AD Athletic Director Compliance & Regulations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An athletic director discovers a coach provided impermissible benefits totaling $350 to a recruit. What is the first required action under NCAA self-reporting obligations?
- Report the violation to the NCAA enforcement staff and conference office (Correct answer)
- Suspend the coach pending an internal review only
- Wait until the season ends to minimize disruption
- Notify only the institution's president
Correct answer: Report the violation to the NCAA enforcement staff and conference office
NCAA member institutions must self-report Level I and II violations promptly to the NCAA enforcement staff and the applicable conference office.
Question 2: Under FERPA, who may an athletic director share a student-athlete's academic records with without written consent?
- School officials with a legitimate educational interest (Correct answer)
- Boosters who fund the athlete's scholarship
- Local media covering the athlete's eligibility status
- Professional scouts assessing the athlete's draft prospects
Correct answer: School officials with a legitimate educational interest
FERPA permits disclosure to school officials—including coaches and compliance staff—who have a legitimate educational interest in the records.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a progress-toward-degree (PTD) requirement in NCAA Division I?
- To ensure student-athletes maintain academic progress toward a degree to retain eligibility (Correct answer)
- To limit the number of credit hours athletes may take per semester
- To restrict athletes from changing majors more than once
- To set a minimum GPA for athletic scholarship renewal
Correct answer: To ensure student-athletes maintain academic progress toward a degree to retain eligibility
PTD rules require student-athletes to complete a minimum percentage of their degree requirements each year and maintain a specified GPA to remain eligible.
Question 4: Which federal law requires institutions to disclose graduation rates of student-athletes to prospective athletes and their parents?
- The Student Right-to-Know Act (Correct answer)
- Title IX of the Education Amendments
- The Clery Act
- FERPA
Correct answer: The Student Right-to-Know Act
The Student Right-to-Know Act requires institutions to disclose graduation rates for student-athletes broken down by sport and gender.
Question 5: In NCAA terminology, what is a 'secondary violation' generally characterized by?
- Unintentional, isolated occurrence with minimal recruiting or competitive advantage (Correct answer)
- A deliberate attempt to gain a competitive advantage
- Any violation involving monetary value over $100
- A first-time violation by a head coach
Correct answer: Unintentional, isolated occurrence with minimal recruiting or competitive advantage
Secondary violations are those that are inadvertent, isolated, and provide only minimal advantage, distinguishing them from major Level I and II violations.
Question 6: What is the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate (APR) penalty threshold below which a team may be subject to postseason bans?
- 930 (Correct answer)
- 900
- 950
- 975
Correct answer: 930
Teams that fall below an APR of 930 (a multi-year average) may face penalties including postseason bans and practice restrictions.
Question 7: Which of the following constitutes an impermissible extra benefit under NCAA rules for a student-athlete?
- A booster providing a student-athlete a free car wash at his business (Correct answer)
- The institution providing cost-of-attendance stipends
- Academic tutoring arranged through the athletic department
- Travel expenses for an official visit within NCAA limits
Correct answer: A booster providing a student-athlete a free car wash at his business
A booster providing free services not available to the general student body constitutes an impermissible extra benefit under NCAA bylaws.
AD Athletic Director Compliance & Regulations 3
An athletic director discovers a coach provided impermissible benefits totaling $350 to a recruit.
What is the first required action under NCAA self-reporting obligations?