13.4.1 Division I Recruiting Materials
A Division 1 institution shall not provide recruiting materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, to an individual (or his or her parents or legal guardians) until September 1 at the beginning of his or her junior year in high school. In men’s basketball and men’s ice hockey, an institution shall not provide recruiting materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, to an individual (or his or her parents or legal guardians) until June 15 at the conclusion of his or her sophomore year in high school. In men’s basketball, if an individual attends an educational institution that uses a nontraditional academic calendar (e.g., Southern Hemisphere) an institution shall not provide recruiting materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, to an individual (or his parents or legal guardians) until the day after the conclusion of the individual’s sophomore year in high school.
13.4.1.1 Printed Materials
As specified below, an institution may provide the following printed materials [hard copy or electronically (see Bylaw 13.4.1.2)] to prospective student-athletes, their parents or legal guardians, their coaches or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospective student-athlete is involved:
a) Correspondence. General correspondence issued by the U.S. postal service (i.e., blank cards) and institutional note cards may be sent to a prospect only by mail. In Divison I, attachments to general correspondence may include materials printed on plain white paper with black ink that are not created for recruiting purposes, except for other permissible printed materials (e.g., camp brochures, questionnaires). An envelope used to send the correspondence may only include the institution’s name and logo or an athletics logo (in addition to the postage, return address and addressee information) on the outside, must be blank on the inside when produced and may not exceed 9 by 12 inches. All institutional staff members (e.g., faculty members, athletics department staff members and administrators) may prepare general correspondence.
b) Business Cards. Business cards may be provided to a prospect.
(c) Camp or Clinic Brochures. Brochures are not restricted by content or design, except that they must
indicate that the camp or clinic is open to any and all entrants (limited only by number, age, grade level
and/or gender). Brochures are restricted to a single two-sided sheet, not to exceed 17 by 22 inches in size
when opened in full. Camp or clinic brochures may be provided to a prospective student-athlete at any
time.
(d) Questionnaires. An institution may provide questionnaires to a prospective student-athlete at any time.
(e) Non-athletics Institutional Publications. An institution may provide nonathletics institutional publications available to all students at any time (e.g., official academic, admissions and student-services
publications published by the institution and available to all students).
(f ) NCAA Educational Material Published by the NCAA (e.g., NCAA Guide for the College-Bound
Student-Athlete). Such material may be provided to a prospective student-athlete at any time.
(g) Game Programs. Game programs (which may not include posters) may be provided to prospective
student-athletes only during official and unofficial recruiting visits and may not be mailed.
(h) Pre-enrollment Information. Necessary pre-enrollment information regarding orientation, conditioning,
academics and practice activities, may be provided to a prospective student-athlete, provided he or
she has signed a National Letter of Intent or institutional financial aid agreement or has been officially
accepted for enrollment.
(i) Institutional Note Cards. Institutional note cards may not exceed 8-1/2 by 11 inches when opened
in full. In addition, such cards may only contain the institution’s name and logo or an athletics logo on
the outside, must be blank on the inside (one side of the card when opened in full) when produced and
may include only handwritten information (e.g., words, illustrations) on the inside when provided to the
recipients.
(j) Postcards. An institution may send an institutional postcard, provided its dimensions do not exceed
4-1/4 by 6 inches, it includes only the institution’s name and logo or an athletics logo on one side when
produced and it includes only handwritten information, (e.g., words, illustrations) on the opposite side
when provided to the recipients. Blank postcards issued by the U.S. postal service also may be sent.
13.4.1.2 Electronic Transmissions.
Electronically transmitted correspondence that may be sent to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete’s parents or legal guardians) is limited to electronic mail and facsimiles. (See Bylaw 13.1.6.2.) All other forms of electronically transmitted correspondence (e.g., Instant Messenger, text messaging) are prohibited. Color attachments may be included with electronic mail correspondence, provided the attachment only includes information that is not created for recruiting purposes, except for items that are specifically permitted as printed recruiting materials (e.g., questionnaires), a media guide and video and audio materials, as permitted in Bylaw 13.4.1.5. Attachments other than a media guide and permissible video and audio materials shall not include any animation, audio or video clips and there shall be no cost (e.g., subscription fee) associated with sending the item attached to the electronic mail correspondence.
13.4.1.2.1 Exception—Men’s Basketball.
Electronic correspondence (e.g., electronic mail, Instant Messenger, facsimiles, text messages) may be sent to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete’s parents or legal guardians), provided the correspondence is sent directly to the prospective student-athlete (or his or her parents or legal guardians) and is private between only the sender and recipient (e.g., no use of chat rooms, message boards or posts to “walls”). (See Bylaws 13.1.6.2 and 13.10.2.) Color attachments may be included with electronic correspondence, provided the attachment only includes information that is not created for recruiting purposes, except for items that are specifically permitted as printed recruiting materials (e.g., questionnaires), a media guide and video and audio materials, as permitted in Bylaw 13.4.1.5. Attachments other than a media guide and permissible video and audio materials shall not include any animation, audio or video clips and there shall be no cost (e.g., subscription fee) associated with sending the item attached to the electronic correspondence.
13.4.1.2.2 Exception – Electronic Transmissions After Commitment
There shall be no limit on the forms of electronically transmitted correspondence sent to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete’s relatives or legal guardians) beginning the calendar day after one of the following events occurs:
(a) The prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent (NLI) or the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid; or;
(b) The institution receives a financial deposit in response to the institution’s offer of admission.
13.4.1.2.3 Exception—Electronic Mail and Facsimiles Regarding Institutional Camp or Clinic
Logistical Issues—Sports Other Than Men’s Basketball.
Electronic mail and facsimiles to an individual (or his or her parents, legal guardians, relatives or coach) that relate solely to institutional camp or clinic logistical issues (e.g., missing registration information) are not subject to the restrictions on recruiting materials, provided the correspondence does not contain recruiting language and no solicitation of particular individuals to attend a camp or clinic occurs.
13.4.1.2.4 Exception—Electronic Correspondence Regarding Institutional Camp or Clinic Logistical Issues—Men’s Basketball.
Electronic correspondence to an individual (or his or her parents, legal guardians, relatives or coach) that relates solely to institutional camp or clinic logistical issues (e.g., missing registration information) is not subject to the restrictions on recruiting materials, provided the correspondence does not contain recruiting language and no solicitation of particular individuals to attend a camp or clinic occurs.
13.4.1.4 Responding to Prospect’s Request
Institutional staff members (including athletics staff members) may respond to a prospect’s letter requesting information from an institution’s athletics department prior to September 1 at the beginning of the prospect’s junior in high school, provided the written response does not include information that would initiate the recruitment of the prospect or information related to the institution’s athletics program (e.g., the reply contains an explanation of current NCAA legislation or a referral to the admissions department).
