Frequently asked questions concerning college athletics during these times

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 3.31.2020

*some questions and answers that are administrative in nature have been removed


Question No. 1: Is it permissible for coaches to recruit off-campus during the dead period through April 15?
Answer: No in-person visits are permitted, on or off campus, during a dead period. During a dead period, institutional staff members are still permitted to call and communicate electronically.

Question No. 2: Is it permissible for an institution to offer an athletics aid agreement and National Letter of Intent during the dead period through April 15?
Answer: No. A resolution was adopted to specify that institutional athletics aid agreements cannot be issued until at least April 15 to align with the recruiting dead period. Further, the Collegiate Commissioners Association prohibited issuance of NLI during the same period.

Question No. 3: Is it permissible for an institution to host an institutional camp or clinic during the dead period through April 15?
Answer: No.

Question No. 4: Is it permissible for a prospective student-athlete to take a previously scheduled official or unofficial visit during the dead period through April 15?
Answer: No. Please note the Administrative Committee issued a blanket waiver on March 13, 2020, to permit institutions to reimburse prospective student-athletes with any costs associated with canceled official or unofficial visits. Such reimbursement would not trigger use of a prospective student-athlete's one permissible official visit.

Question No. 5: Is it permissible for a coaching staff member to take part in a general admissions virtual campus visit (e.g., Zoom; Skype; Twitter) during the recruiting dead period through April 15?
Answer: Yes. It would be permissible for prospective student-athletes to join any general admissions opportunity that is available to the general prospective students. If a coach is going to conduct a visit online, it must be private between the prospective student-athlete and the coach. [See Bylaw 13.4.4 (Electronic Transmissions).]

Question No. 6: Is it permissible for a coaching staff member to send workouts to a prospective student-athlete that signed an athletics aid agreement or NLI with the institution following the cancellation of a prospective student-athlete's high school season?
Answer: Yes. (See Bylaw 17 Question No. 7 as it relates to current student-athletes).

Question No. 7: Are institutions still required to request permission to contact before contacting a prospective student-athlete currently enrolled at another institution?
Answer: Yes.


Question No. 1: Will a student-athlete who graduates at the conclusion of the 2019-20 academic year and returns during the 2020-21 academic year be required to enroll full-time?
Answer: Yes.

Question No. 2: If an institution continues practice or competition during the spring 2020 term, do student-athletes need to be enrolled full-time to participate?
Answer: No. The Administrative Committee issued a blanket waiver on March 13, 2020, for the spring 2020 term to permit student-athletes to participate in countable athletically related activities while enrolled less than full-time, provided the student-athletes were initially enrolled full-time for the spring 2020 term.

NOTE: The PSAC has prohibited all in-person and virtual CARA (practice). See the note below for the full list of allowances and prohibitions.

Question No. 3: If a student-athlete who used the final semester/quarter exception for fulltime enrollment [See Bylaw 14.1.7.1.7.3 (Practice or Competition -- Final Semester/Quarter)] in spring 2020 does not successfully complete degree requirements after the spring 2020 term, does the student-athlete forfeit all remaining eligibility?
Answer: No. The Administrative Committee issued a blanket waiver on March 18, 2020, to permit student-athletes to retain their eligibility if they are not able to complete their graduation requirements in the spring 2020 term due to COVID-19 impact.


Question No. 1: Which sports are considered spring sports?
Answer: Baseball, Beach Volleyball, Golf, Lacrosse, Rowing, Men's Volleyball, Softball, Tennis, Outdoor Track and Field and Women's Water Polo.

Question No. 2: What is the current legislation surrounding seasons of competition?
Answer: Student-athletes may compete in no more than four seasons of competition. These seasons must be used within the student-athlete's first 10 semesters/15 quarters of full-time enrollment.

Question No. 3: What is a season of competition waiver?
Answer: A season of competition waiver restores a used season in extreme circumstances.

Question No. 4: What is an extension of eligibility waiver?
Answer: An extension of eligibility waiver extends the 10 semester/15 quarter window in which a student-athlete may compete.

Season of Competition Waivers.
Question No. 1: Will relief be granted to student-athletes for use of a season of competition due to the season being cancelled?
Answer: The institution may self-apply a season of competition waiver for student-athletes whose 2019-20 spring season was canceled, provided all of the following criteria are met:
(1) The student-athlete used a season of competition in a spring sport during the 2019-20 academic year;
(2) The student-athlete was eligible for competition when he or she competed during the 2019-20 academic year; and
(3) The student-athlete's season was ultimately canceled for reasons related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Question No. 2: May an institution still utilize the season of competition blanket waiver if the institution later decides to resume the spring sport season?
Answer: No. One of the criteria for the self-applied waiver is that the student-athlete's season was ultimately canceled for reasons related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, if the institution resumes the season, the blanket waiver would not apply.

NOTE: The PSAC and Bloomsburg University have jointly cancelled all spring sports' competitions (and all non-championship competitions for fall sports) through the end of the spring term.

Question No. 3: Would an institution be required to submit a hardship waiver to the conference office for a student-athlete who sustains a season-ending injury prior to the season being cancelled?
Answer: No. The institution may self-apply a season of competition waiver for student-athletes whose 2019-20 spring season was canceled, provided all of the following criteria (above) are met.

Question No. 4: May an institution utilize the self-applied season of competition waiver for sports such as golf and tennis who use alternate playing seasons where the conference championship occurs in the fall and the NCAA championship occurs in the spring?
Answer: Yes. Golf and tennis are considered spring sports for NCAA championship purposes.

Extension of Eligibility Waivers.
Question No. 1: Does the self-applied extension of eligibility waiver apply to all student-athletes or only those who would have exhausted their eligibility after the 2020 spring term?
Answer: The waiver is only for those individuals who would have exhausted their eligibility after the 2020 spring term.

Question No. 2: Does the self-applied extension of eligibility waiver apply to spring sport student-athletes who previously received an approved extension waiver?
Answer: Yes.

Question No. 3: Is a student-athlete required to enroll in the 2020 fall term to utilize the self-applied extension of eligibility waiver?
Answer: No. The Administrative Committee issued a blanket waiver on March 18, 2020, to permit a student-athlete to enroll at any point during the 2020-21 academic year.

Application to Transfer Student-Athletes.
Question No. 1: Will a Division II student-athlete who chooses to transfer to another Division II institution for the 2020-21 academic year retain the use of the self-applied season of competition and extension of eligibility waivers?
Answer: Yes.

Question No. 2: Will a student-athlete who is currently enrolled at an institution in another division or athletics association (e.g., NAIA; NJCAA) have access to utilize the self-applied season of competition and extension of eligibility waivers during the 2020-21 academic year?
Answer: No. However, rules and decisions made by other divisions and organizations regarding the use of a season or 10 semester/15 quarters in spring 2020 would follow the student-athlete upon transfer.

Additional Application Questions.
Question No. 1: May a multi-sport student-athlete that competed in both fall and spring sports during the 2019-20 academic year utilize the self-applied extension of eligibility waiver to return for the 2020-21 academic and compete in both sports?
Answer: No. The self-applied extension of eligibility waiver was only for spring sports.


Question No. 1: Is it permissible for an institution to utilize the catastrophic event scenario on previously approved waiver checklist for a student-athlete who does not meet the progress-toward-degree requirements at the conclusion of the 2020 spring term?
Answer: Yes. If a student-athlete does not meet the progress-toward-degree requirements at the end of the spring term (e.g., term-by-term, academic year and annual credit hour requirements, GPA requirement), the institution may self-apply the waiver using the previously approved waiver checklist.

Question No. 2: What impact does an institution going to a pass/fail system for the spring 2020 term have on progress-toward-degree requirements?
Answer: Current legislation allows successfully completed courses to be used to meet credit hour requirements. Grade point average would still be calculated through the institution's normal process. If a student-athlete is unable to meet progress-toward-degree requirements after the spring 2020 term as a result of COVID-19, the institution can self-apply relief using the Academic Requirements Committee previously approved waiver checklist.

Question No. 3: Does the previously approved waiver checklist allow an institution to waive good academic standing?
Answer: No.

Question No. 4: What progress-toward-degree requirements must be met by a student-athlete who utilized the self-applied extension of eligibility waiver to be eligible for competition in the spring 2021 term?
Answer: The student-athlete would still need to meet all applicable progress-toward-degree requirements set forth in Bylaw 14.4 at the conclusion of the fall 2020 term.


Question No. 1: Will a Division II student-athlete who chooses to transfer to another Division II institution for the 2020-21 academic year retain the use of the self-applied season of competition and extension of eligibility waivers?
Answer: Yes.

Question No. 2: Will a Division II student-athlete who chooses to transfer for the 2020-21 academic year and is eligible for either the self-applied season of competition or extension of eligibility waiver be eligible to be exempted from the new institution's financial aid equivalency limitations?
Answer: No. The financial aid equivalency blanket waiver would only apply if a student-athlete remains at the original institution.


Question No. 1: May a student-athlete compete on an outside team prior to the conclusion of the institution's 2019-20 academic year?
Answer: The Division II Administrative Committee determined that student-athletes may participate on an outside team provided the institution has cancelled its season, otherwise the outside competition legislation applies [See Bylaw 14.7.1 (Outside Competition, Sports Other Than Basketball)].

NOTE: Bloomsburg has cancelled all sports' seasons as of March 13, 2020.

Student-athlete participation on an outside team must comply with applicable sport-specific Bylaw 17 restrictions on out of season participation. Institutions and student-athletes are encouraged to follow applicable public health guidance.


Application of Financial Aid Equivalency Limit Blanket Waiver.

Question No. 1: Are the financial aid equivalency limits increasing for the 2020-21 academic year and beyond?
Answer: No.

Question No. 2: How will individual equivalencies be calculated for a student-athlete who would have used their fourth season of competition or exhausted their 10 semester/15 quarter period of eligibility during the spring 2020 term should they return and receive athletics aid for the 2020-21 academic year?
Answer: A student-athlete who would have used their fourth season of competition or exhausted their 10 semester/15 quarter period of eligibility during the spring 2020 term and returns and receives athletics aid for the 2020-21 academic year would not count toward team equivalency limits for the 2020-21 academic year.

Question No. 3: How will individual equivalencies be calculated for a student-athlete who has not used their fourth season of competition or exhausted their 10 semester/15 quarter period of eligibility during the spring 2020 term should they return and receive athletics aid for the 2020-21 academic year (e.g. freshman, sophomore, junior)?
Answer: The equivalencies would be calculated in accordance with Bylaw 15.4.2.2 (Equivalency Computations) and would count toward team equivalency limits.

Question No. 4: May an institution exempt all athletics aid provided to a student-athlete returning for the 2020-21 academic year utilizing the self-applied extension of eligibility waiver or may the institution only exempt the amount of athletics aid provided during the 2019-20 academic year?
Answer: Any athletics aid for the 2020-21 academic year received by a student-athlete who would have used their fourth season of competition or exhausted their 10 semester/15 quarter period of eligibility during the spring 2020 term would be exempted toward team equivalency limits for the 2020-21 academic year. The amount of athletics aid awarded to the student-athlete is at the institution's discretion.

Question No. 5: Is an institution that reduces or cancels athletics aid following the 2019-20 academic year for a student-athlete who would have used their fourth season of competition or exhausted their 10 semester/15 quarter period of eligibility during the spring 2020 term required to provide an appellate opportunity?
Answer: Yes.

Question No. 6: Is an institution that reduces or cancels athletics aid following the 2019-20 academic year for a student-athlete who has not used their fourth season of competition or exhausted their 10 semester/15 quarter period of eligibility during the spring 2020 term should they return and receive athletics aid for the 2020-21 academic year (e.g. freshman, sophomore, junior) required to provide an appellate opportunity?
Answer: Yes.


Question No. 1: May an institution provide benefits to student-athletes that must remain on campus after an institutional closure due to the impact of COVID-19?
Answer: Yes. The institution may provide necessary housing and meals through the Committee for Legislative Relief incidental expense waiver list. In addition, the Administrative Committee issued a blanket waiver to provide flexibility for institutions to provide any necessary transportation (e.g., flights to/from campus) to ensure the health and well-being of student-athletes.

Question No. 2: Is it permissible for an institution's athletics facilities to remain open when other campus facilities are closed?
Answer: It would be an institution's decision as to whether the institution decides to leave the athletics facilities open. Institutions are encouraged to follow applicable public health guidance.

NOTE: Bloomsburg has closed all campus facilities including ALL athletics facilities (Nelson Field House, Steph Pettit Stadium, grass fields, Redman Stadium, Hutchinson Field, Litwhiler Field, and the Burt Reese Tennis Courts).

Question No. 3: Is it an NCAA violation if a student-athlete is unable to return their textbooks as required by institutional policy?
Answer: No. It is institution's discretion whether to amend its policy given the circumstances.


Question No. 1: Does an institution's decision to conduct classes remotely (e.g., online) trigger the start of a vacation period?
Answer: No.

Question No. 2: Is it permissible for an institution's team to practice or compete following a decision to conduct classes remotely for the remainder of the spring 2020 term?
Answer: Yes. The institution is required to follow the applicable Bylaw 17 legislation as if the spring 2020 NCAA championships had not been cancelled. Institutions are encouraged to follow applicable public health guidance.

NOTE: As stated previously, the PSAC and Bloomsburg have cancelled all sports' seasons and have prohibited all practices on-campus and all in-person and virtual practice (at other locations).

Question No. 3: Does an institution's decision to cancel all classes for the remainder of the spring 2020 term trigger the start of a vacation period?
Answer: Yes.

Question No. 4: Is it permissible for an institution's team to practice or compete following a decision to cancel all classes for the remainder of the spring 2020 term?
Answer: No.

Question No. 5: Must student-athletes refrain from countable athletically related activities for 14 consecutive calendar days once the institution's spring season is cancelled [See Bylaw 17.1.6.3.1-(e) (Sports Other Than Football)]?
Answer: Yes. All Bylaw 17 playing and practice season legislation would apply.

Question No. 6: May an institution extend its non-championship segment and spring football practice if sport activities are resumed and these activities would take place beyond the legislated time period?
Answer: A blanket waiver was issued by the Administrative Committee on March 18, 2020, to permit institutions to resume the non-championship segment and spring football practice by the number of days lost due to athletics activities being suspended once those activities resume. The non-championship segment cannot extend beyond the end of the playing season in the respective sport as outlined in Bylaw 17.

Question No. 7: May an institutional strength and conditioning coach or coaching staff member distribute workouts to student-athletes?
Answer: Yes. However, if the activity does not meet the definition of a voluntary athletically related activity, per Bylaw 17.02.17, then the hours must be counted and be otherwise permissible based on the sport-specific Bylaw 17 playing and practice season legislation. (See Bylaw 13 Question No. 6 as it relates to prospective student-athletes)

17.02.17 Voluntary Athletically Related Activities. In order for any athletically related activity to be considered "voluntary," all of the following conditions must be met: (Adopted: 1/12/04 effective 8/1/04, Revised: 5/13/11)
(a) The student-athlete must not be required to report back to a coach or other athletics department staff member (e.g., strength coach, trainer, manager) any information related to the activity. In addition, no athletics department staff member who observes the activity (e.g., strength coach, trainer, manager) may report back to the student-athlete's coach any information related to the activity;
(b) The activity must be initiated and requested solely by the student-athlete. Neither the institution nor any athletics department staff member may require the student-athlete to participate in the activity at any time. However, it is permissible for an athletics department staff member to provide information to student-athletes related to available opportunities for participating in voluntary activities (e.g., times when the strength and conditioning coach will be on duty in the weight room or on the track). In addition, for students who have initiated a request to engage in voluntary activities, the institution or an athletics department staff member may assign specific times for student-athletes to use institutional facilities for such purposes and inform the student-athletes of the time in advance;
(c) The student-athlete's attendance and participation in the activity (or lack thereof) may not be recorded for the purposes of reporting such information to coaching staff members or other student-athletes; and
(d) The student-athlete may not be subjected to penalty if he or she elects not to participate in the activity. In addition, neither the institution nor any athletics department staff member may provide recognition or incentives (e.g., awards) to a student-athlete based on his or her attendance or performance in the activity.

NOTE: Coach Andrew Foran can provide you with a written workout, but like other coaches, he cannot conduct your workout, in-person or virtually.

Question No. 8: May virtual workouts or meetings for student-athletes be conducted by an institutional coaching staff member?
Answer: Yes. However, if the activity does not meet the definition of a voluntary athletically related activity, per Bylaw 17.02.17, then the hours must be counted and be otherwise permissible based on the sport-specific Bylaw 17 playing and practice season legislation.

NOTE: The PSAC has prohibited all physical activities by student-athletes that involve a coach, in-person or virtually.

• Question 1: What is remote/virtual CARA?

Answer: Remote/virtual CARA will permit student-athletes to participate in non-physical athletically related activities remotely or virtually via electronic correspondence, such as but not limited to, videoconferencing, direct messaging, emails, texting, and teleconferences.

• Question 2: Can institutions require student-athletes to report back on voluntary physical athletically related activities?

Answer: No, it would be not be permissible to require student-athletes to report back on workouts or provide information to coaching staff related to such workouts. However, it is permissible for student-athletes to request workouts from their coaches and strength and conditioning coaches, so long as they do not report back on such workouts.

• Question 3: If a student-athlete has remained on-campus, may coaches participate in voluntary physical activities with the student-athlete?

Answer: No in-person CARA is permitted, regardless if a student-athlete has remained on campus or is in the locale of the institution.

• Question 4: Can institutions require student-athletes to participate in non-physical CARA the week prior to and during final examinations?

Answer: No, it is not permissible to permit student-athletes to participate in CARA outside of the playing season one week prior to the beginning of the institution's final exam period through the conclusion of the institution's final exams. Student-athletes may continue to participate in voluntary workouts and may not report back to coaches.

• Question 5: Why are spring sports included in the permissive eight hours of non-physical CARA when the spring semester would be in their traditional playing season?

Answer: The PSAC Board of Directors instituted that all sports, regardless of season, are held to the same weekly hour limitations through the remainder of the spring 2020 semester.

• Question 6: Is there a limitation on certain activities during the eight hours?

Answer: All sports may use their eight hours to require remote athletically based meetings and review of game film. Not more than two hours per week may be spent on review of game film.

• Question 7: Can institutions restrict all forms of CARA for student-athletes through the remainder of the year?

Answer: Yes, it is permissible for institutions to enforce more restrictive regulations or preclude sports entirely from their participation in CARA.

• Question 8: If an institution requires student-athletes to participate in non-physical CARA, how will institutions track?

Answer: Institutions should continue to monitor and will be required to track non-physical CARA hours through logs or appropriate compliance software.

• Question 9: Do institutions need to provide days off from non-physical CARA for student-athletes?

Answer: Coaches will be required to provide student-athletes with two days off per week, which is consistent with the legislation pertaining to required days off outside of the playing season.

• Question 10: Can coaches penalize student-athletes who do not complete required non-physical CARA?

Answer: Coaches cannot penalize student-athletes for not participating in any required or voluntary CARA.

• Question 11: Are coaches still permitted to communicate with student-athletes on items unrelated to CARA?

Answer: Yes, coaches are permitted and encouraged to communicate with student-athletes on non-athletically related topics, such as issues related to academic work and their overall well-being.

• Question 12: What happens if an institution violates the PSAC prohibition of physical CARA?

Answer: Institutions that violate the conference policy will be subject to penalties, including sanctions on participation in conference championships, suspensions, and/or fines.

• Question 13: Are part-time student-athletes permitted to participate in non-physical CARA?

Answer: Yes. The NCAA issued a blanket waiver for the spring 2020 term to permit student-athletes to participate in countable athletically related activities while enrolled less than full-time, provided the student-athletes were initially enrolled full-time for the spring 2020 term.

• Question 14: Are coaches permitted to interact with student-athletes via social media platforms in regards to voluntary physical activities?

Answer: Coaches are permitted to interact (i.e. like, retweet, comment) with student-athletes if they 'post' information related to voluntary workouts. These touch points provide a feeling of normalcy and connection. However, it is not permissible for coaches to lead or conduct workouts as this would constitute CARA.

• Question 15: Is it permissible for institutions to provide prospective student-athletes with workouts if their high school season was cancelled due to COVID-19?

Answer: It would be permissible for prospective student-athletes who have signed a National Letter of Intent or an athletic financial aid agreement with the institution to request workouts from the coaching staff and/or strength and conditioning coaches, so long as they do not report back on such workouts. **Please note, we have followed up with NCAA staff to determine how this may impact fall and winter high school sports whose seasons were completed.

• Question 16: May student-athletes participate in institutionally lead physical activities (i.e. fitness classes)?

Answer: If an institution is conducting a virtual physical activity (i.e. spinning, HIIT, yoga, Zumba) and the activity is open to any and all students at an institution, student-athletes would not be precluded from participating.

• Question 17: May strength and conditioning coaches participate in athletically related meetings?

Answer: Yes, it would be permissible for an institution's strength and conditioning coach to participate in athletically related meetings countable towards a team's CARA hours as long as no physical activities occur. In addition, it is important for student-athletes to know they can request assistance from their strength and conditioning coaches during this time.

Question No. 10: May a student-athlete compete on an outside team prior to the conclusion of the institution's 2019-20 academic year?
Answer: The Division II Administrative Committee determined that student-athletes may participate on an outside team provided the institution has cancelled its season, otherwise the outside competition legislation applies [See Bylaw 14.7.1 (Outside Competition, Sports Other Than Basketball)].

Student-athlete participation on an outside team must comply with applicable sport-specific Bylaw 17 restrictions on out of season participation. Institutions and student-athletes are encouraged to follow applicable public health guidance.

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