligible for intercollegiate athletics participation. A professional athlete is one who receives any kind of payment for athletics participation except as permitted by NCAA legislation. Examples of prohibited forms of pay include:

Direct or indirect salary, gratuity or comparable compensation;

Any division or split of surplus (e.g., bonuses, game receipts, etc.);

Cash or an equivalent as an award for participation in competition, even if permitted under the rules governing an amateur, non-collegiate event in which you are participating;

Expenses from an outside amateur sports organization in excess of actual and necessary travel, room and board, and apparel and equipment for practice and competition;

Any payment, including actual and necessary expenses, conditioned on place finish or performance or given on an incentive basis;

Preferential treatment because of your athletics reputation or skill or future earning potential as a professional athlete.
 


Agents
What should you do if an agent contacts you?

Notify the Associate Athletics Director for Compliance or your head coach immediately.

Instruct the agent to send copies of any written information he or she has, or will provide to you, to the UTSA Athletics Compliance Office at One UTSA Circle; San Antonio, TX 78249.

DO NOT take any money, or accept anything of value. Taking money or accepting anything of value will make you ineligible to compete.

Be cautious of agents using "runners" also known as "middlemen" to talk to you or give you anything of value. The same rules apply if you take money, or accept anything of value from a "runner".

At any time you have questions or concerns regarding agents call the Associate Athletic Director for Compliance or your head coach. The Associate Athletics Director for Compliance or your head coach will advise you.

If you agree before your eligibility expires to let an agent represent you right now or at a later date, you become immediately ineligible. Your collegiate athletic career at the University of Texas at San Antonio will be over. Furthermore, your actions could result in the forfeiture of games and NCAA penalties affecting your teammates, and coaches.

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