NCAA Compliance

New Mexico State University (NMSU) Athletics Compliance office takes great pride in placing utmost importance in abiding by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Conference USA (C-USA) rules and guidelines governing Division I competition. For the benefit of the many alumni, fans and booster club members who are so active in supporting and assisting the Aggies throughout the year, we would like to remind everyone of a few definitions and rules that apply to all athletic representatives and boosters. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with important elements pertaining to you as noted below and always remember to ask before you act.  You may download the current NCAA Division 1 is available by clicking on this link:  NCAA Manual 2022-2023.

COMPLIANCE: NMSU must monitor its program to assure compliance and to identify and report to the NCAA instances in which compliance has not been achieved. An institution found to have violated NCAA rules is subject to disciplinary and corrective actions as determined by the NCAA.

INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL: It is the responsibility of NMSU to control its intercollegiate athletic program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the NCAA.

RESPONSIBILITY: NMSU’s responsibility for the conduct of its program includes responsibility for the actions of its staff members and for the actions of any other individual, booster or organization engaged in activities promoting the athletic interests of the institution.

NCAA Definintions

A few areas defined by the NCAA are provided for clarification.

Athletic Representative or Booster: You are a NMSU representative or booster if you fall within any of the following categories:

• You are a present or past member of a NMSU Booster Club or agency that promotes the Aggies intercollegiate athletic program.
• Have made financial contributions to the athletic department or to an athletic booster organization of NMSU.
• You are or have previously provided benefits (e.g., summer jobs, meals, etc.) to enrolled student-athletes, their family members, or friends.
• You are currently or have previously promote the NMSU intercollegiate athletics program, in any manner.

Please note: Once an individual is identified as an athletic representative, that person retains that identity indefinitely. NMSU is ultimately responsible for the acts of all “representatives of athletic interests” in relation to NCAA rules and regulations.

Contact: A contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospect, or the prospect’s parent or legal guardian, and an institutional staff member or athletic representative during which dialogue occurs.

Prospective Student-Athlete: A prospective student-athlete is a student who has started classes at the ninth-grade level or above, including students in prep schools and junior colleges as well as students who have officially withdrawn from a four-year institution and plan to transfer to another institution. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if the institution or a booster provides the individual or the individual’s relatives or friends with any financial assistance or benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students in general.  

A GOOD RULE OF THUMB IS TO TREAT ALL STUDENTS AS PROSPECTS.

Recruiting: Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect or a prospect’s family member or guardian by an institutional staff member or by an athletic representative of the institution, for the purpose of securing the prospect’s enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution’s intercollegiate athletic program.

Student-Athlete: A student-athlete is a student whose enrollment was solicited by a member of the athletic staff or other representatives of athletic interests with a view toward the student’s ultimate participation in the interscholastic athletic program.

Guidelines and reminders for boosters who want to be involved

NMSU AGGIE ATHLETICS BOOSTERS MAY:

• Discuss summer employment opportunities with a prospect after he or she has signed a National Letter of Intent with NMSU.
• Attend high school athletic events without contacting prospective student-athletes.
• Continue existing friendships with families and friends of prospective student-athletes.
• Send recommendation letters, newspaper clippings, or similar information about prospective student-athletes, to Aggie coaches.

NMSU AGGIE ATHLETICS BOOSTERS MAY NOT:

• Contact the prospect, prospect’s coach, principal, or counselor in an attempt to evaluate or recruit the prospect.
• Expend funds to entertain or provide transportation for a prospective student-athlete, family members, or friends.
• Become directly or indirectly involved in making arrangements for a prospect, or the prospect’s relatives, or friends to receive money or financial aid of any kind.
• Contact a prospective student-athlete through letter writing, telephone calling, or other forms of communication.

 NMSU AGGIE ATHLETICS BOOSTERS MAY (with approval): 

• Invite a student-athlete to participate in non-profit, charitable, or educational events.
• Invite a student-athlete into your home for an occasional meal.
• Invite a student-athlete to engage in outside speaking or promotional activities.
• Pay a student-athlete the commensurate rate for actual and legitimate employment.