DEFINITIONS
13.02.11 Prospect
Anyone who has started classes for the ninth grade.
13.02.15.1 Official (Paid) Visit
An official visit is when a prospect visits the campus at the expense of UGA. A prospect is limited to five official visits, with no more than one official visit to any single institution. An official visit may not last longer than 48 hours.
13.02.15.2 Unofficial (Non-paid) Visit
An unofficial visit is when a prospect visits the campus at his or her own expense. A prospect can visit an institution’s campus an unlimited number of times.
13.6.2.6 Official Visit Limitations
The total number of official visits a member institution may provide prospects in the following sports on an annual basis (August 1 through July 31) shall be limited to:
- Football: 56
- Basketball: 12
- Baseball: 25
TRANSPORTATION
13.5.2.1 General Restrictions, Official (Paid) Visit
A member institution may pay the prospect’s actual round-trip transportation costs for his or her official paid visit to its campus, provided a direct route between the prospect’s home and the institution’s campus is used. Use of a limousine or helicopter for such transportation is prohibited.
13.5.2.2 Automobile Transportation
When a prospect travels by automobile for an official visit, the institution may pay round-trip expenses to the individual incurring the expense (except the prospect’s coach) at the same mileage rate it allows its ownpersonnel.
13.5.2.2.1 Prospect’s Friends and Relatives
A prospect’s friends, relatives or legal guardian(s) may receive cost-free transportation to visit a member institution’s campus only by accompanying the prospect at the time the prospect travels in an automobile to visit the campus.
13.5.2.3 Air Transportation
The airfare for commercial transportation for the official visit may not exceed coach (or comparable) class. Coaching staff members shall not accompany a prospect to or from an official visit when air travel is used, except as permitted in Bylaw 13.6.2.4.
13.5.2.3.1 Ticket Discounts
An institution may not arrange payment of the airline ticket to allow a prospect [or the prospect’s relatives, friends or legal guardian(s)] to take advantage of ticket bonuses, rebates, refunds of other benefits connected with the purchase of the ticket.
Interpretation: Determined that the provisions of Bylaw 1-9-(a) would prohibit a member institution from upgrading a prospective student-athlete’s airline ticket to first class by using frequent flyer points which were accumulated by the institution. (11/06/97 Staff)
13.5.2.5 To/From Site of Competition
A prospect may be transported to campus for an official visit from the site of his or her athletics competition or the reverse arrangement, provided only actual transportation expenses are paid and the cost of the transportation does not exceed the cost of transportation between the prospect’s home or educational institution and the institution’s campus.
13.5.2.7 Visiting Two or More Institutions
Two or more institutions to which a prospect is making official visits on the same trip may provide travel expenses, provided there is no duplication of expenses, only actual and necessary expenses are provided, and the 48-hour visit limitation is observed at each institution.
13.5.2.8 Transportation of Prospect’s Relatives, Friends or Legal Guardian(s)
An institution shall not permit its athletics department staff members or representatives of its athletics interests to pay, provide or arrange for the payment of transportation costs incurred by relatives, friends or legal guardian(s) of a prospect to visit the campus or elsewhere; however, and institution may:
a) Provide automobile-mileage reimbursement to a prospect on an official visit, even if relatives or friends accompany the prospect; however, in that event the trip shall count as an official paid visit only for each recruited prospect in the automobile; and
b) Provide local transportation between its campus and the nearest airport for the parents, relatives or legal guardian(s) of a prospect making an official visit.
13.5.3 Unofficial (Non paid) Visit
The institution may only provide transportation to view off-campus practice & competition sites in the prospect’s sport, and other institutional facilities. The institutional staff member must accompany the prospect on such a trip. No other transportation may be provided, which includes transportation to a home contest.
ENTERTAINMENT
13.6.6.1 General Restriction, Official (Paid) Visit
An institution may entertain a prospect and his or her parents [or legal guardian(s)] or spouse, at a scale comparable to that of normal student life, only on the institution’s campus (or, on an official visit, within 30 miles of the institution’s campus). It is not permissible to entertain other relatives or friends of a prospect at any site.
Excessive Entertainment
A member institution may not arrange or permit excessive entertainment of a prospect (e.g., hiring a band, limousine, etc.).
13.6.6.5 Student Host
The institution may provide the following to a student host entertaining a prospect:
a) A maximum of $40 for each day of the visit to cover all actual costs of entertaining the prospect (and the prospect’s parents, legal guardians or spouse), excluding the cost of meals and admission to campus athletics events. These funds may not be used for the purchase of souvenirs such as t- shirts or other institutional mementos. It is permissible to provide the student host with an additional $20 per day for each additional prospect the host entertains;
b) A complimentary meal, provided the student host is accompanying the prospect during the prospect’s official visit; and
c) A complimentary admission to a campus athletics event provided the ticket is utilized to accompany a prospect to that event during the prospect’s official visit.
13.6.6.5.2 Multiple Hosts
If several students host a prospect, the $40 per day entertainment money may be utilized to cover the actual and necessary expenses incurred by the prospect and all hosts. Only one student host per prospect may be provided a free meal if restaurant facilities are utilized.
13.6.6.7.1 Entertainment at Staff Member’s Home
A luncheon, dinner or brunch at the home of an institutional staff member (e.g., the athletics director, a coach, a faculty member or the institution’s president) may be held for a prospect on an official visit, provided the entertainment is on a scale comparable to that of normal student life, is not excessive in nature and occurs on only one occasion.
13.6.6.8 Normal Retail Cost
If a boat, snowmobile, recreational vehicle or similar recreational equipment (including those provided by an institutional staff member or a representative of athletics interests) is used to entertain a prospect of the prospect’s parents, legal guardian(s) and spouse, the normal retail cost of the use of such equipment shall be assessed against the $30-per-day entertainment figure; further, if such normal retail cost exceeds the $40-per-day entertainment allowance, such entertainment may not be provided.
13.6.6.9 Activities
An institution may not arrange miscellaneous, personalized recruiting aids (e.g., personalized jerseys, personalized audio/video scoreboard presentations) and my not permit a prospect to engage in any game-day simulations (e.g., running onto the field with the team during pre-game introductions) during an official visit. Personalized recruiting aids include any decorative items and special additions to any location the prospect will visit (e.g., hotel room, locker room, coach’s office, conference room, arena) regardless of whether or not the items include the prospect’s name or picture.
13.7.2.1 General Restrictions, Unofficial Visit
An institution may not entertain a prospect off-campus. On-campus entertainment is limited to three complimentary admissions for a home competition.
MEALS & LODGING
13.6.5 Accommodations on Official Visit
A prospect on an official visit shall be provided lodging and take meals as regular students normally do. Local commercial facilities may be used but at a scale comparable to that of normal student life and only within a 30-mile radius of the institution’s campus. It is not permissible to take a prospect to a country club.
It is permissible for an institution to pay for hotel accommodations for the parents or legal guardian(s), while the prospect stays with an enrolled student-athlete. Other individuals who are accompanying the prospect are responsible for any extra per person expenses charged by the hotel.
13.6.6.1.1 Meals and Lodging While in Transit
It is permissible for an institution to pay a prospect’s actual costs for reasonable expenses (e.g., meals, lodging) incurred while traveling to and from campus on the official visit. Meals and lodging may not be provided for those accompanying the prospect while in transit on the official visit. Those accompanying the prospect would be responsible for any expenses incurred (including any extra per person room expense charged by the hotel).
Interpretations: Meals at off-campus site while in transit to official visit: The legislative services staff determined that a prospective student-athlete may receive a meal at the prospect’s off-campus place of lodging when he or she arrives too late in the community to begin the official visit that day, inasmuch as the prospect is considered to be in transit to the institution’s campus. (4/13/94 Staff)
Lodging expenses for prospect while en route for official visit. Reviewed the provisions of Bylaw 1-9 and confirmed that an institution may reimburse a prospective student-athlete for necessary lodging expenses while traveling to campus with his or her parents for an official visit, provided the reimbursement is for the necessary lodging costs of the prospect (single-room rate) only, and no expenses for additional occupants of the room (e.g., parents, brothers, sisters) are provided; also confirmed that during the official visit, lodging expenses (within a 30-mile radius) for both the prospective student-athlete and the parents may be provided (at the regular room rates), but the institution may not pay the extra expense for additional occupants of the hotel rooms (e.g., brothers, sisters or friends); noted that those additional occupants could stay in the same room s the parents or the prospective student-athlete, provided the parents pay for any additional costs resulting from the extra person(s). (12/20/88 Official)
13.6.6.5.2 Multiple Hosts
If several students host a prospect, the $30 per day entertainment money may be utilized to cover the actual and necessary expenses incurred by the prospect and all hosts. Only one student host per prospect may be provided a free meal if restaurant facilities are utilized.
13.6.6.7 Meals on Official Visit
The cost of actual meals, not to exceed three per day, on the official visit for a prospect and the prospect’s parents, legal guardian(s) or spouse need not be included in the $30-per-day entertainment expense. A reasonable snack may be provided in addition to the three meals.
13.6.8 Lodging for Additional Persons
Additional persons (e.g., prospect’s brother, sister, friend) may stay in the same room as the prospect or parents, legal guardians(s), or spouse of the prospect, but the institution shall not pay the costs resulting from the additional occupants. The additional occupants shall not be prospects being recruited by the institution.
13.7.2.1.2 Housing – Lodging in Dormitories, Unofficial Visit
A prospect must pay for his or her own lodging. However, a prospect on an unofficial visit may stay in an enrolled student-athlete’s dormitory room only if the prospect pays the regular institutional rate for such lodging.
