IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Representative of Athletics Interest (Booster)

A “representative of the institution’s athletics interests” is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization who is known (or should have been known) by a member of the institution’s executive or athletics administration to:

• have participated in or be a member of an agency or organization that promotes the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program;
• have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;
• be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes;
• be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
• have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution’s athletics program.

Some examples of a representative of athletics interests (i.e., booster) are: fans, undergraduate students, graduate students, all university faculty and staff, and alumni. (This is not an exhaustive list). ONCE A BOOSTER ALWAYS A BOOSTER!

Extra Benefit

An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a representative of the institution’s athletics interests (booster) to provide a student-athlete, or his/her relatives or friends, a benefit not authorized by the NCAA. The benefits a student-athlete may not receive include, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

• money;
• special discounts;
• payment arrangements or credit on a purchase (e.g., airline ticket, clothes) or service (e.g., laundry);
• free or reduced-cost professional services not available on the same basis to the general public or student body;
• use of a telephone or credit card for personal reasons without charge or at a reduced rate;
• entertainment services (e.g., movie tickets, meals, use of a car) from commercial agencies (e.g., theaters, restaurants, car dealers) without charge, or at a reduced rate, free or reduced-cost admission to professional athletics contests from professional sport organization, unless such services are available to the student body in general;
• guarantee of bond;
• signing or cosigning a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan;
• preferential treatment, benefits or services based on athletics reputation or skill or pay-back potential as a future professional;
• free or reduced-cost athletics equipment, supplies or clothing directly from a manufacturer or commercial enterprise;
• payment or other compensation for work not performed or at unreasonable levels of the work performed;
• employment arrangements for student-athlete’s or prospect’s relatives or friends;
• payment of registration fees or other expenses to attend a USC sport camp or clinic;
• use of personal property (e.g., car, summer house, computer);
• holiday or birthday presents;
• promise of employment after college graduation;
• payment or arrangement for payment of transportation costs incurred by a student-athlete or prospect’s relatives or friends; or any other item or service given because an individual is a student-athlete.