Page 218 - (FINAL!) UPDATED 13.0) 2020-2021 HANDBOOK - SEPTEMBER 2020 EDITION_Neat

Case 2
Release and Transfer Waiver
SITUATION:
Student-athlete wants to transfer from Community College A because the school they signed with is not playing in the 2020-2021 year due to the
COVID-19, do they still need to be released and do they need a transfer waiver?

ANSWER:
Yes, they will still need to be released to become recruitable and then a transfer waiver is still required if they were signed to an LOI. This is
required as Community College A is only suspending sports for the 20-21 year and not dropping sports all together.

Case 3
Letter of Intent and Scholarship as a Non-Counter
SITUATION:
Student-Athlete R was a 2 -season baseball athlete in the spring 2020 season at Community College A. He was signed to an LOI for the entire
nd
2019-2020 academic year. The NJCAA canceled all spring sports in March of the 2020 season. May Student-Athlete R return to Community College
A and may they receive a scholarship?
ANSWER:
For the 2020-2021 academic year only, any student-athlete who was signed to a 2019-2021 LOI prior to March 16, 2020, may receive an equal
value scholarship at the same institution for the 2020-2021 academic year and NOT be a counter in the 2020-2021 LOI limits. The student-athlete
must be signed to a fully executed valid LOI.

Case 4
Letter of Intent and Scholarship as a Non-Counter – Following Transfer
SITUATION:
Student-Athlete R was a 2nd-season Outdoor Track and Field athlete in the spring 2020 season at Community College A. She was signed to an LOI
for the entire 2019-2020 academic year. Student-Athlete–R decides to transfer to Community College-B for the 2020-2021 academic year. If
Community College-B chooses to sign her to an LOI, is she a counter against the maximum allowable LOI signees?

ANSWER:
Due to the fact Student-Athlete-R transferred from Community College-A to Community College-B, she must be a counter at Community College–B.

Case 5
COVID-19 Related Hardships
SITUATION:
Several Student-Athletes on our campus are experiencing a hardship due to the Corona virus situation. Some examples of hardships are lack of a
place to stay now that the dorms have closed, lack of a place to get food since dining halls have closed and lack of a home computer to complete
assignments now that all instruction is being taught virtually. May the athletic department or a representative for the athletics department provide
additional support and or resources to the student-athletes that are not covered by an NJCAA Letter of Intent or may be outside of the permissible
allowances of NJCAA bylaws?

ANSWER:
It is not permissible for representatives of the athletic department or the athletic department to provide benefits which are either outside of the
allowances of scholarship limitations or defined benefits listed on an LOI. However, if a member institution provides that same allowance to the
general student population and not limit it to the student-athlete population, it would be permissible. If the member college is opening the benefit
or assistance to the entire student population, it is an allowable practice.

Case 6
Requirement for Original Signatures on an LOI
SITUATION:
Community College X is offering an LOI to an upcoming 2nd season athlete. The college has closed due to the corona virus 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.

Case 7
Recruitable Athlete
SITUATION:
With the NJCAA canceling the remainder of winter and spring sports seasons in the spring 2020 academic term, are student-athletes recruitable if
they are not signed to a current NJCAA Letter of Intent (LOI)?

ANSWER:
Winter and spring sport student-athletes are recruitable at this time, provided they have been released from their LOI or were never signed to an
LOI. Based on new bylaw wording recently adopted by the Board of Regents, a student-athlete becomes recruitable at the time they are released.
There is no longer a requirement to wait until the end of the academic term in which the sport season ends.

Case 8
Electronic Signature on LOI
SITUATION:
Is it allowable for the NJCAA Letters of Intent (LOI) to be signed electronically?