Athletics Compliance

Mission

The mission of the Liberty University Athletics Compliance Team is to advance and support Liberty University’s Mission Statement by maintaining the NCAA principle of institutional control through proactive, comprehensive education of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, and supporters of Flames athletics on NCAA, Big South Conference, and Liberty University rules and regulations and effectively monitoring policies and procedures designed to protect Liberty University and its constituents.  The Compliance Team shall serve to advance the uncompromising integrity and commitment to the highest standards of ethical behavior at Liberty University and strive to ensure a positive student-athlete experience while continuing the tradition of athletic excellence.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (Romans 13:1, ESV)

Meet the Staff

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Vision

Athletics Compliance aspires to become a nationwide example for excellence and integrity in compliance among all other NCAA institutions.

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Values

Athletics Compliance is committed to the values of:

• Excellence
• Integrity
• Accountability
• Service

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Institutional Control

Liberty University’s Athletics Compliance Office functions within the realm of the University’s compliance structure, coordinating, monitoring and verifying compliance with all NCAA and Big South Conference requirements. The office educates not only the University but also the athletic constituencies of the school, regarding NCAA rules and regulations.

Liberty University is committed and compelled to the principle of institutional control in the operation of its athletics department in a way that is constant within the rules and regulations of the NCAA, Big South Conference and the University. As the University strives for excellence on and off the field of competition, the highest regard for ethical conduct must also be sought. In order for the athletic department to exist, outside participation is required and must be emphasized. However, any inappropriate activity outside the rules and regulations of the NCAA could jeopardize the student-athlete’s eligibility to compete athletically.

Everyone involved inside or outside the University must do his or her part in order to foster an environment that is supportive of the NCAA operating principle of competitive equity. Each person has a role and responsibility and has accountability and integrity when it comes to compliance of NCAA rules and regulations. The communication process is a must when it comes to understanding how each person fits within the structure of the NCAA rules and regulations.

If you have any questions regarding NCAA rules and regulations, especially those dealing with prospects and student-athletes, please contact the athletic compliance office. Liberty’s athletic programs need your help and support, so please cooperate to ensure the success of Flames’ Athletics, on and off the field.

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Athletic Compliance Definitions

Institutional Control

Institutional control over the athletics department and its staff is a critical requirement for NCAA member institutions. Everyone in the athletics department as well as outside people and organizations that have athletic interests must do their part to become educated regarding the NCAA rules and regulations and are responsible for their own personal conduct as well as the department as a whole. If control is not exercised, severe penalties will be enforced upon the Universities athletics department.

A lack of institutional control exists when the athletic department and its staff fails to:
Maintain compliance with NCAA rules and regulations. Monitor its athletics program on a daily basis through identifying and reporting any NCAA rules violations by athletic department staff or outside people or organizations with athletic interests. Educate athletic staff and outside people and organizations with athletic interests about any rule updates, additions and changes to NCAA rules.

Representatives of the Institution’s Athletic Interests

A representative of an institution’s athletic interests is an individual who is known (or should be known) by members of the institution’s executive or athletic administrations to:
Have participated in or to be a member of an organization that promotes the institution’s athletic interests

Have made financial contributions to the athletic department or to an athletic booster organization of the institution.

Be assisting or have request (by athletic department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospects.

Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families.
Been involved otherwise in the promotion of the institution’s athletic program.

ONCE AN INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS SUCH A REPRESENTATIVE, THAT PERSON RETAINS THAT IDENTITY INDEFINITELY.

 

Extra Benefit

An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee, or representative of the institution’s athletic interests, to provide a student-athlete, a student-athlete’s relative or student-athlete’s friend a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA rules and regulations. Receipt of a benefit by student-athletes, relative and friends is not a violation of NCAA rules and regulations if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution’s students, their relatives, friends or a particular segment of the student body (e.g. foreign students) determined on a basis unrelated to athletic ability.

Extra benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Credit on a purchase or services
• Loan of money in any amount
• Purchase of meals or services at commercial establishments
• Use of personal properties
• Providing holiday or birthday gifts
• Cash

RECEIPT OF AN EXTRA BENEFIT BY A STUDENT-ATHLETE CAN RESULT IN THE STUDENT-ATHLETE BEING DECLARED INELIGIBLE TO COMPETE.

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“Five Rules of Athletic Compliance”

1. Only coaches and athletic department staff members are permitted to be involved in the recruiting process. Alumni, friends and “other representatives of athletics interest” who are not employed by the University are not permitted to contact a prospect (or members of the prospect’s family) by letter, telephone or in-person (on or off-campus) for the purpose of soliciting their participation in the athletic program. Liberty University faculty members are permitted to have contact with the prospects, but only while on the campus.
2. A prospect remains a prospect even after he or she signs a Letter of Intent or financial aid agreement to attend the University. The prospect does not lose his/her prospect status until the start of classes at LU or the beginning of official team practice prior to the start of classes.
3. The prohibition of contact with a prospect is intended to relate to unavoidable incidental contacts with a prospect by representatives of a member institution’s athletics interest. It is understood that such a contact is not prearranged by the athletics representative or an athletic department staff member; is not made for the purpose of recruitment of the prospect; and involves only normal civility. For example, if you meet a high school student or junior college student-athlete, you can talk with them about anything except LU athletics. If you are attending a public function and find yourself talking to the parents of a prospect, you can talk about anything that doesn’t relate to the athletic department.
4. If a student-athlete accepts any benefits or special consideration based on his or her status as an athlete or because of athletic skill, the student-athlete will lose all eligibility for intercollegiate athletic participation. Do not do anything for prospective or enrolled student-athletes without specific authorization from the Liberty Athletic Compliance Office.
5. Representatives of athletic interests are reminded that NCAA rules regarding enrolled student-athletes remain in effect throughout the entire year, including summer breaks. When student-athletes complete their final season of eligibility, they must abide by NCAA rules until the end of that academic year and/or until they are no longer receiving athletics financial aid.