People often have questions about NCAA rules and what they permit
friends of the College to do. The following is a summary of what is
permitted and some examples of frequent problem areas.
The NCAA defines an extra benefit as any special arrangement by an
institutional employee or a representative of the institution's
athletics interest to provide a student-athlete (or a
student-athlete's relative or friend) a benefit that is not
generally available to other Bowdoin College students and their
relative and/or friends or, is not expressly authorized by NCAA
legislation. Therefore, please be aware of the following:
1. A student-athlete cannot accept
anything from an employee of Bowdoin College or a Bowdoin Friends
of the Program member (e.g., use of a car, clothing, gifts, money,
tickets for any kind of entertainment, payment of long distance
telephone calls).
2. A student-athlete cannot accept free or reduced cost room
and/or board from any Bowdoin College or a Bowdoin Friends of the
Program member. This includes in Maine, in the student-athlete's
home city or any other location. This would preclude a
student-athlete from "house sitting" without paying rental costs at
a comparable rate for similar housing in that locale.
3. A student-athlete may not accept
free or reduced cost storage room for personal belongings for the
summer months from any Bowdoin College employee or a Bowdoin
Friends of the Program member.
4. A student-athlete cannot accept free or reduced merchandise or
services from any merchant unless that free or reduced cost item is
also available to the general public.
5. A student-athlete cannot eat at a restaurant as the guest of a
Bowdoin Friends of the Program member or an employee of Bowdoin
College.
6. On infrequent, special occasions (e.g., a birthday,
Thanksgiving, etc.), a student-athlete may accept an invitation to
the home of an employee of Bowdoin College or a Bowdoin Friends of
the Program member, for a meal.
7. A student-athlete cannot use a Department of Athletics copy
machine, fax machine or make long distance phone calls using
departmental equipment or the long distance access code of an
employee of Bowdoin College or Bowdoin Friends of the Program
member.
8. Members of the Department of Athletics staff or a Bowdoin
Friends of the Program member are not permitted to type reports,
papers, letters, etc., for a student-athlete.
9. A student-athlete cannot receive a special discount, payment
arrangement or credit on a purchase (e.g., airline ticket,
clothing), or service (e.g., laundry, dry cleaning) from an
employee of Bowdoin College or Bowdoin Friends of the Program
member.
10. A Bowdoin College employee or a Bowdoin Friends of the Program
member cannot provide a student-athlete with a loan of money, a
guarantee of bond, the use of an automobile or the signing or
co-signing of a note to arrange a loan.
11. A student-athlete may not accept frequent traveler miles for
trips that are financed by the Department of Athletics.
12. A Bowdoin College employee may provide a student-athlete only
reasonable and occasional local (i.e., within a 30-mile radius of
the Bowdoin's campus) transportation. However, a Bowdoin College
employee may not utilize a College vehicle for purposes of
assisting a student-athlete's move from one residence to
another.
The acceptance by a student-athlete of any of the above extra
benefits is a violation of NCAA regulations and places the S-A's
eligibility for intercollegiate competition in immediate jeopardy.
It is extremely important for both you and Bowdoin College to know
and abide by all NCAA regulations. If you have any questions
regarding NCAA regulations, ask an athletic administrator or
contact the Athletic Department Office at 207-725-3326 before doing
something that may jeopardize a student-athlete's eligibility to
participate in intercollegiate athletics.
