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UCLA Compliance
Boosters
To Our Boosters, Alumni and Fans
Welcome all Bruin Fans!
The broad-based success of UCLA Athletics is possible because of the support of you, the great fans, loyal alumni and donors and many other friends of our program. Your support is important for another very important reason – to assist in our continuing effort to maintain compliance with NCAA rules. We are pleased to provide you with “key rules you need to know” and important reminders to help keep NCAA rules compliance in mind as UCLA is responsible for making sure the entire Bruin community, including our supporters, complies with these rules.
We appreciate you taking the time to visit these pages and the information provided to learn more about the NCAA rules as they apply to boosters and fans, including subjects such as recruiting, extra benefits, employment of student-athletes, and the important concept of institutional control. NCAA rules can be complex and may contain some grey areas, so we encourage you to “ask before acting” and contact the UCLA Athletics Compliance Office with any questions. Dan Goldberg, Assistant Athletic Director Compliance can be reached at dgoldberg@athletics.ucla.edu or 310 794-8813.
Thanks again and Go Bruins!
ARE YOU A BOOSTER?
If defined as a “representative of UCLA’s athletic interests” (commonly known as a booster), you are bound by NCAA rules as well as Pac-12 and University regulations and UCLA Athletics is held responsible for your actions.
Under NCAA legislation, you are considered a UCLA booster if any of the following apply:
Some examples of boosters are: fans, undergraduate students, graduate students, all university faculty, staff and other employees and alumni. These are just a few examples and anyone who meets the criteria above is a booster.
Once you are identified as a booster, you retain that status forever, and NCAA rules will always apply to you.
UCLA reserves the right to withhold any privilege associated with the athletic department (i.e. ticket and parking privileges, reception invitations) from individuals involved in a violation of NCAA legislation
NCAA DEFINITIONS FOR UCLA FANS AND BOOSTERS TO KNOW:
Prospect – Who is a prospective student-athlete?
A prospective student-athlete “prospect” is any student, regardless of athletics ability or participation, who has either started classes for the ninth (9th) grade. Students attending prep schools and junior colleges are considered prospects as are student-athletes at other four-year institutions who have withdrawn from that institution or are considering a transfer. A student who has not yet started ninth grade can become a prospect if UCLA or a booster provides the student or his/her relatives or friends with a benefit or financial assistance not available to other students or the general public.
A student remains a prospect even after signing a National Letter of Intent or other commitment to attend UCLA until he/she reports for pre-season practice or the first day of classes for a regular UCLA term.
Institutional Control – What is it?
When college athletic programs make headlines for NCAA rules violations, a lack of institutional control is often cited to explain significant penalties. To establish “Institutional Control,” the NCAA Constitution provides that UCLA must:
• Control its intercollegiate athletic program in compliance with NCAA rules and regulations;
• Monitor its program, including identifying and reporting to the NCAA instances in which compliance has not been achieved and take corrective actions; and
• Ensure that coaches, student-athletes, university staff and others representing UCLA’s athletic interests share responsibility for complying with NCAA rules. As an NCAA member, UCLA is responsible for the actions of its alumni and supporters.
As our most loyal supporters and fans, what is your role? Please keep NCAA rules compliance in mind, report to the UCLA Compliance Office when you are aware of a potential rules violation, and live by the UCLA Compliance mantra, “ask before acting.”
UCLA reserves the right to withhold any privilege associated with the athletic department (i.e. ticket and parking privileges, reception invitations) from individuals involved in a violation of NCAA legislation
CONTACT WITH PROSPECTS: WHAT MAY BOOSTERS DO?
A Booster MAY:
• provide information about noteworthy prospects from the booster's local area to UCLA coaches and staff (but no contacting a prospect's coach or school officials regarding recruitment);
• watch a prospect's athletic contest (but NOT have contact with that prospect or the prospect's parents);
• continue an established relationship with a prospect and his/her family if the relationship predates the prospect entering the ninth grade and the relationship didn’t develop as a result of the prospects athletic participation or notoriety.
A Booster MAY NOT:
• have any in-person contact with a prospect or his/her family in person on or off the UCLA campus;
• have any contact or communication with a prospect through written correspondence, email, texting, instant messaging, Internet (e.g., Skype) or any form of social media, including but not limited to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram;
• approach a UCLA coach who is with a prospect either on or off the UCLA campus or at any athletics event;
• invite a prospect or his or her relatives or friends to a UCLA athletic event or to any booster or alumni function;
• provide any extra benefit to a prospect or his/her family or friends (see above examples; and
• arrange employment opportunities for prospects or their relatives or friends.
What about unavoidable incidental contact with a prospect?
There are times when contact occurs between a booster and prospect that is unavoidable. In such instances, an NCAA violation does not occur, but only if the contact 1) is not prearranged by the booster or UCLA, 2) doesn’t occur at the prospect’s high school or competition site, 3) isn’t made for recruiting purposes and 4) is incidental and involves only normal civility and an attempt to end the contact immediately.
Can boosters employ prospective student athletes or their relatives or friends?
UCLA boosters may NOT arrange or create employment opportunities for relatives, friends or legal guardians of prospects
Boosters may assist UCLA coaches or staff in finding a prospect summer employment, but only AFTER the PSA signs his or her National Letter of Intent with UCLA.
CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETES: WHAT MAY BOOSTERS DO?
A Booster MAY:
• provide an occasional meal to a student-athlete or an entire team. Such meal MUST take place in the booster’s home or on the UCLA campus, and may not be provided in a restaurant. This meal may be catered. Meals may never be provided by boosters to a student-athlete’s family members or friends. ALL meals provided under this rule MUST be approved in advance by the UCLA Compliance Office after completing the attached form. (LINK OR ATTACHMENT HERE)
• provide employment under certain circumstances to current student-athletes. Hiring of UCLA student-athletes MUST BE approved in advance by the UCLA Compliance Staff. Both the student-athlete AND the employer must sign a written statement PRIOR to beginning any employment during the academic year. (LINK OR ATTACHMENT HERE). Student-athletes must be paid the established rate in the area for similar services for work actually performed.
A Booster MAY NOT:
• provide extra benefits to any student-athlete and his/her family (see list above for examples);
• use the name or picture of a student-athlete to directly or indirectly promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service;
• provide free or reduced rate housing for a student-athlete or his/her family;
• hire a student-athlete to house-sit;
• provide an honorarium to a student-athlete who has been approved for a speaking engagement. Student-athletes may receive ONLY actual and necessary travel expenses to pre-approved speaking engagements.
EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENT-ATHLETES
As representatives of UCLA’s athletic interests (boosters), here are the NCAA employment rules that hiring boosters need to know: A student-athlete may be employed during or outside the academic year, provided:
• The student-athlete's compensation may not be based on the value or utility that they may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that he or she has obtained because of athletics ability;
• The student-athlete is compensated only for work actually performed;
• The student-athlete is paid at a rate commensurate with the going rate for similar services; and
• The student-athlete and employer completes and signs an employment form available through the Compliance Office
Boosters must notify the UCLA Compliance Office BEFORE the start of the student-athlete’s employment as the athlete AND the employer must complete an employment form available through the Compliance Office. This form verifies that the student-athlete:
• was not hired based on the value he/she may have for the employer because of his/her athletic reputation and/or ability; and
• will be paid only for work actually performed at the going rate in that locality for similar services.
If you employ a current UCLA student-athlete, you may be contacted by Compliance for information regarding the employment.
Also note that it is not permissible to provide any benefits to a student-athlete employee (e.g., transportation, meals) unless the same benefits are provided to all other employees.
NCAA rules don’t permit current student-athletes to be hired to house sit, regardless if they are paid or not.
Rules Education
Boosters
To Our Boosters, Alumni and Fans
Welcome all Bruin Fans!
The broad-based success of UCLA Athletics is possible because of the support of you, the great fans, loyal alumni and donors and many other friends of our program. Your support is important for another very important reason – to assist in our continuing effort to maintain compliance with NCAA rules. We are pleased to provide you with “key rules you need to know” and important reminders to help keep NCAA rules compliance in mind as UCLA is responsible for making sure the entire Bruin community, including our supporters, complies with these rules.
We appreciate you taking the time to visit these pages and the information provided to learn more about the NCAA rules as they apply to boosters and fans, including subjects such as recruiting, extra benefits, employment of student-athletes, and the important concept of institutional control. NCAA rules can be complex and may contain some grey areas, so we encourage you to “ask before acting” and contact the UCLA Athletics Compliance Office with any questions. Dan Goldberg, Assistant Athletic Director Compliance can be reached at dgoldberg@athletics.ucla.edu or 310 794-8813.
Thanks again and Go Bruins!
ARE YOU A BOOSTER?
If defined as a “representative of UCLA’s athletic interests” (commonly known as a booster), you are bound by NCAA rules as well as Pac-12 and University regulations and UCLA Athletics is held responsible for your actions.
Under NCAA legislation, you are considered a UCLA booster if any of the following apply:
- You made a financial contribution of any amount or a gift in-kind (goods, services, gifts) to UCLA Athletics or to any of the groups or funds that support our athletic programs;
- You provided NCAA-permissible benefits to UCLA student-athletes or their families or to prospective student-athletes or their families (such as employment);
- You assisted in any manner in the recruitment of a prospective student-athlete to attend UCLA, even if UCLA didn’t request the assistance;
- You have otherwise assisted in promoting UCLA athletics in any manner.
Some examples of boosters are: fans, undergraduate students, graduate students, all university faculty, staff and other employees and alumni. These are just a few examples and anyone who meets the criteria above is a booster.
Once you are identified as a booster, you retain that status forever, and NCAA rules will always apply to you.
UCLA reserves the right to withhold any privilege associated with the athletic department (i.e. ticket and parking privileges, reception invitations) from individuals involved in a violation of NCAA legislation
NCAA DEFINITIONS FOR UCLA FANS AND BOOSTERS TO KNOW:
Prospect – Who is a prospective student-athlete?
A prospective student-athlete “prospect” is any student, regardless of athletics ability or participation, who has either started classes for the ninth (9th) grade. Students attending prep schools and junior colleges are considered prospects as are student-athletes at other four-year institutions who have withdrawn from that institution or are considering a transfer. A student who has not yet started ninth grade can become a prospect if UCLA or a booster provides the student or his/her relatives or friends with a benefit or financial assistance not available to other students or the general public.
A student remains a prospect even after signing a National Letter of Intent or other commitment to attend UCLA until he/she reports for pre-season practice or the first day of classes for a regular UCLA term.
- Recruiting
Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect (or the prospect's family members) by the UCLA staff or a booster to encourage him/her to enroll at UCLA and participate in the UCLA athletic program. ONLY Bruin coaches and athletic department staff members may be involved in the recruiting process. - Contact
Any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or his/her parents or legal guardians and a UCLA staff member or booster during which any conversation in excess of a greeting occurs. Any face-to-face meeting that is prearranged and takes place on the prospect's campus or at the prospect's competition site is considered a contact regardless of the conversation that occurs. - Extra Benefits
As a booster, you may not provide extra benefits to our student-athletes or prospects or to their friends or relatives. Defined as any special arrangement provided to student-athletes or prospects not otherwise available to all UCLA students or the general public, extra benefits include, but are not limited to:- Cash or loans of any amount or co-signing for a loan
- Use of an automobile or payment of any transportation expense
- Gifts of any kind including birthday and holiday gifts
- Tangible items such as clothing, jewelry or electronics or use of personal property
- Discounted or free merchandise or services not available to UCLA student body
- Payment for meals at restaurants or providing food or groceries
- Free or reduced rent or housing, including housesitting
- Tickets to college or professional sporting events
- Payment for autographs, memorabilia or apparel
- Honorariums for appearances or speaking engagements
- Arrangement for purchase of items or services from student-athlete or their relatives
Institutional Control – What is it?
When college athletic programs make headlines for NCAA rules violations, a lack of institutional control is often cited to explain significant penalties. To establish “Institutional Control,” the NCAA Constitution provides that UCLA must:
• Control its intercollegiate athletic program in compliance with NCAA rules and regulations;
• Monitor its program, including identifying and reporting to the NCAA instances in which compliance has not been achieved and take corrective actions; and
• Ensure that coaches, student-athletes, university staff and others representing UCLA’s athletic interests share responsibility for complying with NCAA rules. As an NCAA member, UCLA is responsible for the actions of its alumni and supporters.
As our most loyal supporters and fans, what is your role? Please keep NCAA rules compliance in mind, report to the UCLA Compliance Office when you are aware of a potential rules violation, and live by the UCLA Compliance mantra, “ask before acting.”
UCLA reserves the right to withhold any privilege associated with the athletic department (i.e. ticket and parking privileges, reception invitations) from individuals involved in a violation of NCAA legislation
CONTACT WITH PROSPECTS: WHAT MAY BOOSTERS DO?
A Booster MAY:
• provide information about noteworthy prospects from the booster's local area to UCLA coaches and staff (but no contacting a prospect's coach or school officials regarding recruitment);
• watch a prospect's athletic contest (but NOT have contact with that prospect or the prospect's parents);
• continue an established relationship with a prospect and his/her family if the relationship predates the prospect entering the ninth grade and the relationship didn’t develop as a result of the prospects athletic participation or notoriety.
A Booster MAY NOT:
• have any in-person contact with a prospect or his/her family in person on or off the UCLA campus;
• have any contact or communication with a prospect through written correspondence, email, texting, instant messaging, Internet (e.g., Skype) or any form of social media, including but not limited to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram;
• approach a UCLA coach who is with a prospect either on or off the UCLA campus or at any athletics event;
• invite a prospect or his or her relatives or friends to a UCLA athletic event or to any booster or alumni function;
• provide any extra benefit to a prospect or his/her family or friends (see above examples; and
• arrange employment opportunities for prospects or their relatives or friends.
What about unavoidable incidental contact with a prospect?
There are times when contact occurs between a booster and prospect that is unavoidable. In such instances, an NCAA violation does not occur, but only if the contact 1) is not prearranged by the booster or UCLA, 2) doesn’t occur at the prospect’s high school or competition site, 3) isn’t made for recruiting purposes and 4) is incidental and involves only normal civility and an attempt to end the contact immediately.
Can boosters employ prospective student athletes or their relatives or friends?
UCLA boosters may NOT arrange or create employment opportunities for relatives, friends or legal guardians of prospects
Boosters may assist UCLA coaches or staff in finding a prospect summer employment, but only AFTER the PSA signs his or her National Letter of Intent with UCLA.
CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETES: WHAT MAY BOOSTERS DO?
A Booster MAY:
• provide an occasional meal to a student-athlete or an entire team. Such meal MUST take place in the booster’s home or on the UCLA campus, and may not be provided in a restaurant. This meal may be catered. Meals may never be provided by boosters to a student-athlete’s family members or friends. ALL meals provided under this rule MUST be approved in advance by the UCLA Compliance Office after completing the attached form. (LINK OR ATTACHMENT HERE)
• provide employment under certain circumstances to current student-athletes. Hiring of UCLA student-athletes MUST BE approved in advance by the UCLA Compliance Staff. Both the student-athlete AND the employer must sign a written statement PRIOR to beginning any employment during the academic year. (LINK OR ATTACHMENT HERE). Student-athletes must be paid the established rate in the area for similar services for work actually performed.
A Booster MAY NOT:
• provide extra benefits to any student-athlete and his/her family (see list above for examples);
• use the name or picture of a student-athlete to directly or indirectly promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service;
• provide free or reduced rate housing for a student-athlete or his/her family;
• hire a student-athlete to house-sit;
• provide an honorarium to a student-athlete who has been approved for a speaking engagement. Student-athletes may receive ONLY actual and necessary travel expenses to pre-approved speaking engagements.
EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENT-ATHLETES
As representatives of UCLA’s athletic interests (boosters), here are the NCAA employment rules that hiring boosters need to know: A student-athlete may be employed during or outside the academic year, provided:
• The student-athlete's compensation may not be based on the value or utility that they may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that he or she has obtained because of athletics ability;
• The student-athlete is compensated only for work actually performed;
• The student-athlete is paid at a rate commensurate with the going rate for similar services; and
• The student-athlete and employer completes and signs an employment form available through the Compliance Office
Boosters must notify the UCLA Compliance Office BEFORE the start of the student-athlete’s employment as the athlete AND the employer must complete an employment form available through the Compliance Office. This form verifies that the student-athlete:
• was not hired based on the value he/she may have for the employer because of his/her athletic reputation and/or ability; and
• will be paid only for work actually performed at the going rate in that locality for similar services.
If you employ a current UCLA student-athlete, you may be contacted by Compliance for information regarding the employment.
Also note that it is not permissible to provide any benefits to a student-athlete employee (e.g., transportation, meals) unless the same benefits are provided to all other employees.
NCAA rules don’t permit current student-athletes to be hired to house sit, regardless if they are paid or not.
Rules Education