NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT

SUSAN PEAL [email protected]

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TODAY’S SESSION OVERVIEW.

Newly Adopted NCAA Division I Legislation – NLI Impact.

Case Studies.

Determining the Status of the NLI.

NLI Resources.

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Before today’s session

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NLI EDUCATION

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NEWLY ADOPTED NCAA DIVISION I LEGISLATION – NLI IMPACT

DIVISION I – MULTIYEAR ATHLETICS AID AGREEMENTS

 NLI remains a one-year agreement.

 Athletics aid accompanying NLI must include athletics aid for the same academic year as the NLI.

Non Permissible Example: 2012-13 : Athletic Aid Amount = $0 2013-14 : Athletic Aid Amount = $20,000 2014-15: Athletic Aid Amount = $20,000

 Early enrollee now permitted to sign NLI in November and receive athletics aid for spring term.

Permissible Example: Athletic aid for Spring 2013 + athletic aid accompanying NLI for 2013-14.

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DIVISION I FBS – FOOTBALL SIGNING LIMITS

 NCAA Bylaw 13.9.2.3

Annual signing limit of 25 on the number of PSAs who may sign an NLI or athletics aid agreement from December 1 through May 31.

A PSA who signs an NLI or an athletics aid agreement and becomes an initial counter for the same academic year in which the signing occurred (e.g., midyear enrollee) shall not count toward the annual limit on signings.

This legislation does not change the football NLI signing period.

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NLI CASE STUDIES

AMATEURISM QUESTIONS STATUS

FACTS: PSA’s NCAA Eligibility Center record shows “PSA Not Registered for This Sport”. PSA completed the questions for one sport and did not register for the second sport identified on her NLI.

QUESTION: Can the institution issue an NLI to the PSA if she did not answer the sports participation questions for the sport she is signing with ?

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AMATEURISM QUESTIONS STATUS

ANSWER: PSA would have registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center and answered the sports participation questions which meets NCAA Bylaw 13.9.1. NLI can be issued and signed by the PSA.     Other Amateurism Notations: Suspended Review: NLI can be issued and signed.

Not Certified – No Response: NLI can be issued and signed.

Amateurism – Incomplete Web Entry: NLI can be issued and signed.

Amateurism – Amat. Questions Incomplete: NLI cannot be issued and signed.

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SIGNING DEADLINE

FACTS: Football PSA was issued an NLI on March 20, 2012. The PSA signed the NLI on April 3, 2012.

QUESTION: Is this NLI valid since the PSA signed within the 14 day signing deadline ?

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SIGNING DEADLINE

ANSWER: This NLI would be INVALID since the PSA signed it after the last day for the football signing period (April 1, 2012).

PSA does have 14 days to sign the NLI; however, the 14 day signing deadline does not apply during the November signing period and does not apply if there are not 14 days remaining in the signing period.

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NLI SIGNATURES

FACTS: Institution sends the NLI and athletics aid agreement to the PSA via email. The PSA and parent electronically sign the documents and send back to the institution via email. QUESTION: Is the NLI valid if the PSA and parent used an electronic signature ?

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NLI SIGNATURES

ANSWER: Electronic signatures are permissible if the signature is a replica of the PSA and parent’s signature. A printed signature or a signature typed in a software program that converts into a signature (shown in next slide) is not permissible.

The director of athletics or designee’s signature can be entered using the pdf stamp function.

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NLI SIGNATURES – INVALID EXAMPLE

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SIGNING ONLY ATHLETICS AID AGREEMENT

FACTS: PSA signs only an athletics aid agreement in November.

QUESTION: Would the PSA be permitted to sign an NLI with another institution in April ?

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SIGNING ONLY ATHLETICS AID AGREEMENT

ANSWER: The PSA would be permitted to sign an NLI with an athletics aid agreement in April even though the PSA signed an athletics aid agreement in November with a different institution. The athletics aid agreement is only binding on the institution and not the PSA.

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RECRUITING BAN

FACTS: Hall of Fame University has been contacted by Victory College requesting that HFU place one of VC’s NLI signees on their unofficial visit pass list for the upcoming contest between HFU and VC.

QUESTION: Can HFU provide the PSA with unofficial visit complimentary tickets to their men’s basketball game ?

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RECRUITING BAN

ANSWER: It is not permissible for Hall of Fame University to place the PSA who signed with Victory College on the unofficial visit pass list. This activity constitutes recruiting activity per NCAA rules. This would be an NLI recruiting ban violation.

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4-2-4 TRANSFER

FACTS: Student-athlete attended the signing institution 2008-09 and 2009-10. Enrolled at a two-year college for the 2010 11academic year. 2011-12 not enrolled in classes anywhere. In May 2011 signed an NLI with a Division I institution, did not enroll at that signing institution and still shows valid NLI on the student-athlete’s record.

QUESTION: Another institution wants to sign the PSA for 2012-13 enrollment. Can this 4-2-4 sign ?

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4-2-4 TRANSFER

ANSWER: The student-athlete would have fulfilled his first NLI at the four year institution in 2008-09.

The second four-year institution would have needed the student athlete to graduate from the two-year college since he is a Division I 4-2-4 transfer. If he did not graduate from the two year college for fall 2011 enrollment, his NLI is declared null and void.

If the NLI is null and void, he could sign an NLI during the 2011 12 signing year since the previous NLI was signed during the 2010-11 signing year.

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2-4 TRANSFER

FACTS: PSA is a 2-4 transfer signing with your institution. She will not graduate from the two-year college but was a qualifier. QUESTION: Does the PSA have to graduate from the two-year college for the NLI to remain binding ?

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2-4 TRANSFER

ANSWER: The PSA would need to graduate from the two-year college under two circumstances: • If the PSA has to graduate to fulfill NCAA 2-4 transfer requirements.

• If the PSA has a previously signed NLI that is still binding. In this case, the previous NLI is declared null and void if the PSA graduates from the two-year college.

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4-4 TRANSFER

FACTS: Student-athlete did not sign an NLI before attending a four year institution for fall 2011. He withdraws from the institution in December 2011 and wants to enroll at another four-year institution for fall 2012.

QUESTION: Can this student-athlete sign an NLI during the spring signing since he withdrew from the four-year institution ?

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4-4 TRANSFER

ANSWER: A four-year transfer is not permitted to sign an NLI, including international transfers. Per NCAA rules, a transfer attending any foreign collegiate institution (including two-year college) is a four-year transfer.

It is permissible to provide an athletics aid agreement to a four-year transfer prior to the NLI signing dates.

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SUMMER SCHOOL

FACTS: PSA attends signing institution’s summer school and receives athletics aid for the summer term. PSA decides he does not want to continue his enrollment at the signing institution so he pursues his interest at a different institution for the fall.

QUESTION: What rule does the institution have to comply with in this situation, NLI or NCAA ?

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SUMMER SCHOOL

ANSWER: Since the PSA received athletics aid, he triggers the definition of a student-athlete. Therefore, he is now a transfer student athlete so he would need an exception to transfer, if applicable for that sport, in addition to the NLI release request.

For purposes of NCAA Bylaw 13, he has also triggered the definition of a student-athlete. The NLI recruiting ban no longer applies so he would need the NCAA permission to contact.

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INITIAL ELIGIBLITY REQUIREMENTS

FACTS: PSA is declared a nonqualifier before the institution’s first day of class. The institution is aware that the PSA will complete one core course deficiency during the fall term at a prep school and enroll at the signing institution in the spring. During the fall term the institution has notified the NCAA Eligibility Center about the additional core course and requested a suspended certification.

QUESTION: Does the institution have to declare the NLI null and void ?

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INITIAL ELIGIBLITY REQUIREMENTS

ANSWER: If the PSA does not meet the initial eligibility requirements by the first day of class, the NLI must be declared null and void.

The NLI can remain binding if the institution is filing an initial eligibility waiver or if the institution is aware of additional information being sent, in a timely manner, to determine the eligibility certification.

The institution does not have to wait until the first day of classes to declare the NLI null and void if the last opportunity to meet the requirements has passed and the PSA has not met them.

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FAILURE TO SUBMIT ACADEMIC RECORDS

FACTS: Fall semester classes have started. PSA did not enroll at the signing institution and did not submit final transcripts to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

QUESTION: Is this PSA’s NLI still binding ?

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FAILURE TO SUBMIT ACADEMIC RECORDS

ANSWER: Failure to complete the admissions or the NCAA Eligibility Center process does not mean the NLI is automatically declared null and void.

If an institution has concern that a PSA purposely failed to provide all necessary academic credentials to the institution or the NCAA Eligibility Center, the NLI office should be notified for further review. Based on its review, the NLI office may determine the NLI remain binding.

If a PSA is instructed by the institution to not complete the admission or initial eligibility process then the NLI should be declared null and void.

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PSA NOT ENROLLING AT SIGNING INSTITUTION

FACTS: PSA is certified as a qualifier prior to the first day of classes. Fall term has started and she did not enroll at the signing institution.

QUESTION: Does the institution declare the NLI null and void ?

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PSA NOT ENROLLING AT SIGNING INSTITUTION

ANSWER: If the PSA fails to enroll, she has not fulfilled the NLI agreement to attend the signing institution for one academic year. The NLI would remain binding.

If the PSA notified the institution that she would delay enrollment until the spring term and the institution is in agreement, the athletics aid would be available to the PSA and the NLI remains binding.

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VOLUNTARILY WITHDRAW FROM TEAM

FACTS: PSA participates in two weeks of practice and then decides to quit the team. This PSA did sign an NLI.

QUESTION: Does the institution have to provide the PSA with an NLI complete release if the institution is cancelling the athletics aid per NCAA rule ?

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VOLUNTARILY WITHDRAW FROM TEAM

ANSWER: If a student-athlete voluntarily withdraws from the team, the NLI should remain binding. The institution should not provide the student-athlete with a null and void NLI if he or she has not fulfilled the NLI agreement.

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COMPETITION WHILE SERVING NLI PENALTY

FACTS: Student-athlete competes in the institution’s first contest of the season. Later it is discovered the student-athlete signed an NLI with another institution and never fulfilled the NLI agreement with that institution.

QUESTION: Does the institution submit the violation to NCAA Enforcement for competing an ineligible student-athlete ?

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COMPETITION WHILE SERVING NLI PENALTY

ANSWER: This is an NLI issue and not an NCAA violation. If a student athlete competes while subject to the NLI penalty:  The NLI Policy and Review Committee has the authority to suspend NLI signings for the upcoming signing period in that institution’s respective sport.  The penalty will not result in vacating wins and will not require student-athlete reinstatement.  The student-athlete will be withheld from competition in order to continue serving the NLI penalty.

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DETERMINING THE STATUS OF THE NLI

VIEW NLI RECORD IN THE NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER MEMBER INSTITUTION PORTAL

Institution can view NLI information when activated on the IRL.

10-Nov-10 Valid Dunder Mifflin University Baseball If attending your institution and NLI record shows Valid without a Complete Release, the student-athlete may be subject to the NLI penalty .

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VIEW NLI RECORD IN THE NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER MEMBER INSTITUTION PORTAL

If a PSA signed during a previous signing year, did not enroll at the four-year institution and the NLI was declared null and void or was granted a complete release, the PSA is permitted to sign an NLI during the next signing year.

Null and Void Dunder Mifflin University Baseball Conference office administrator will not be able to enter NLI if it is still valid.

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VIEW NLI RECORD IN THE NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER MEMBER INSTITUTION PORTAL

Once an NLI release is filed with the NLI Office, the release status will appear on the NCAA Eligibility Center member institution portal.

Dunder Mifflin University Baseball Confirmation from the NLI office is not needed if the information is showing in the student’s record.

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NLI REPORTS

All PSAs who signed NLIs will appear on that institution’s report in the NCAA Eligibility Center Member Institution Portal. This NLI report should be checked frequently.

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NLI RESOURCES

NLI RESOURCES

• NLI Website: www.national-letter.org

• NLI Administrative Guidelines and Interpretations • NLI Quick Reference Guide • NCAA Eligibility Center Member Institution Portal

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QUESTIONS

SUSAN PEAL [email protected]