Compliance Info for Family, Friends and Fans

To Our Family, Friends, and Fans:

Lehigh University has an excellent tradition of success in academics and athletics. As many of you know, LU is responsible for the conduct of its athletics programs and actions of all organizations and individuals engaged in promoting the athletics interest of the University. 

Our success is in large part due to you – our loyal supporters. As a member of the NCAA and Patriot League Conference, Lehigh University is obligated to abide by NCAA rules and regulations governing the eligibility, amateur status and recruitment of student-athletes. Under these rules, alumni and friends of the University are just as responsible for rules compliance as our coaches and staff. Thus, the University must take every effort to educate those supporting our programs. Again this year we would like to remind you of some of our rules.

 
Our best advice: If you have to think twice about the propriety of any action, please ask before you do!!! Contact the coach, athletic director or compliance coordinator (610.758.4607). 

In general, you may not provide anything or make special arrangements (arrangements that are not available to the general student population or general public) for:
 
  • current student-athletes
  • prospective student-athletes, or
  • past student-athletes

This list is intended as a guide and is not exhaustive:
 
  • DO provide employment at regular rates of pay similarly to student-athlete and non-athlete employees during the summer. We welcome positive support and involvement of our alumni in obtaining summer jobs and internships for our student-athletes. Please let us know of opportunities.
  • DO work with our student-athletes on Name, Image and Likeness deals.  The student-athlete must perform work for the arrangment and report it through required processes on campus.  
  • DO call a Lehigh coach, athletic director or compliance coordinator to ask questions about permissibility of activities.
  • DO invite a team to meet with alumni or friends when in a city where they play. Always make arrangements through our head coach or athletics department administrator.
  • DO NOT give money to any student-athletes, even if it’s for the purpose of paying expenses to amateur competitions. For instance, alumni cannot sponsor a golfer or tennis player who competes in a pro-am competition over the summer.
  • DO NOT provide ‘extra benefits’ to student-athletes. The NCAA considers extra benefits to be: taking a student-athlete out to dinner, providing any gift of material value (including cash loans, free use of an automobile, Birthday/Christmas presents/cards or co-signing a loan), not charging or providing special discounts for professional services that other students have to pay full price for (haircuts, dental work, rent, etc).
  • DO NOT buy athletic event tickets from student-athletes. The NCAA prohibits a student-athlete from receiving and selling tickets.
 
  • DO call or write a Lehigh coach if you know a talented prospective student-athlete who might benefit our program.
  • DO feel free to offer your assistance to a Lehigh coach who is recruiting in your city – such as providing car or private plane transportation or suggesting people to contact about a student-athlete.
  • DO continue existing friendships with families of prospects, but you may not attempt to recruit the prospect.
  • DO attend local contests and support your community.
  • DO NOT provide transportation to Lehigh for a local high school or junior college athlete who wants to visit our campus.
  • DO NOT entertain in any way or give gifts, benefits, special treatments or free services to any high school or junior college student-athlete or his/her parents/guardians/relatives or high school, prep school or community college coaches.
  • DO NOT arrange face-to-face meetings with or go talk to a prospect, his/her parents/guardians/relatives.
  • DO NOT provide a free ticket or transport a high school or junior college athlete to any Lehigh athletic event.
  • DO NOT bring any guest to an alumni gathering or Lehigh Booster event. Your own son/daughter would be an exception.
  • DO NOT telephone, write or e-mail to high school or junior college athletes about attending Lehigh. 
 
  • DO tell athletic department personnel invited to speak at alumni functions if high school student-athletes will be in attendance. There are certain time periods when coaches are prohibited from any contact with a student-athlete off-campus.
  • DO NOT invite select high school student-athletes to alumni events whether on or off-campus. NCAA rules PROHIBIT contact. Alumni and friends of the University can entertain high school students under certain conditions that do not involve singling out student-athletes for special treatment such as inviting all high school seniors through an Alumni Admissions Outreach Program.  
 

What is recruiting?

Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect or a prospect's relative by an institutional staff member or representative of athletics interests for the purpose of securing the prospect's enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution's athletic program. 

Who is a prospect?

A student-athlete becomes a prospect when they start classes for the ninth grade, or the student-athlete or their family and friends receive any benefits from the institution that are not provided to the general population. 

What is a booster/representative of athletics interests?

An individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution's executive or athletics administration who has participated in promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program, has made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution, has assisted in recruiting or providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes, or has been otherwise involved in promoting the institution's ahtletics program. 

Can a booster provide a benefit to a prospective student-athlete or a current student-athlete?

No.  The NCAA prohibits anyone from providing benefits or services to a prospective student-athlete or a current student-athlete.  One of the only exceptions to this rule is if there is a clear pre-existing relationship between the booster and the student-athlete (i.e., son or daughter).  If you have any questions, just ask!

What is a pre-existing relationship?

To determine whether or not there is a pre-existing relationship, answer the questions below: 

1. Did the relationship between the athlete (or the athlete's parents) and the individual providing the benefit(s) develop as a result of the athlete's participation in athletics or notoriety related thereto?

2. Did the relationship between the athlete (or the athlete's parents) and the individual providing the benefit(s) predate the athlete's status as a prospective student-athlete?

3. Did the relationship between the athlete (or the athlete's parents) and the individual providing the benefit(s) predate the athlete's status achieved as a result of his or her athletics ability or reputation?

4. Was the pattern of benefits provided by the individual to the athlete (or the athlete's parents) prior to the athlete attaining notoriety as a skilled athlete similar in nature to those provided after attaining such stature?

If the answer to (1) is "no" and the answers to (2-4) are "yes," then there is a pre-existing relationship.  

Can a booster take a prospective student-athlete to a game?

If there is a pre-existing relationship between the booster and the student-athlete, the booster may take the prospective athlete to a game at the member institution.  If you are unsure whether or not you may provide a benefit to a prospective student-athlete, contact Lehigh's Athletic Compliance Office at 610.758.4607.Â