Academic and Athletic Eligibility
For all student-athletes:
- must be enrolled full time at all times during the academic term, which is a minimum of two courses per term
- must pass two – three credits per term
- must pass eight credits at the conclusion of each academic year
- at the beginning of the second year, must have 90 per cent of the minimum grade point average required for graduation
- at the beginning of the third year, must have 95 per cent of the minimum grade point average required for graduation
- at the beginning of the third year, must designate degree program
- at the beginning of the fourth year, must have 100 per cent of the minimum grade point average required for graduation.
Official and Unofficial Overnight Recruiting Visit Policy
For Coaches of Division III Programs
Recruiting visits to the college is an extremely important aspect of the total recruiting process. In order to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for the prospective student-athlete the coaching staff must adhere to the following guidelines:
- Coaches must submit in writing (via email or hard copy) to the Compliance Officer, a list of prospective students and their student hosts, including the date of the visit prior to the prospective student’s overnight visit.
- Coaches must have overnight consent waiver signed (by prospective and parent/guardian) and forwarded beforehand, or upon arrival. Submit the waiver to the Compliance Officer within two working days of visit, and retain a copy.
- Coaches must submit completed department Official Visit Form to the Compliance Officer within 2 working days after visit. Retain a copy.
- If student host is receiving entertainment money, an Official Visit Student Host Expense Form must be completed by the coach and signed by the player when receiving entertainment money. Student Host Expense Form must be completed (along with receipts), signed, and submitted to the Compliance Officer with two working days after visit. Student host may be provided a maximum of $20 for each day of the visit.
- Coaches must confirm that Student Host has reviewed and signed an acknowledgment form regarding NCAA rules and Union College’s athletic recruiting policies prior to hosting a prospective student-athlete.
- Coaches will discuss with student host the academic and recreational activities that are available to the prospective student prior to the recruiting visit, and with the prospective student upon arrival.
- Coach will review expectations with the prospective student, and explain possible consequences that could result if there are any violations.
- Coach will provide emergency number of head coach (or designated assistant coach) for Student-Host/Prospective. Coach will be notified immediately should any incident, question, or concern arises.
- Coaches must impress upon Student-Host and prospective student that New York’s drinking age is 21; it is against the law to serve alcohol to anyone under. 21 years of age. Prospective students are only allowed to attend college sanctioned event.
- Prospective students should not be taken where illegal drugs are being used.
Official and Unofficial Recruiting Visit Policy
For Student-Athlete Hosts
Acting as a student-athlete host is a crucial role in the recruiting process, and therefore appropriate conduct is not only important, but expected.
All Student-Athletes who assist in recruiting must abide by the following:
- Student-Athletes are responsible to review NCAA rules and Union College’s athletic recruiting policies prior to hosting a prospective student-athlete.
- Student-Athletes must sign an acknowledgement form that they have reviewed and understand the rules and policies for prospective visits.
- Student Host will discuss academic and recreational activities with head coach prior to recruiting visit.
- Student Host will be aware of prospect’s whereabouts throughout visit.
- Student Host will contact head coach (or designated assistant coach) immediately should any incident, question, or concern arise with prospect.
- Prospects are only allowed to attend sanctioned college events.
- New York’s drinking age is 21; it is against the law to serve alcohol to anyone who is not 21 years of age.
- Student host must ensure that a prospective student is not taken where there are illegal drugs or gambling/gaming activities.
- Student host will not entertain prospective student with any illegal activities that involve strippers, sex for hire, or gentlemen’s clubs.
- Entertainment of prospective student is limited to on campus activities, or within a 30 miles radius of campus. Use of campus vehicles is prohibited.
Official and Unofficial Recruiting Visit Policy For Prospective Student-Athlete
A recruiting visit provides an important experience in the decision making process. The Union College Department of Athletics abides by NCAA recruiting rules and has college policies regarding conduct during recruiting visits.
All prospective student-athletes must abide by the following:
- Prospective must let their Student Host know their whereabouts at all times during their visit.
- Prospective will go over the academic and recreational activities for visit with the Head Coach and Student-Host upon arrival.
- New York’s drinking age is 21, the prospective is aware that it is illegal to drink alcohol while on a recruiting visit if they are under 21.
- Prospective understands that they are only allowed to attend sanctioned college events.
- Drugs are illegal, if a prospective goes to a place where there are drugs, they should leave immediately.
- Prospective will also abide by the Union College Student Conduct Code while visiting campus.
- A Prospective student-athlete who violates NCAA or Union College recruiting policies may no longer be considered for recruitment.
Students of Union College are expected to uphold and promote the educational aims and purposes of the college through individual personal integrity and responsibility The Department of Athletics expects you to adhere to these guidelines, to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. The following activities below examples of violations of the Student Conduct Code:
- Behavior which threatens or endangers the well-being or safety of others, or results in personal injury to others, including hazing.
- Abusive or offensive behavior, which includes, but is not limited to, malicious harassment and/or persecution based on ethnicity, religion, race, sex, or sexual orientation.
- Theft of personal or College property.
- Vandalism of personal or College property.
- Attempting to enter, actually entering, or using College facilities or property without proper authorization.
- Interference with or obstruction of any College-sponsored or approved function or activity by engaging in disorderly conduct.
- Failure to comply with the proper requests of College officials, including members of the Campus Safety Department
- Possession or use of any type of firearms, fireworks, or any other potentially dangerous weapons.
- Violation of local, state, or federal laws and ordinances.
- Aiding or abetting, defined as assisting or encouraging another to engage in conduct constituting a Code violation.
Guidelines For Participation In Intercollegiate Athletics
It is the responsibility of each student-athlete to communicate directly with his or her professor when academics and athletic schedules have a conflict. Athletic participation is a privilege, not a right, and permission to proceed with an athletic commitment must be granted by the professor. The Department of Athletics is sensitive to the academic demands, and does not a student athlete to miss any class time or as little class time as possible. The college has established specific guidelines for participating in intercollegiate athletics
The College recognizes the many benefits—for participants and the College community as a whole- of intercollegiate athletics. At the same time, the College affirms the priority of its academic mission. Consequently, the following guidelines must be followed:
- Student-athletes must recognize that the academic demands of the College take precedence in any situation in which conflicts arise between academic obligations and practice for and participation in athletics.
- Student-athletes must recognize that it is their responsibility, not that of the professor, to accommodate the demands of athletic participation to their academic responsibilities. While professors are often sympathetic to the conflicts that do arise, they are not obligated to make changes in schedules, assignments, or tests either for practices, intercollegiate contests or the travel they require.
- If conflicts arise, it is the obligation of the student to inform both the professors and the coaches and find a way to meet the academic obligation. Students are advised to discuss potential conflicts with their professors at the beginning of each term.
- The first obligation of all students is to attend classes as scheduled. Missing a class or a lab to attend practice is not acceptable.
- It is the responsibility of athletic coaches to design a weekly practice schedule that does not conflict with academic classes. Practice schedules that include meetings
- The College encourages faculty to make clear their policies on attendance and the dates of examination at the start of each term on their syllabi.
In addition, you are to be reminded of NCAA by-law 17.1.6. It reads:
“Missed Class Time-Practice. No class time shall be missed for practice activities except when a team is traveling to an away-from-home contest and the practice is in conjunction with the contest.”