Code of Regulations


I. ACADEMIC STANDARDS

Athletes shall be admitted to member institutions on the same basis as any other students and shall be required to observe and maintain the same academic standards.

II. FINANCIAL AID

A. Awards

No financial aid awards or arrangements shall be  made by members of the athletic department of member institutions.  Scholarships, grants-in-aid and tuition awards shall be made only through institutional financial aid procedures open to students generally.  All financial aid awards to undergraduate students shall be coordinated through the financial aid officer of the member institution.  No special advantage in obtaining financial aid shall result from potential or actual participation in athletic events. 

B. Principles

The fundamental financial aid principles, on which all member institutions agree, are as follows:

1. The primary purpose of a college's financial aid program should be to provide financial assistance to students who, without such aid, would be unable to attend the college.

2. The objective of this paragraph is to prevent schools from meeting all of the athlete's need in the form of a grant.  Financial assistance consists of grants, loans, and jobs.  Aid should be given in combination of these.  However, schools may have special programs for minority students, honor or merit scholarships students, or other groups not based on athletic participation.  These programs may provide for grants equal to or greater than the need of the students.  When a member gives such a grant to an athlete, it will be reported in the financial aid report.

3. The family of a student is expected to make maximum effort to assist the student with college expenses. Financial assistance from colleges and other sources should be viewed only as supplementary to the efforts of the family.

4. In selecting students with need to receive financial assistance, the college should place primary emphasis upon their academic achievement, character, and future promise.   No special emphasis should be accorded a student because of athletic prowess.

5. The total amount of financial assistance offered a student by a college and by other sources should not exceed the amount needed according to a federally approved form such as the Financial Aid Form.  It is recognized that the results of the Financial Aid Form may be modified by the financial officers according to the discretionary judgments allowed by the federal government.

6. Consultation between colleges on the kind of amount of financial assistance to be offered a mutual candidate should be encouraged, since this assures a relatively equal aid offer to the student, making it possible for him/her to choose a college on educational rather than financial grounds.  This benefits both the student and the college.

C. Ineligibility 

The awarding of the athletic scholarships or athletic grants-in-aid, as such shall not be permitted.  Specifically, a student shall be declared ineligible for intercollegiate athletic competition if he/she accepts any financial aid or the promise of future financial aid other than those described below:

1. Financial assistance in any amount from persons on whom the recipient is legally or naturally dependent for support.

2. Compensation for employment commensurate with service actually rendered and according to the rate or scale of pay established for all students employed on the campus or in jobs assigned through the campus student employment office.

3. A loan granted by the recipient's institution under conditions applicable to all students.

4. Scholarships based on high academic attainments if awarded by a regular agency established at the recipient's institution and if published in an official bulletin of that institution.

D. Outside Sources

A student who accepts financial support from any other source other than his/her institution or an organization approved by his/her institution, or from personal or family sources, shall be declared ineligible for competition.  Misrepresentation of financial contributions not only will result in ineligibility, but also may be cause for such action as the institution may consider appropriate.

E. Presidents' Exchange

On or before November 1 of each year, the presidents shall exchange in writing the mean percentage of need met for athletes and non-athletes, and the average institutional grant for athletes and non-athletes.

F. Board and Room

Meals on the day of intercollegiate competition, when considered necessary to the actual participation, shall be permitted.  The members of athletic squads traveling to games away from home may be provided with needed board and room for the period away from the campus.  At the discretion of each individual institution, board and room may be provided during pre-season drills.

G. Medical Services

Medical services shall be provided by each institution for their athletes.

III. RECRUITING

A. Preferential Treatment

In the recruitment of students, no member institution shall accord preferential treatment to any prospective student who is a potential member of an athletic team.

B. Solicitation

No member of an athletic staff or other representative of the institution shall solicit the attendance at his/her institution of any prospective student with the offer of financial aid or equivalent inducements.

C. Ability Tests

1. No member institution shall, on its campus or elsewhere, conduct or have conducted in its behalf, any athletic practice session or test at which one or more prospective students reveal, demonstrate, or display their ability in any sport.  As further clarification of this section, the following points are set forth.  It will not be a violation for member institutions to:

a. Offer to hold a scholastic tournament or meet where the institution provides only the facilities - not the officials or other out-of-pocket expenses.

b. Rent under appropriate supervision a football field, basketball court, or other institutional facilities to a high school for a specific occasion or tournament.

c. Use their facilities and staff for the operation of a summer athletic camp provided that no student who has begun classes as a high school senior participates in this camp.

d. Work out a continuing arrangement with a high school whereby playing facilities are used jointly.

2. It will be a violation for a member institution to sponsor and conduct a scholastic tournament or meet.

IV. ELIGIBILITY

A. Matriculation and Scholastic Standing

The Presidents' Athletic Conference does not intend through its regulation to limit freedom of association or right of amateur participation by its student-athletes.   The following regulations are intended to ensure that members of teams are not exploited through participation in additional training beyond that provided by the organized athletic program of the Conference:

1. Undergraduate students of a member college or university shall be eligible to represent their institution in intercollegiate athletic competition subject to the provisions of the NCAA.

2. Competition and participation will be defined as having been a member of a team after the date of matriculation registration, or class attendance.  A team is defined as the student-athletes who appear on the eligibility list for a given sport.

3. The eligibility list of team members must be sent to all PAC schools within the first two weeks of conference competition.

4. From the beginning of each academic year until the conclusion of the season for his or her sport, a member of a team in any sport may not play on an amateur team in that sport which is not connected with the college.  There is on exception: A basketball player may participate in one high school alumni game is such a game is played when the college is not in session.

B. Transfer Students

1. Transfer students eligibility should be governed in accordance to the current NCAA rules and regulations for during season and post-season competition.

2. A student-athlete may not participate in a sport at two (2) PAC schools in the same or consecutive seasons in the same sport. Transfer students within member institutions who have not previously participated in that sport at the college level are immediately eligible.

V. CONFERENCE SPORTS

A. General Guidelines

The member institutions shall foster intercollegiate athlete competition in sports as required for membership in the NCAA Division III.  The member institution specific sports schedules will be as defined by the sports guidelines.  No institutions need field a team in all conference sports.

B. Sports

The Presidents' Athletic Conference Agreement and Code of Regulations applies to the following:

C. Christmas Vacation

Individual athletes may participate in approved tournaments or meets during the Christmas vacation period.

D. NCAA Participation

Participation in NCAA sponsored or sanctified events is permitted in all sports.   Funding of these competition will be the responsibility of the individual institutions.

VI. GENERAL OPERATING GUIDELINES

A. Scheduling

1. The athletic directors should arrange schedules to minimize conflict with the academic requirements of member institution.

2. Intercollegiate contests shall be scheduled only with sanctioned varsity teams of four-year accredited institutions.  Freshmen or junior varsity teams may participate against teams of less than varsity status.

3. Financial arrangements are the responsibility of the home team.  There shall be no guarantees, no sharing of gate receipts, no sharing of expenses.

4. Officials fees for all sports shall be determined by the established rates for officials at member institutions.

5. Security will be provided at appropriate athletic evens at the discretion of the home team.

B. Practices

1. All practice starting dates will be determined by the Athletic Directors' Council, and where appropriate in compliance with the NCAA guidelines, as approved by the Presidents' Council.

2. In all sports, organized practice sessions of not more than two (2) hours duration may be scheduled on days in which school is in session, during the permissible practice and playing session.

3. Any official meeting of a coach and members of his team, at designated times, constitutes a practice session.

4. All sports may practice and play during vacation periods at the discretion of the individual institution.

5. An interval of three (3) hours shall be observed between two (2) practices on the same day.

6. Once classes begin, no practice session is allowed for football on Sunday, except for meetings and the review of films.

C. Institutional Financial Responsibilities

Each member institution at the start of each school year shall pay, by September 1, the annual membership fee.

D. Awards

1. Conference All-Sports Trophy.

2. Championship Trophy for each conference sport.

3. Outstanding Athlete Award for each sport.

4. Coach of the Year Award for each sport.

5. First and Second Team All-Conference awards for each sport with the exception of swimming and track & field, in which a First, Second, and Third Team shall be decided by order of finish.

6. A Championship Trophy and All-Conference certificates will be awarded if and only if at least three full teams compete for the conference championship in the respective sport.

7. Academic Honor Roll certificates.

E. Scouting Reports

Conference members shall not provide written or verbal scouting reports to or exchange films with non-conference members unless it is permitted under that sport's scouting exchange policy.

F. Tournament Sites

If a top seed is unable or chooses not to host a PAC championship event, then the second seed will have the option to host the championship, followed by the third seed, and so on. 

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