JUCO Weekly

****NJCAA ELIGIBILITY UPDATE:

Charlotte, NC – Following the annual NJCAA committee meetings, hosted virtually April 20-24, a number of eligibility related amendments were passed by the NJCAA Board of Regents. Directly impacted by COVID-19 and the cancellation of spring competition for the 2020 season, the following amendments have been passed.

ITEM #518: Release Agreements

• Once a SA is "officially" released, they are immediately recruitable.
  • Labeled as "released" on the NJCAA Connect platform.
• A member college maintains control of the LOI by not releasing the SA. With choosing not to release, the SA and member colleges would be required to follow the bylaw we currently have.
• Allow the SA to continue to receive their aid once released if agreeable between the two parties.
• SA not on LOI would follow the same bylaws we currently have.
• The Transfer Waiver would remain in effect.

ITEM #523: Joint Bylaw Cleanup

• Removal of extraneous verbiage from the bylaw pertaining to Recruitable Athletes (Article VI, Section 2.C):
  • Article VI, Section 2.C.2.a.
  • Article VI, Section 2.C.3.a.
• Removal of extraneous verbiage from the bylaw pertaining to Impermissable Contact (Article VI, Section 3.D)
  • Article VI, Section 3.D.B.5
  • Article VI, Section 3.D.B.6.a. 

ITEM #225: 18-Hour Fall 2020 Adjustment

• Reduces the number of credit hours required for the Spring 2020 term (exclusively) by six (6) hours.
  • Provides an exception for student-athletes to enter Fall 2020 Term with 18 total credit hours.
• May only be applied to SAs enrolled in a full-time course load (12-hour minimum) for the Spring 2020 term.
• Students who were not enrolled as full-time at a college or university in the Spring 2020 academic term must meet the standard academic progress requirements.
• The adjustment expires in 2021. 

ITEM #521: Full-Time Enrollment Exemption

• Provides an allowance for SAs to be enrolled in 6 credit hours (part-time) instead of 12 credit hours (full-time) if in their final term.
• SAs must be on course to complete the degree requirements if taking part in this exemption, per confirmation from the institution.
• This is a one-time allowance. 
• The below is an interpretation from the Eligibility Committee for the 2020-21 academic year only which only applies to graduates. 
  • A student-athlete who was enrolled at a college or university as a full-time student in the spring 2020 term, and graduates at the end of the spring 2020 OR fall 2020 term, may participate in the spring 2021 NJCAA sports season while enrolled in a minimum of six (6) credit hours. All six (6) credit hours must begin before the end of the published regular-season schedule of the student-athletes chosen sport. The institution must document that the student-athlete has completed all degree requirements, as determined by the institution. This one-time allowance is ONLY for students who were enrolled full-time at a college or university in the spring 2020. Student-athletes must not have previously competed in two or more seasons of the desired sport.

ITEM #525: Eligibility Committee Selection Process

• Establishes a new protocol for electing members of the Eligibility Committee, beginning in 2020 – 2021.
• Nominations open in Spring/Summer 2020.
• Must be an Asst. RD or above in NJCAA leadership.
• Ensures that the Eligibility Committee is composed of a diverse mix and sets limits on terms of service.

March 17. 2020

From the NJCAA:

      NJCAA COVID-19 FAQs

• QUESTION:  Student-athlete X participated in 10 games of the 2020 softball season prior to the NJCAA canceling all spring sport participation. Has student-athlete X used a season of NJCAA softball eligibility?
  ANSWER: No, the NJCAA is not charging a season of eligibility for any student-athlete regardless of participation in the spring 2020 season.

• QUESTION: What is considered a spring sport in the NJCAA?
  ANSWER: Baseball, Beach Volleyball, Golf, Lacrosse, Softball, Tennis, Outdoor Track and Field

• QUESTION: Since the NJCAA has cancelled all participation for spring sports for the 2020 season, what does a member institution have to do to get the student-athlete's season of eligibility reinstated?
  ANSWER: For spring 2020 sports only, it is not required to file a hardship or for the college president to submit a letter notifying the NJCAA National Office of their decision to cancel the spring 2020 season as a result of COVID-19, as previously directed.

• QUESTION: Our college had not yet competed in the spring 2020 season at the time of the NJCAA announcement cancelling all spring participation. Does the college still need to file spring eligibility?
  ANSWER: For the spring 2020 sport season, if the member institution has not yet filed eligibility, there is no reason to do so. No student-athlete will be charged a season of eligibility for the spring 2020 NJCAA athletic season.

• QUESTION: Is the current restriction on recruiting only limited to face-to-face recruiting or all recruiting practices?
  ANSWER: This restriction applies to face-to-face on and off campus recruiting.  It is permissible to email, text, phone call, etc. recruits during this time.

• QUESTION: Community College A would like to host a skills camp for 9th through 12th graders during the current national recruiting restriction period. Is it permissible for the member college to host a skills clinic during this period?
  ANSWER: There is no NJCAA bylaw which would restrict this practice; however, it is not permissible to have 12th graders on campus or any other face-to-face athletic contact. 12th graders are eligible to be signed to an NJCAA LOI and therefore are identified as recruitable. It is not permissible to hold face-to-face recruiting initiatives through April 15, 2020.  

• QUESTION: Is it permissible to sign recruits to NJCAA Letters of Intent during this time of limited recruitment?
  ANSWER: Yes, members colleges may continue to sign recruits to NJCAA Letters of Intent provided the signings are not face-to-face.  

• QUESTION: As some NJCAA basketball championships were cancelled, do those students regain a season of sport eligibility?
  ANSWER:  No, all fall and winter NJCAA sports must meet the standard hardship requirements as outlined in Article V, Section 5.B. The special allowance only applies to the spring 2020 NJCAA sport season.

• QUESTION: Community College X is offering an LOI to an upcoming 2nd season athlete. The college has closed due to the coronavirus and all students are back home and no longer on campus. Does the college need to have "original" signatures on the LOI which they upload and have on file?
  ANSWER: While the NJCAA would prefer original signatures on file, original signatures are not required. It is permissible for the member institution to create a Letter of Intent, convert it to an electronic file, and send to the recruit as an attachment through email or fax.  If the recruit accepts the offer, they could send it back via standard mail, or scan and return via email or fax; a picture of the signed Letter of Intent is not acceptable. The member college must secure the remaining signatures and maintain in their on-campus file in case of audit. 

• QUESTION: If a student-athlete is a second-season athlete in the spring 2020 season and they decide to return to an NJCAA member institution the following year, would they be required to be full-time in the term which they choose to participate? What if they need less than full-time status to graduate - are they still required to be full-time in order to participate?
  ANSWER: Currently, the enrollment requirement for all NJCAA student-athletes is to be a full-time student at the school in which the student-athlete participates. However, the eligibility committee is currently discussing these types of situations. This minimum standard applies to all participation even when a student-athlete has fewer required credits than full-time status to graduate.  

• QUESTION: Is it possible to be a dual-enrolled student, taking some classes/hours at the community college and taking some classes/hours at a local four-year institution while playing at the community college.
  ANSWER: Currently, the enrollment requirement for all NJCAA student-athletes is to be a full-time student at the school in which the student-athlete participates. However, the eligibility committee is currently discussing these types of situations. This minimum standard applies to all participation even when a student-athlete has fewer required credits than full-time status to graduate.

• QUESTION: May student-athletes use athletic facilities to work out, including gym, weight room, and or fields?
  ANSWER: Provided the college has no restriction against any member of the general student population using the service area or facility then it is permissible for student-athletes to as well. However, it is not permissible to have organized or structured team activities as structured participation (practice, games, and championships) has been cancelled for the remainder of the spring 2020 term.

NJCAA COVID-19 Homepage