The rules governing student-athletes are extensive and complex. Listed below are some topics that you will need to understand in order to keep you, our UMass student-athletes in compliance with these rules, as well as to avoid activities that may jeopardize your eligibility to compete. If you are at all uncertain about a topic, always ask your coach, the associate athletic director for compliance or assistant athletic director for compliance or compliance assistant before you act.
EMPLOYMENT
**In all cases, an employment form should be completed for the compliance office files. Click here for an employment form in PDF format.
Summer Employment:
All earnings from summer employment must be at a rate of pay that is comparable with the going rate for that type of work performed.
Your employer cannot provide you with any benefit of privilege that is not provided to all employees.
Camp/Clinic Employment:
In sports other than football, student-athletes may be employed as counselors in camps and clinics. This type of employment must be pre-approved by the compliance office.
Academic Year Employment:
All earnings must be at a rate that is in accordance with the going rate for the type of work performed.
You may not use your notoriety as a student-athlete to gain customers or business for a commercial entity.
EXTRA BENEFITS
You may not accept gifts, money, transportation, loans or special benefits from anyone (coaches, staff, faculty, fans, mentors, or boosters) because of your status as an athlete. This rule also applies to your family and friends.
The NCAA defines an extra benefit as any special arrangement to provide a student-athlete or his/her relatives or friends with something that is not provided in general to the student body. Someone whom you are not naturally or legally dependent cannot provide you with anything for free or at a reduced rate because you are a student athlete.
Extra benefits include, but are not limited to:
1. A special discount, payment arrangement, or credit on purchase (e.g. airline ticket, clothing) or services (e.g. laundry, auto repair, attorney fees).
2. A loan of money or guarantee of bond at a special rate.
3. Use of an automobile that belongs to a coach, staff member, booster, etc.
4. Free or discount meals or services at a commercial establishment.
5. Benefits connected with off-campus housing (e.g. use of TV sets, room furnishings, etc.)
6. Signing or co-signing of a loan by a coach, booster etc.
7. Use of personal property that belongs to a coach, booster, etc.(e.g. car, stereo, home, etc.)
FINANCIAL AID
You will be ineligible for competition if you receive institutional financial aid or any aid based on athletics ability in excess of a full grant-in aid. Please contact the compliance assistant at (413) 577-1247 or ehetzel@admin.umass.edu should you have questions regarding financial aid.
ETHICAL BEHAVIOR
Gambling
Betting on your own institution will result in permanent ineligibility. Betting on other sports teams, collegiate or professional, will result in a year of no competition and the loss of a year's eligibility.
Academic Integrity
Violation of Academic Integrity is an institutional issue and may result in expulsion from the University.
ELIGIBILITY
Failure to meet any of the requirements listed below may make you ineligible to compete for UMass.
Get approval from your coach ans the compliance office before competing for any team or at an event outside of your activities as a UMass student-athlete.
Each year you must sign the NCAA "Student-Athlete Statement" and "Drug-Testing Consent Form" before you practice or compete.
You must be enrolled in 12 credit hours at all times to practice and compete
You must pass at least 24 credit hours every year. No more than six of those hours can be earned during the summer term or by taking correspondence courses.
You must maintain a grade point average that keeps you in good academic standing with the University. If you fall below a 2.0 cumulative GPA, the University will put you on probation for a semester, after which if you fail to bring it up to a 2.0 GPA or higher, you may be dismissed from UMass for academic reasons. The NCAA also has rules about declaring/changing your degree, making progress toward your degree, and the GPA you must maintain along the way. Questions concerning degree progress may be directed towards your academic advisor or:
Participation on an outside team is limited to vacation periods and summer break, outside your practice and playing season.
Participation may also be limited by the number of UMass student-athletes on a summer team. Please get approval from your coach or the compliance office prior to participating. Click here for a Summer Participation Form in PDF format.
Men's and women's basketball players must have prior approval to participate in summer basketball. Click here to obtain the permission form in PDF format. Please return this form to the compliance office.
Student-athletes enrolling in summer school courses must have pre-approval. Please see your academic advisor to complete the necessary paperwork if you wish the athletic department to cover the cost of the courses. Contact the registrar's office at (413) 545-0555 for approval of summer courses to be taken at another institution.
AMATEURISM AND AGENTS
Student-athletes may not receive "pay" for participation directly or indirectly in their sport including cash prizes or awards. Doing so will result in a loss of amateur status and you will be deemed ineligible for intercollegiate athletic competition.
Student-athletes may not sign a contract or agree verbally or in writing to be represented by an agent or financial advisor; even if the agreement is not effective until a further date.
Please note that it is permissible to speak with agents. It is also permissible to have an attorney that interprets contracts or professional league information.
You may not tryout for a professional team during the academic year. Additionally, any tryout during the summer should be reported to the compliance office.
Agents must register with the compliance office. If you are contacted by an agent, please report it to the Associate A.D. for Compliance.
PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES
Student-athletes may not endorse or promote any commercial product.
Any use of your name, picture, or appearance to support UMass, or charitable, educational or non-profit activities requires a signed participation form. Click here for a promotional activities authorization form in PDF format.
Student-athletes cannot miss class for a promotional activity.
Student-athletes may receive legitimate expenses for approved promotional activities provided it is within the state or within 100 miles of the institution.
