The Difference between Official and Unofficial Visits

[Muskie]

Several people have pondered the differences. Thought I'd post the official rules. (good luck)

OFFICIAL VISIT RULES

13.02.15.1 Official Visit An official visit to a member institution by a prospective student-athlete is a visit financed in whole or in part by the member institution.

13.6.2.1 One-Visit Limitation. A member institution may finance only one visit to its campus for a prospective student-athlete.

13.6.2.2 Number of Official Visits -- Prospective Student-Athlete Limitation. A prospective student-athlete may take a maximum of five expense-paid visits, with no more than one permitted to any single institution. This restriction applies regardless of the number of sports in which the prospective student-athlete is involved and only for expense paid visits to Divisions I or II institutions.

13.6.2.2.1 First Opportunity to Visit. A prospective student-athlete may not be provided an expense-paid visit earlier than the opening day of classes of the prospective student-athlete's senior year in high school. Violations of this bylaw shall be considered institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1; however, such violations shall not affect the prospective student-athlete's eligibility.

13.6.3 Requirements for Official Visit. The following requirements must be met before an institution may provide an official visit to a prospective student-athlete:
(a) A high school or preparatory school prospective student-athlete must present the institution with a score from a PSAT, SAT, PLAN or ACT taken on a national testing date under national testing conditions, except that a state-administered ACT may be used to meet the requirement. The score must be presented through a testing agency document, on a high school or preparatory school academic transcript (official or unofficial) or through the use of the applicable testing agency's automated-voice system. An international prospective student-athlete who requires a special administration of the PSAT, SAT, PLAN or ACT may present such a score upon the approval of the Academics Cabinet or the Initial-Eligibility Waiver . …

13.6.4 Length of Official Visit. An official visit to an institution shall not exceed 48 hours. A prospective student-athlete may remain in the locale in which the institution is located after the permissible 48-hour period for reasons unrelated to the official visit, provided that at the completion of the 48-hour visit, the individual departs the institution's campus, and the institution does not pay any expenses thereafter, including the cost of return transportation to the prospective student-athlete's home. Violations of this bylaw shall be considered institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1; however, such violations shall not affect the prospective student-athlete's eligibility. Additionally, if the prospective student-athlete does not return home prior to attending the institution, the one-way transportation to the campus would be considered a violation of Bylaw 13.5.4, which prohibits transportation to enroll.

13.6.4.1 48-Hour Period Defined. The 48-hour period of the official visit begins at the time the prospective student-athlete arrives on the institution's campus, rather than with the initiation of the prospective student-athlete's transportation by a coach or the time of the prospective student-athlete's arrival at the airport or elsewhere in the community (see Bylaws 13.6.4.1.1 and 13.5.2.4). The prospective student-athlete's transportation to and from the campus must be without delay for personal reasons or entertainment purposes. The institution may not pay any expenses for entertainment (other than the actual and reasonable cost of meals) in conjunction with the prospective student-athlete's transportation. At the completion of the 48-hour visit, the prospective student-athlete must depart the institution's campus immediately; otherwise, the institution may not pay any expenses incurred by the prospective student-athlete upon departure from the institution's campus, including the cost of the prospective student-athlete's transportation home.

13.5.2 Transportation on Official Paid Visit. 13.5.2.1 General Restrictions. A member institution may pay the prospective student-athlete's actual round-trip transportation costs for his or her official visit to its campus from any location, provided the prospective student-athlete returns to the original point of departure, or if return transportation is provided to the prospective student-athlete's home, educational institution or site of competition, the cost does not exceed round-trip expenses from the prospective student-athlete's original point of departure. Use of a limousine or helicopter for such transportation is prohibited.

13.5.2.2 Automobile Transportation. When a prospective student-athlete travels by automobile on an official paid visit, the institution may pay round-trip expenses to the individual incurring the expense (except the prospective student-athlete's coach as set forth in Bylaw 13.8.1.1) at the same mileage rate it allows its own personnel. Any automobile may be used by the prospective student-athlete, provided the automobile is not owned or operated or its use arranged by the institution or any representative of its athletics interests.

13.6.6 Accommodations on Official Visit. A prospective student-athlete on an official visit shall be provided lodging and take meals as regular students normally do. Local commercial facilities may be used but at a scale comparable to that of normal student life and only within a 30-mile radius of the institution's campus. Lodging may not include special accessories (e.g., jacuzzis, suites) that are not available generally to all guests residing at the establishment.

13.6.7 Entertainment/Tickets on Official Visit. 13.6.7.1 General Restrictions. An institution may provide entertainment, which may not be excessive, on the official visit only for a prospective student-athlete and the prospective student-athlete's parents (or legal guardians) or spouse and only within a 30-mile radius of the institution's main campus. Entertainment and contact by representatives of the institution's athletics interests during the official visit are prohibited. It is not permissible to entertain other relatives or friends (including dates) of a prospective student-athlete at any time at any site. For violations of this bylaw in which the value of the entertainment is $100 or less, the eligibility of the individual (prospective or enrolled student-athlete) shall not be affected conditioned upon the individual repaying the value of the benefit to a charity of his or her choice. The individual, however, shall remain ineligible from the time the institution has knowledge of the receipt of the impermissible benefit until the individual repays the benefit. Violations of this bylaw remain institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1, and documentation of the individual's repayment shall be forwarded to the enforcement services staff with the institution's self-report of the violation.

13.6.7.2 Complimentary Admissions. During the official visit, a maximum of three complimentary admissions to a home athletics event at any facility within a 30-mile radius of the institution's main campus in which the institution's intercollegiate team practices or competes may be provided to a prospective student-athlete. Such complimentary admissions are for the exclusive use of the prospective student-athlete and those persons accompanying the prospective student-athlete on the visit and must be issued only through a pass list on an individual-game basis. Such admissions may provide seating only in the general seating area of the facility used for conducting the event. Providing seating during the conduct of the event (including intermission) for the prospective student-athlete or those persons accompanying the prospective student-athlete in the facility's press box, special seating box(es) or bench area is specifically prohibited.

cont'd below

[Muskie]

13.6.7.3 Parking. An institution may arrange special on-campus parking for prospective student-athletes during an official visit.

13.6.7.5 Student Host. The student host must be either a current student-athlete or a student designated in a manner consistent with the institution's policy for providing campus visits or tours to prospective students in general. The institution may provide the following to a student host entertaining a prospective student-athlete:

(a) A maximum of $30 for each day of the visit to cover all actual costs of entertaining the student host(s) and the prospective student-athlete (and the prospective student-athlete's parents, legal guardians or spouse), excluding the cost of meals and admission to campus athletics events. The cost of entertainment of the institution's athletics department staff members who accompany the prospective student-athlete is also excluded. If an athletics department staff member serves as the prospective student-athlete's host, his or her entertainment costs must be included in the entertainment allowance. The entertainment allowance may not be used for the purchase of souvenirs, such as T-shirts or other institutional mementos. It is permissible to provide the student host with an additional $15 per day for each additional prospective student-athlete the host entertains;

(b) Complimentary meals, provided the student host is accompanying the prospective student-athlete during the prospective student-athlete's official visit; and

(c) Complimentary admissions to campus athletics events, provided the admissions are used to accompany a prospective student-athlete to the events during the prospective student-athlete's official visit.

13.6.7.7 Meals on Official Visit. The cost of actual meals, not to exceed three per day, on the official visit for a prospective student-athlete and the prospective student-athlete's parents, legal guardians, spouse or children need not be included in the $30-per-day entertainment expense. Meals must be comparable to those provided to student-athletes during the academic year. A reasonable snack (e.g., pizza, hamburger) may be provided in addition to the three meals.

13.6.7.7.1 Entertainment at Staff Member's Home. A luncheon, dinner or brunch at the home of an institutional staff member (e.g., the athletics director, a coach, a faculty member or the institution’s president) may be held for a prospective student-athlete on an official visit, provided the entertainment is on a scale comparable to that of normal student life, is not excessive in nature and occurs on only one occasion.

13.6.9 Lodging for Additional Persons. Additional persons (e.g., prospective student-athlete's brother, sister, friend) may stay in the same room as the prospective student-athlete or parents, spouse or legal guardians of the prospective student-athlete, but the institution shall not pay the costs resulting from the additional occupants. The additional occupants shall not be prospective student-athletes being recruited by the institution. For violations of this bylaw in which the value of the offer or inducement is $100 or less, the eligibility of the individual (prospective or enrolled student-athlete) shall not be affected conditioned upon the individual repaying the value of the benefit to a charity of his or her choice. The individual, however, shall remain ineligible from the time the institution has knowledge of the receipt of the impermissible benefit until the individual repays the benefit. Violations of this bylaw remain institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1, and documentation of the individual's repayment shall be forwarded to the enforcement services staff with the institution's self-report of the violation.

[Muskie]

UNOFFICIAL VISIT RULES

13.02.15.2 Unofficial Visit. An unofficial visit to a member institution by a prospective student-athlete is a visit made at the prospective student-athlete's own expense. The provision of any expenses or entertainment valued at more than $100 by the institution or representatives of its athletics interests shall require the visit to become an official visit, except as permitted in Bylaws 13.5 and 13.7.

13.7.1 Number Permitted. A prospective student-athlete may visit a member institution's campus at his or her own expense an unlimited number of times. A prospective student-athlete may make unofficial visits before his or her senior year in high school.

13.7.1.1 Exception -- Men's Basketball. In men's basketball, a prospective student-athlete may not make unofficial visits during the month of July.

13.7.2 Entertainment/Tickets.
13.7.2.1 General Restrictions. During an unofficial visit, the institution may not pay any expenses or provide any entertainment except a maximum of three complimentary admissions (issued only through a pass list) to a home athletics event at any facility within a 30-mile radius of a member institution's main campus in which the institution's intercollegiate team practices or competes. Such complimentary admissions are for the exclusive use of the prospective student-athlete and those persons accompanying the prospective student-athlete on the visit and must be issued on an individual-game basis. Such admissions may provide seating only in the general seating area of the facility used for conducting the event. Providing seating during the conduct of the event (including intermission) for the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's parents (or legal guardians) or spouse in the facility's press box, special seating box(es) or bench area is specifically prohibited.

13.7.2.1.4 Reserving Game Tickets. An institution may not reserve tickets (in addition to the permissible complimentary admissions) to be purchased by a prospective student-athlete (or individuals accompanying the prospective student-athlete) on an unofficial visit. Tickets may be purchased only in the same manner as any other member of the general public.

13.5.3 Transportation on Unofficial Visit. During any unofficial recruiting visit, the institution may provide the prospective student-athlete with transportation to view practice and competition sites in the prospective student-athlete's sport and other institutional facilities and to attend a home athletics contest at any local facility (see Bylaws 13.02.5.1 and 13.7.3). An institutional staff member must accompany the prospective student-athlete during such a trip. Payment of any other transportation expenses, shall be considered a violation. For violations in which the value of transportation is $100 or less, the eligibility of the individual (prospective or enrolled student-athlete) shall not be affected conditioned upon the individual repaying the value of the benefit to a charity of his or her choice. The individual, however, shall remain ineligible from the time the institution has knowledge of the receipt of the impermissible benefit until the individual repays the benefit. Violations of this bylaw remain institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1, and documentation of the individual's repayment shall be forwarded to the enforcement services staff with the institution's self-report of the violation.

13.7.2.1.1 Meals. A prospective student-athlete on an unofficial visit to an institution may pay the actual cost of meals (or the regular cost of training-table meals) and eat with other prospective student-athletes who are on their official visits or with enrolled student-athletes.

13.7.2.1.2 Housing -- Lodging in Dormitories. A prospective student-athlete on an unofficial visit may stay in an enrolled student-athlete's dormitory room only if the prospective student-athlete pays the regular institutional rate for such lodging.

13.7.2.1.5 Parking. An institution may not arrange special parking for prospective student-athletes to use while attending a member institution's campus athletics event during an unofficial visit.

13.7.2.1.6 Academic Interviews. An athletics department staff member MAY [emphasis added] arrange academic interviews for a prospective student-athlete on an unofficial visit.

13.7.2.1.7 Student Host. A student host used during an unofficial visit must either be a current student-athlete or a student who is designated in a manner consistent with the institution's policies for providing campus visits or tours to prospective students in general.

13.7.2.2 Home Games at Site Other than Regular Home Facility. If an institution schedules any regular-season home games at a site not designated as its regular home facility, the host institution may provide a maximum of three complimentary admissions to any such game for the exclusive use of a prospective student-athlete and those persons accompanying the prospective student-athlete. Tournament and postseason games are excluded. The institution shall not arrange or permit any other entertainment or payment of expenses, including transportation, except as permitted in Bylaw 13.5.3.

[wkrq59]

Muskie, is it any wonder the NCAA rules are so hard to understand and deal with, especially for disadvantaged young men and women whose educational background is not quite on a par with even basic minimum standards?
And the only reason it's so damned convoluted is each rule covers a situation where some coach or booster built a better mousetrap.
And know this. Institutions such as most Big 6 conference schools who have plenty of money and well-heeled alumni who can make things such as bills appear and disappear or be adjusted at will are still going to cheat when necessary...that includes making phone
calls and contact with recruits already signed to another institution without a release.:D:D