Nova Southeastern University Athletics

Welcome Alumni, Friends, Visitors and Boosters!

Nova Southeastern University is an active member of NCAA Division II, and the University is responsible for ensuring that its various constituencies (e.g. University staff, faculty, students, alumni, and friends) abide by NCAA and Sunshine State Conference rules. Under NCAA rules, alumni and friends are categorized as “representatives of Nova Southeastern’s athletic interests.”

This page serves as a quick reference tool regarding NCAA Division II rules which apply to our "athletic representatives." Not all applicable situations are included, so if you have questions, please contact NSU Sharks Compliance BEFORE any contact with a prospective or enrolled student-athlete. Most violations are unintended, which is why we encourage asking questions!

Nova Southeastern University appreciates your continued support and interest, and respectfully reminds you that an inappropriate contact or any inadvertent action on your part can jeopardize the eligibility of our enrolled and prospective student-athletes and the University's compliance with NCAA Division II rules.

If you have ANY questions about contacting enrolled or prospective student-athletes, or about any NCAA rules, please contact:

Yashiva Edwards
Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and NCAA Rules Education
yedwards@nova.edu
 

HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM A "REPRESENTATIVE OF ATHLETIC INTERESTS"?
You are if you can answer YES to any of the following questions:

* You are or ever have been a member of an organization promoting Nova Southeastern’s athletic programs
* Have you ever made a donation to Nova Southeastern’s athletic programs?
* Have you ever helped to arrange or provide summer employment for an enrolled student-athlete?
* Have you ever contacted a high school student for a Nova Southeastern athletic program?
* Have you ever assisted in providing any benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families?
* Have you ever been involved in any way with Nova Southeastern’s athletic programs?

Once an individual is identified as such, he/she retains that identity indefinitely.

IMPORTANT RULES TO KNOW
Only coaches and staff members can be involved in the recruiting process. You are prohibited from contacting a prospective student-athlete or members of their family by telephone, letter, email or in person on and off-campus for the purpose of encouraging participating in our athletic program.

As a representative of athletic interests or an employee of Nova Southeastern, you cannot provide an “extra benefit” or special arrangement to a prospective or current student-athlete. Examples include:

Allowed...

• If desired, provide an occasional family meal for student-athletes at any time. You may also provide transportation for the athletes attending this meal.
• Attend games where prospects are competing, as long as no contact is made with the prospect or prospect's parents.
• Continue normal contact with prospects with which you have pre-established relationships, as long as the contacts are not recruiting related.
• If desired, arrange employment for prospective student-athletes, as long as the employment begins after high school graduation and pay is commensurate with the "going rate." Boosters with an employment opportunity for a student-athlete should contact the Athletics Department.
• Accept a phone call from a prospect, as long as the prospect initiates the call. All questions regarding the institution's athletics department should be directed back to the Athletics Department.
• Notify the Athletics Department or coaching staff members about outstanding prospects.
• Check with the Sharks Compliance Office before you do anything that may jeopardize a current or prospective student-athlete's eligibility.

Not Allowed...

• Provide a prospective student athlete, his/her parents, relatives, friends or coaches with any material benefit.
• Make recruiting presentations to groups of prospective student-athletes.
• Make in-person on or off-campus recruiting contact, telephone calls or establish written correspondence with prospective student-athletes.
• Entertain or provide awards or gifts for a current student-athlete or his/her family and friends.
• Pay a student-athlete for a speaking engagement.
• Use a student-athlete's name, picture, or appearance to promote sales or advertise the use of a commercial product or service without authorization.
• Pay or offer to pay for registration fees for summer sports camps for a prospect.
• If you believe that there is a young person with athletic talent who might be interested in attending NSU, DO NOT contact him or her directly. Instead, please talk to the appropriate coach. The coach will then make contact.

HOW CAN I HELP THE SHARKS WIN?
Besides cheering on the Sharks, you can help us by:

* Joining the Sharks Athletics Association or making a tax-deductible monetary donation to our athletic program
* Contacting our coaching staff if you know of a young person in your hometown who could be a strong addition to our athletic programs
* Notifying the Athletic Department if your company or employer has summer employment or internship opportunities available; this is an excellent opportunity for our student-athletes to gain valuable experience
* Abiding by all applicable NCAA regulations and asking questions BEFORE contacting a student-athlete


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Is Nova Southeastern responsible for the actions of its alumni and boosters?
A. YES. Alumni and boosters are governed by the same NCAA and institutional rules as those placed upon institutional staff members

Q. What is an "extra benefit"?
A. An "extra benefit" would include provision of any transportation, meals, clothes, entertainment, preferential loan terms, free legal advice or other benefits offered to an enrolled or prospective student-athlete that is unavailable to the general student population. A student-athlete may not be treated any differently than a student who does not participate in athletics.

Q. May a prospective student-athlete call an alumnus or booster?
A. Yes, an alumnus or booster may have a telephone conversation with a prospective student-athlete ONLY if the prospect initiates the call. The telephone call may not be pre-arranged by an institutional staff member, and the alumnus or booster is not permitted to have a recruiting conversation with the prospect, but may exhibit normal civility. The alumnus or booster must refer all questions regarding the University's athletic program to the Athletic Department.

Q. Who should I call if I would like to hire a student-athlete?
A. Please contact the Athletic Department PRIOR to arranging any employment with a student-athlete so that the necessary documentation and procedures can be followed.

Q. Can a student-athlete participate in a charity event?
A. YES, in certain instances under certain conditions. "A member institution or recognized entity thereof (e.g., fraternity, sorority, or student government organization), a member conference or a non-institutional charitable, educational or nonprofit agency may use a student-athlete's name, picture or appearance to support its charitable or educational activities or to support activities considered incidental to the student-athlete's participation in intercollegiate athletics, provided certain conditions are met." Please use this form to see if your event qualifies as a permissible event for student-athlete participation.
 
An NCAA violation could result in the following consequences:

• A currently enrolled student-athlete being declared ineligible for competition.
• A prospect's eligibility being jeopardized.
• Damage to the reputation and to the integrity of NSU Athletics.
• NCAA sanctions

 
Additional Resources:
NCAA Role of Boosters
Sharks Athletics Fund