National Letter of Intent Susan Peal speal@ncaa.org

This NLI session features questions from your compliance administrator of the year… Ms. Bea N. Compliance

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From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: Very Confused! My coaches are recruiting these prospective student-athletes (PSAs) and I am not sure if they can sign 2015-16 NLIs. Will graduate from a two-year college. Still has a valid NLI noted in PSA’s record. Signed NLI in April 2014 but did not enroll at the signing institution. Signed only an athletics aid agreement with another institution.

Will graduate from a two-year college Will graduate from a two-year college. Still has a valid NLI noted in PSA’s record. NLI can be signed provided PSA is expected to graduate from the two-year college. Graduation will fulfill the previously signed NLI. Signed NLI in April 2014 but did not enroll at the signing institution. NLI cannot be signed since PSA has a valid NLI from April 2014. Signed only an athletics aid agreement with another institution. NLI can be signed. Athletics aid agreement is not binding on the PSA.

Check the NLI status and release status. REMINDER! Always add the PSA to your IRL and review the PSA’s NLI record. Check the NLI status and release status. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: Midyear Enrollees Driving Me Crazy Can we sign these two PSAs to 2015-16 NLIs? PSA graduating high school early in December 2014 and enrolling January 2015. International tennis PSA graduating in December 2015 (southern hemisphere academic calendar). Will enroll January 2016.

PSA graduating high school in December 2014 and enrolling January 2015. PSA can sign NLI in November 2014 (2015-16 NLI). Athletics aid agreement can include Spring 2015 and the 2015-16 academic year. (Division I) International tennis PSA graduating in December 2015 (southern hemisphere academic calendar). Will enroll January 2016. PSA cannot sign NLI until November 2015 (2016-17 NLI). Athletics aid agreement can include Spring 2016 and the 2016-17 academic year. (Division I)

REMINDER! When determining if a PSA can sign NLI for the current signing period… Ask yourself, can the PSA enroll the upcoming fall term or earlier? CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: Me again NLI records for these PSAs show they signed NLIs but one is null and void and one has a complete release. Can my coaches sign them to 2015-16 NLIs? 24-Apr-14 Null and Void Victory College Men’s Track 18-Nov-14 Valid State University Men’s Track Complete Release PDF

Permissible to sign 2015-16 NLI. Note the Signing Date Not permissible to sign 2015-16 NLI.

REMINDER! NLI will not populate if PSA previously signed in the same signing year. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: What are my coaches doing? Do we have NLI recruiting ban violations? PSA signed an athletics aid agreement with another institution but our coaches have continued to recruit her. PSA enrolled at a two-year college instead of his signing institution. This is his first year of enrollment and he was a qualifier.

PSA signed an athletics aid agreement with another institution but our coaches have continued to recruit her. Not an NLI Recruiting Ban Violation. PSA enrolled at a two-year college instead of his signing institution. This is his first year of enrollment and he was a qualifier. This is an NLI Recruiting Ban Violation.

REMINDER! NLI Recruiting Ban applies once PSA signs NLI until the time the PSA enrolls at the four-year institution. If enrollment is delayed, NLI Recruiting Ban applies for the academic year the PSA was supposed to be attending the signing institution. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: HELP! Can’t make up our minds! Our institution did not grant one of our signees an NLI release. We now want to grant a complete release. Can we change our decision? Yes, you can change the NLI release decision from a NO RELEASE to a COMPLETE RELEASE.

REMINDER! To update a release decision, the NLI office must withdraw original release so signee can resubmit release request. Institution will then provide updated decision. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: One and Done One of our NLI signees who enrolled in the fall is transferring after one semester. Is there anything that needs done with the NLI? This student-athlete has not fulfilled the terms of the NLI. The student-athlete is subject to the NLI penalty and the NCAA transfer rules. The student-athlete needs to submit an NLI release request in addition to being granted an NCAA transfer exception.

REMINDER! A student-athlete transferring after one semester must request permission to contact per NCAA rules. The NLI Recruiting Ban only applies to prospective student-athletes. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: Please attend another school One of our NLI signees was denied a complete release. If she still wants to attend our institution, do we have to provide her with the athletics aid? If you are holding the signee to her NLI agreement, your institution must provide her with the athletics aid if she does decide to attend your institution.

REMINDER! If an NLI signee does not attend a two-year or four-year institution for the upcoming academic year, he/she can receive the one-year absence exception to null and void the NLI if the signing institution no longer has the athletics aid for the next academic year. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: R.I.P Fax Machine Can NLIs be electronically submitted? What about digital signatures? The NLI can be provided to a PSA electronically and a PSA can submit the NLI to the institution by electronic means. Example: NLI can be sent by email with a photo attachment. The NLI must be populated in the member institution portal and cannot be populated out of a third party system.

Signatures sent electronically are permissible provided the PSA and/or parent’s signature is a replica of the actual signature (e.g., using mouse, stylus, finger to sign). Digital signatures are not a replica of the actual signature. PSAs can download apps to sign documents and send electronically. The director of athletics and/or financial aid authority signature can be a digital signature (e.g., authorized pdf stamp).

REMINDER! A hard copy of the NLI does not need to be sent unless the institution or conference office requires it. Be sure NLI is legible and includes the athletics aid agreement if sent electronically. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: Valid or Not? My head is spinning! PSA’s parents refuse to sign his NLI. He is 18 years old. He signed his NLI and athletics aid agreement without a parent signature. PSA signed her NLI on the first signing date. Her parent was out of the country so parent signature is 5 days after PSA’s signature. PSA signed an athletics aid agreement in November and now signed the NLI in April. A new athletics aid agreement was not provided since one was already signed.

PSA’s parents refuse to sign his NLI. He is 18 years old PSA’s parents refuse to sign his NLI. He is 18 years old. He signed his NLI and athletics aid agreement without a parent signature. NLI is INVALID without a parent or legal guardian signature if PSA is under the age of 21. PSA signed her NLI on the first signing date. Her parent was out of the country so parent signature is 5 days after PSA’s signature. NLI is VALID since a parent signed within the 7-day signing deadline. PSA signed an athletics aid agreement in November and now signed the NLI in April. A new athletics aid agreement was not provided since one was already signed. NLI is VALID. Another athletics aid agreement does not have to be signed.

REMINDER! If NLI is declared invalid, another NLI can be signed if days remain in the signing period. Must wait until next signing period if no days remain in the current signing period. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: Shopping for an answer My conference office told me these NLIs were invalid. PSA and parent signed the NLI on the first signing date but did not include the time of signing. The financial aid director signed the athletics aid agreement after the PSA returned the NLI and aid agreement. The director of athletics or designee signature was blank. PSA and parent signed the NLI one day before the issuance date.

PSA and parent signed the NLI on the first signing date but did not include the time of signing. NLI is INVALID. Must include time of signing on the first signing date. The financial aid director signed the athletics aid agreement after the PSA returned the NLI and aid agreement. NLI is INVALID. Per NCAA rules, financial aid authority must sign the athletics aid agreement before it is provided to the PSA.

The director of athletics or designee signature was blank. NLI is INVALID. Director of athletics or designee must sign the NLI before it is provided to the PSA. PSA and parent signed the NLI one day before the issuance date. If the issuance date was the first date of the signing period, NLI is INVALID. If the issuance date is not the first date of signing, NLI is VALID.

REMINDER! Do a thorough check of the NLIs before they are sent to the conference office. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: That time of year! I am trying to determine the NLI status now that the academic year has started. Quit team during preseason practice and goes home. Initial eligibility status is still pending. Delayed enrollment at the request of our coach. Delayed enrollment to take an additional core course at prep school. Did not enroll and coach has not heard from the signee.

Quit team during preseason practice and goes home. NLI is binding. Initial eligibility status is still pending. Delayed enrollment at the request of our coach. NLI is null and void. Delayed enrollment to take an additional core course at prep school. NLI is null and void if declared a nonqualifier. Did not enroll and coach has not heard from the signee.

REMINDER! NLI signee must attend the signing institution for one academic year. Not enrolling or quitting the team is not a way out of the NLI agreement. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: Carrying the Torch We signed an international PSA to an NLI in November 2013.  She was admitted for Fall 2014 and was a qualifier. She informed our coaches that she was not going to enroll until Fall 2016, after the 2016 Olympics.  Our coaches want to make sure the NLI is still valid and will remain valid until she enrolls in Fall 2016. 

The NLI would stay valid since it is assumed the athletics aid is available for when she enrolls unless the institution notifies her the athletics aid is no longer available. If this is the case, the one-year absence would be applied to null and void the NLI.  At the end of the 2014-15 academic year the NLI recruiting ban is no longer in effect.

REMINDER! NLI remains binding if PSA delays enrollment provided PSA is eligible to enroll. If institution wants to keep recruiting ban in effect once it expires after one year, it is the institution’s discretion to have the PSA sign another NLI. CHECK EMAIL!

From: BeaNCompliance To: NLI Subject: Stuck between signing periods Is it permissible to sign an athletics aid agreement without the NLI after the initial signing date? Sports that sign in November are permitted to sign an athletics aid agreement anytime after that, correct? NCAA rule prohibits signing an athletics aid agreement prior to the NLI initial signing date. If a sport has two signing periods, the initial signing date is the first date of each signing period.  A PSA is not permitted to sign an athletics aid agreement between the November and April signing periods.  A PSA can sign an athletics aid agreement after all the signing periods have concluded (e.g., August 1).

REMINDER! If a PSA is signing only an athletics aid agreement, must adhere to NLI signing dates per NCAA rules. CHECK EMAIL!

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QUESTIONS Susan Peal speal@ncaa.org