COMPLIANCE
STU Prospective Student-Athlete Checklist
Eligibility:
Student athletes will follow all eligibility guidelines that are set forth by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II, whichever is most stringent, in addition to the University’s admissions requirements. (For specific NAIA rules, student athletes and other interested parties should review the NAIA rules and procedures regarding athletics participation requirements at http://graphics.fansonly.com/schools/naia/member-services/CollegeBoundStudentAthlete1.pdf as well as the NCAA rules at https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/general/index_general.html). To remain eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics, the following must be met:
*Entering Freshman
An entering freshman student must be a graduate of an accredited high school or be fully accepted as a regular student in good academic standing as defined by St. Thomas University. An entering freshman is defined as a student who upon becoming identified with an institution has not been previously identified with an institution(s) of higher learning for two semesters or three quarters (or equivalent). An entering freshman must meet two of the three entry level requirements to be participate in athletics at St. Thomas University:
- Achieve a minimum of 18 on the Enhanced ACT or 880 on the SAT. The ACT/SAT test must be taken on a national or international testing date and certified to the institution prior to the beginning of each term in which the student initially participates (residual tests are not acceptable). The SAT score of 860 or higher must be achieved on the Critical Reading and Math sections of the SAT. The SAT score of 880 or higher must be achieved on the CRITICAL READING and MATH sections of the SAT. Scores must be achieved on a single test, and the test score must be sent directly from the testing center to the institution.
- Achieve a minimum overall high school grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
- Graduate in the top half of your high school graduating class
PLEASE NOTE, ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY ADMISSION STANDARDS MUST BE MET IN ORDER FOR STUDENT ATHLETES TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR PARTICIPATION.
*Four –Year Completion
Student athletes have 10 semesters (or terms of attendance) in which to complete four (4) athletic seasons in a sport, which ever comes first. Student athletes will be charged a term of attendance upon enrollment in 12 or more institutional credit hours. Beginning August 1, 2004, a term of attendance is any semester, trimester, or quarter in which a student athlete enrolls for 12 or more institutional credit hours and attends any class. Summer sessions are not included, but night school, extension or correspondence courses are applicable to this ruling. It begins when a student first registers for 12 or more credits or when a student athlete first competes (practices, scrimmages or contests) at any two or four year collegiate institution. These years are continuous. A student athlete may be granted an extra year of competition if they are ill or injured and meet the criteria of the NAIA and NCAA for a medical hardship.
*Twelve Credit Rule
The NAIA, NCAA and St. Thomas University require that a student athlete must be a full-time student in order to participate. It must also be verified that the student athlete is registered and fees are paid for at least 12 credits. Under University policy a student athlete is ineligible to practice or compete during any time if:
1. He/she is registered for less than 12 credit classes
2. Registration or admission is canceled; or
3. Change in enrollment occurs
Changes in enrollment (e.g., petitions to add/drop courses, late enrollment, instructor drops, etc.) should be submitted prior to the published deadlines to ensure that records are accurate and complete. If a student athlete drops a course, it costs credits toward graduation. A student athlete is not permitted to drop a class without a signature from the Director of Athletics, Compliance Coordinator, or Faculty Athletic Representative. This policy is designed to prevent a student athlete from making changes in their academic schedule that may jeopardize their academic and/or eligibility status.
Progress Reports and Mandatory Study Halls:
To ensure that student-athletes are making normal progress towards graduation, the Department of Athletics administers progress reports for all student athletes at the mid-point of each semester. Upon return of the progress reports, coaches meet with student athletes to review them individually. The Department of Athletics also requires mandatory study hall for incoming freshmen and transfer students who have a 2.6 GPA or below, as well as current student-athletes with an overall St. Thomas GPA of 2.6 or below. Often a coach may advise a student athlete that even though he/she has a greater than a 2.6 GPA he/she needs to attend the mandatory study hall based on the outcome of progress reports.
Financial Aid/Grants/Scholarships:
Athletic teams are provided with a specific number of one-year renewable grants-in-aid (athletic scholarships) in accordance with budgetary restrictions and regulations. Athletic grants are awarded by the Office of Financial Aid upon the recommendation of the Head Coach and the approval of the Director of Athletics. Grant-in-aids are not reimbursements for services performed, but to help student-athletes with their educational expenses. An athletic and/or academic grant is restricted to covering educational expenses such as tuition, room/board and fees. All grants cover only a portion of the current academic year and do not include summer or mini-mester term classes. All grants have a minimum GPA and full-time status requirement to receive such grants. For more information, see the Financial Aid office. Athletic grants require certification of eligibility. If deemed ineligible, student athletes may lose their athletic grant (scholarship).
Academic dishonesty is considered to be the representation of another’s work as one’s own, either directly or through complicity in falsification; cheating; plagiarism; facilitating academic dishonesty; or infringing on the academic rights of others.
All forms of dishonesty such as cheating, plagiarism, stealing or deceiving will be referred to your Coaches and Athletic Director. If found guilty, according to the Academic Conduct Code, the Dean of the School in which the violation occurred will submit a report to the Provost. Upon recommendation, the Dean of the School and/or Provost will inform the Vice President of Planning and Enrollment of the outcome. It is at this point that the student-athlete will be immediately removed from his/her sport and will no longer be eligible to compete in intercollegiate athletics. (For further information regarding the policy as it relates to the general student population, please see the St. Thomas University Student Handbook).
Use the following as a guideline to make sure you are practicing proper conduct.
1. Prepare thoroughly all assignments.
2. Prepare thoroughly for all tests.
3. Do not let other students copy from your work or tests.
4. Discourage dishonesty among other students.
5. Refuse to assist dishonest students who cheat or plagiarize or are dishonest in other ways.
6. Know what academic dishonesty is and avoid any occurrence of it.
NCAA Eligibility Center Information / Procedures For New Students:
As a prospective student-athlete at a Division I or II institution, you have certain responsibilities to attend to before you may participate.
Domestic Student Release Form - For students graduating from a U.S. high school, including home school: If you would like to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and you will or have graduate(d) from a high school in the U.S., or from an American school abroad, complete the Domestic Student Release Form. (The NCAA Eligibility Center only performs certifications for students currently in their senior year or already graduated from high school.)
Go to website and complete online – Fee is $60
https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/student/index_student.html
Institution code for St. Thomas University: 0719
Foreign Student Release Form - If you are attending or have attended high school (secondary school) outside the U.S., complete the Foreign Student Release Form.
Go to website and complete online – Fee is $85
https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/student/index_student.html
Institution code for St. Thomas University: 0719
If you go to the NCAA Eligibility Center website and have your school code you can see what courses have been approved by the NCAA. If not click on the link and complete.
https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/general/index_general.html
The List of Approved Core Courses - Review the list of approved core courses.
In order to evaluate your certification status for purposes of NCAA athletic initial eligibility, please submit the following information to the NCAA Eligibility Center:
· Complete Student Release Form
· Fee Payment
· Standardized test score (ACT and/or SAT) submitted on an official transcript or sent directly from the testing agency. Note that test scores received on a home school transcript cannot be used by the NCAA Eligibility Center. A Student Score Report or scores taken directly from a Student Score Report cannot be accepted by the NCAA Eligibility Center for initial eligibility purposes.
· Official and Final High School transcripts from all high schools attended sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center
· Home school transcript that includes:
o Course titles;
o Course grades;
o Units of credit for courses;
o Grading Scale (if other than A-F letter grades); and
o Signature of the home school administrator (the parent or other person who organized, taught, and evaluated your home school coursework).
· Transcript from any other high school, college, nontraditional program attended (mailed directly from the issuing institution).
· Proof of high school graduation, including specific graduation date.
· Evidence that home schooling was conducted in accordance with state laws (a written statement from the home school administrator verifying compliance with state home school legislation). Please attach any supporting documentation.
· List of texts used throughout home schooling [text titles, publisher and in which course(s) used].
Eligibility Center Services
NCAA Eligibility Center mailing address:
NCAA Eligibility Center
P.O. Box 7136
Indianapolis, IN 46207
NCAA Eligibility Center overnight mailing address:
NCAA Eligibility Center
1802 Alonzo Watford Sr. Drive,
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Customer service hours - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday.
Toll-free phone number (U.S. callers) - Customer service line - 877/262-1492
Phone number (international callers) - Customer service line - 317/223-0700
Fax number: 317/968-5100