Dear Alumni, Parents and Friends,
We are extremely grateful for your leadership support of Charleston Southern University Athletics. Based on your interactions with Charleston Southern University Athletics, you are defined as a “booster” by NCAA rules. CSU is responsible for the actions of its boosters and your improper conduct could jeopardize the eligibility of our student-athletes.
With your connection to Charleston Southern University Athletics, you may have the opportunity to develop relationships with our student-athletes and their families. The information below provides guidance related to a few important NCAA rules that can help guide your relationship. This document provides a general overview of key NCAA rules regarding interaction between you and current student-athletes but it is not a comprehensive guide, so please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns.
Extra Benefits: Providing Gifts, Items or Assistance
The NCAA prohibits student-athletes as well as their families and friends from receiving benefits or special arrangements because of the student’s status as a student-athlete unless those same benefits or arrangements are available to all students or to the general public. Here are some examples of potentially impermissible benefits (not an exhaustive list):
- Use of an automobile or otherwise providing transportation;
- Entertainment or admission to an event (e.g., movie, athletic event, banquet, club, special event/ party, concert), including paying for a CSU event;
- Assistance with paying bills (e.g., cell phone, gas money, rent, utilities);
- Loans (including co-signing);
- Cash or loans in any amount;
- Gifts of any kind, including for special occasions such as birthdays, religious holidays, graduation, get well, or as condolences. A birthday card is permissible, as long as no gift is included. • Free or discounted services, rentals, purchases of any type (e.g., meals, drinks, clothing, laundry, haircuts, legal fees, tattoos, golf, car repairs);
- Free or discounted housing for any length of time.
The general question is: Is the item, service or discount available to the general population or CSU student population? If not, then it would be an impermissible benefit and could result in a violation of NCAA rules.
What about Meals?
There are few better ways to get to know someone than over a shared meal. While you cannot buy a meal for a student-athlete at a restaurant, you may buy or serve a meal to a student-athlete on an infrequent or special occasions under the following conditions:
- The meal may only be provided in your home or on CSU’s campus. This meal may be catered.
- If you are hosting the meal at your home, you may provide reasonable local transportation to student athletes to attend the meal. You may pick up the student at his/her residence and drop him/her off, but you cannot send a car, taxi, or Uber.
- The meals do not occur more than once or twice a month.
- These meals must be approved in advance by CSU’s Athletic Compliance Office by contacting our Director for Compliance.
- You may meet a student-athlete for a meal or coffee if the student-athlete pays their own cost of food or drink.
Employment of Student-Athletes
You may employ a student-athlete as long as the following conditions are met:
- The student-athlete is only paid for work actually performed and at the going rate;
- The student-athlete may not be compensated for any value that the student-athlete’s publicity, reputation, fame or personal following may provide to the business;
- Employers may not advertise a student-athlete’s employment to generate extra business, nor may they use a student-athlete’s name or picture to advertise, promote, or recommend the sale or use of any commercial product or service;
- Student-athletes cannot be provided with any benefits not provided to other employees; and
- The student-athlete must report his/her job(s) with the CSU’s Athletic Compliance Office.
Commercial Promotions, Charitable Events and Autographs
- Commercial Promotions: You may be so impressed with a student-athlete that you want to tell the world. However, if you feature a current student-athlete in your business or in some other for-profit manner, you may jeopardize the student-athlete’s eligibility. NCAA rules prohibit using a student- athlete’s name, picture, or appearance for commercial purposes. Feel free to take pictures with a student-athlete and share on social media for non-commercial reasons (e.g., after a game, when you have a student-athlete in your home for an occasional meal or if you meet to discuss career opportunities).
- Charitable Events: Student-athletes may want to support your charitable or non-profit group. This may be permissible depending on the nature of the group and if the student-athlete’s name, picture, or appearance is not involved with any commercial sponsorship (including co-sponsorship). Please contact our Director of Compliance if you are interested in having a student-athlete appear for a charitable event.
- Autographs: Student-athletes can sign and personalize autographs for you or your family, or provide you with tokens of memorabilia, as long as the student-athlete is not provided a benefit in exchange for the item or autograph. Student-athletes cannot sell memorabilia or apparel to you.
Academic Integrity & Academic Assistance
You may possess a particular expertise or skill-set that you think may be helpful to a student-athlete. Please remember, student-athletes already receive assistance from advisors and tutors and are expected to complete assignments independently. Student-athletes love getting encouragement, so feel free to ask about classes!
Ask Before You Act!
NCAA rules violations, regardless of intention, can jeopardize the eligibility of a student-athlete and his/her team. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you again for your support of Charleston Southern University Athletics.
Go Bucs!
Lisa Gilmore
Associate Athletic Director for Compliance/SWA
Phone: (843) 863-7078 Email: lgilmore@csuniv.edu
