October 17th: Entertainment Expenses

Is it permissible for the student hosts to pay expenses for the recruits to go to the haunted house?

Is it permissible for OSU to pay expenses for the entire team to go to the haunted house with the recruits?

Yes, this would be a permissible entertainment expense during an official visit.  It is also permissible for the institution to provide entertainment expenses to the entire team.

Division I NCAA Bylaw 13.6.7.1 states that an institution may provide entertainment, pursuant to Bylaw 13.6.7.5, on the official visit only for a prospective student-athlete and the prospective student-athlete’s parents (or legal guardians) or spouse and only within a 30-mile radius of the institution’s main campus. Entertainment and contact by representatives of the institution’s athletics interests during the official visit are prohibited. It is not permissible to entertain other relatives or friends (including dates) of a prospective student-athlete at any time at any site.  [R] (Revised: 10/28/97, 11/1/00, 4/23/14)

Division II NCAA Bylaw 13.6.6.1 states that an institution may provide entertainment, pursuant to Bylaw 13.6.6.5, on the official visit only for a prospective student-athlete and the prospective student-athlete’s relatives [or legal guardian(s)]. Entertainment and contact by representatives of the institution’s athletics interests during the official visit are confined to campus. It is not permissible to entertain other persons accompanying a prospective student-athlete at any time at any site. [R] (Revised: 1/13/98, 1/10/05, 1/9/06, 6/22/11, 9/30/14, 10/21/14)

Division III NCAA Bylaw 13.6.5.1 states that an institution may provide entertainment, which may not be excessive, on the official visit only for a prospective student-athlete and the prospective student-athlete’s parents, guardian(s), spouse or individual of a comparable relationship and only within a 30-mile radius of the institution’s main campus. It is not permissible to entertain other relatives or friends (including dates) of a prospective student-athlete at any time at any site. [R] (Revised: 1/13/98, 1/8/01, 1/9/06)

Division I NCAA Bylaw 13.6.7.5 states that the student host must be either a current student-athlete or a student designated in a manner consistent with the institution’s policy for providing campus visits or tours to prospective students in general. The institution may provide the following to a student host entertaining a prospective student-athlete: [R] (Revised: 1/10/90 effective 8/1/90, 1/10/92, 1/9/96 effective 8/1/96, 10/28/97, 11/1/00, 8/5/04, 5/12/05, 4/27/06, 2/23/09, 4/26/12 effective 8/1/12, 6/16/15)
(a) A maximum of $40 for each day (24-hour period) of the visit (maximum of $80 for two 24-hour periods) to cover all actual costs of entertaining the student host(s) and the prospective student-athlete (and the prospective student-athlete’s parents, legal guardians or spouse), excluding the cost of meals and admission to campus athletics events. The cost of entertainment of the institution’s athletics department staff members who accompany the prospective student-athlete is also excluded. If an athletics department staff member serves as the prospective student-athlete’s host, his or her entertainment costs must be included in the entertainment allowance. The entertainment allowance may not be used for the purchase of souvenirs, such as T-shirts or other institutional mementos. It is permissible to provide the student host with an additional $20 per day for each additional prospective student-athlete the host entertains;
(b) Complimentary meals, provided the student host is accompanying the prospective student-athlete during the prospective student-athlete’s official visit; and
(c) Complimentary admissions to campus athletics events, provided the student host is accompanying the prospective student-athlete to the events during the prospective student-athlete’s official visit.

Division II NCAA Bylaw 13.6.6.5 states that the institution may provide the following to a student host entertaining a prospective student-athlete: [R] (Revised: 6/22/11)
(a) A maximum of $30 for each day of the visit to cover all actual costs of entertaining the prospective student-athlete (and the prospective student-athlete’s relatives or legal guardians), excluding the cost of meals and admission to campus athletics events. These funds may not be used for the purchase of souvenirs such as T-shirts or other institutional mementos. It is permissible to provide the student host with an additional $15 per day for each additional prospective student-athlete the host entertains; (Revised: 1/10/90 effective 8/1/90, 1/9/96 effective 8/1/96, 1/9/06)
(b) Complimentary meals, provided the student host is accompanying the prospective student-athlete during the prospective student-athlete’s official visit; and (Adopted: 1/10/92, Revised: 7/21/09)
(c) Complimentary admissions to campus athletics events, provided the admissions are used to accompany a prospective student-athlete to the events during the prospective student-athlete’s official visit. (Revised: 7/21/09)
Division III NCAA Bylaw 13.6.5.5 states that the institution may provide the following to a student host entertaining a prospective student-athlete:
(a) A maximum of $40 for each day of the visit to cover all actual costs of entertaining the prospective student-athlete (and the prospective student-athlete’s parents, guardian(s), spouse or individual of a comparable relationship) and the student host(s), excluding the cost of meals and admission to campus athletics events. These funds may not be used for the purchase of souvenirs such as T-shirts or other institutional mementos. It is permissible to provide the student host with an additional $20 per day for each additional prospective student-athlete the host entertains. Neither the student host(s) nor the prospective student-athlete may contribute funds toward the cost of the entertainment; (Revised: 1/10/90 effective 8/1/90, 1/9/96 effective 8/1/96, 1/9/06, 10/22/13, 12/19/13)
(b) A complimentary meal, provided the student host is accompanying the prospective student-athlete during the prospective student-athlete’s official visit; and (Adopted: 1/10/92)
(c) A complimentary admission to a campus athletics event, provided the ticket is used to accompany a prospective student-athlete to that event during the prospective student-athlete’s official visit.
Division I NCAA Bylaw 16.7 states that an institution, conference or the NCAA may provide reasonable entertainment (but may not provide cash for such entertainment) to student-athletes in conjunction with practice or competition. [R] Restitution – For violations of articles designated as “restitution,” if the value of the benefit provided to the individual (prospective or enrolled student-athlete) is $100 or less, the eligibility of the individual shall not be affected conditioned upon the individual repaying the value of the benefit to a charity of his or her choice. The individual, however, shall remain ineligible from the time the institution has knowledge of the receipt of the impermissible benefit until the individual repays the benefit. A violation of such a provision remains an institutional violation per Constitution 2.8.1, and documentation of the individual’s repayment shall be forwarded to the enforcement services staff with the institution’s self-report of the violation.(Revised: 1/19/13 effective 8/1/13, 8/7/14)

Division II NCAA Bylaw 16.7 states that an institution, conference or the NCAA may provide reasonable entertainment (but may not provide cash for such entertainment) to student-athletes as a benefit incidental to participation in intercollegiate athletics. [R] (Revised: 1/17/15 effective 8/1/15)

Division III NCAA Bylaw 16.7.1 states that an institution, conference or the NCAA may provide reasonable entertainment (but may not provide cash for such entertainment) to student-athletes in conjunction with practice or competition. [R] (Revised: 1/10/91 effective 8/1/91, 1/16/93, 1/11/94, 1/8/01, 1/12/04 effective 8/1/04, 10/19/06, 1/15/14)