Current Student-Athletes

Current UW-Green Bay student-athletes should refer to the Student-Athlete Handbook for the most current policies governing their participation in athletics. However, the following is a quick reference of the various Green Bay Athletics Student-Athlete policies.

Current student-athletes should also be sure to contact the Compliance Office with any questions PRIOR to taking any unsure action - remember, ASK BEFORE YOU ACT to help keep Green Bay Athletics in compliance.

Code of Conduct
Guidelines for Dealing with the Media
Promotional Appearances
Student-Athlete Employment
Boosters, Extra Benefits & Agents
Travel Policy

CODE OF CONDUCT

Green Bay Athletics requires all administrators, coaches, trainers, staff, and student-athletes to conduct themselves in a manner, on- and off-campus and in and out of competition, which creates a positive and professional image of UW-Green Bay.

The Athletics Department operates within the rules and regulations established by UW-Green Bay, the Horizon League, and the NCAA. As a student-athlete, you have become a representative of UW-Green Bay and Green Bay Athletics, and you are expected to uphold the standards set forth by UW-Green Bay, Green Bay Athletics, and the NCAA.

Student-Athlete Code of Conduct

Student-athletes must realize that they are representatives of UW-Green Bay and are highly visible through the Intercollegiate Athletics Program. Student-athletes are expected to adhere to UW-Green Bay's policies and are subject to UW-Green Bay's normal disciplinary procedures administered by the Office of the Dean of Students (see Section II above).

We urge you to review all policies and procedures printed and cited in this Handbook. You have the freedom to manage your own life to a far greater degree than ever before. It is essential that this freedom be handled in a responsible manner so as not to jeopardize your opportunity to obtain maximum benefit from your UW-Green Bay and Green Bay Athletics experience.

Student-athletes who do not conform to this code will be subject to discipline. The discipline may range from a warning to suspension or dismissal from the team. It could also result in a reduction and/or loss of athletics financial aid.


GUIDELINES FOR DEALING WITH THE MEDIA

Media relations are an essential part of publicizing Green Bay Athletics. The fans of the institution and those from your hometowns are interested in your intercollegiate experience. In order for newspapers to follow-up on your success, reporters need to talk directly with student-athletes to gain information for their stories. Student-athletes have the obligation to their institutions as well as the opportunity to provide tremendous promotional benefits for the program by talking with reputable members of the news media.

It's easy to be interviewed. Just relax and be yourself. Reporters find athletes are fun to interview because they are refreshingly honest. They want to know about you and your team's goals and accomplishments. Keep your answers simple and brief. If you don't understand the question, or don't know the answer, say so. If appropriate, refer the reporter to your coach or Sports Information Director.

Here are some additional guidelines for talking to reporters:

1. It is important that all interviews are arranged through the Sports Information Department (SID). DO NOT agree to a telephone interview unless the Sports Information Department has coordinated arrangements. Telephone numbers of student-athletes are not given out by the SID office. In most cases, the Sports Information Department will have you conduct telephone interviews in the SID office. If you are called at home and have not been in contact with the SID office, tell the reporter that you would like any interview arranged through the Sports Information Department. Student reporters are generally the most frequent violators of this policy. It is very important to have good relations with the student press. They are not professionals; sometimes they do not know the details of the sports they are assigned to cover. Be patient and cordial at all times.

2. Dealing with the news media develops communication skills that can be helpful not only while you are a student-athlete, but also in future careers. For the most part, interviews are short (10-15 minutes) and feature-oriented. Please promptly return phone calls to media when arranged by the Sports Information Department. Members of the media are often on deadline, and only need a few minutes. Always assume that what you tell a reporter will be quoted "on the record."

3. If you encounter a question that you do not wish to answer, or if you don't know the answer, say that to the reporter. A proper response might be, "I'd rather not discuss that subject" or "I cannot answer that." Avoid saying, "No comment," which gives a perception of elusiveness. What is discussed behind closed (locker room/office) doors should remain there. If you are uncomfortable with the questions or tone of an interview, tell your coach or Sports Information Director.

4. Post-event interviews are usually performance-related. Reporters request interviews with particular student-athletes based on their performances at the event. Your coach, as well as the opposing coach and student-athletes may also be interviewed at this time. It's easy to be cooperative with the media when you win. Anyone can say, "I played great...We played great...We are great." It's when you lose that it becomes difficult. Try to answer patiently and honestly. If you absolutely do not wish to speak with the press after a difficult game, be polite and respond, "I'd prefer not to discuss that."

5. If there is a problem with a certain member of the media, seek counsel with the staff of the Sports Information Department at (920) 465-2498.

6. The impressions of you, your sports program and the institution are often made through your interviews with the print and electronic media. You are the best ambassadors for your program. You will gain confidence as you gain experience with interviewing. If at any time you need assistance, please call the Sports Information Department.

Look at the interview as a learning experience. Someday, there will be a person who may wish to hire you who will be firing questions at you. Not many other students get the opportunity to hone their communication skills in this manner. This is your chance - take advantage of it! Impressions are made about you, your team, and your institution through interviews, feature stories, and how you handle yourself.


PROMOTIONAL APPEARANCES

As a student-athlete, you may be asked to make public appearances, speaking engagements, or promotions for UW-Green Bay or other organizations. While it is positive exposure for Green Bay Athletics, you should be aware that many times these types of activities are prohibited under NCAA rules and could affect your eligibility.

All student-athlete promotional activities must be approved in advance by the Director of Athletics. Any student-athlete who is asked to do any type of promotional activity must see the Compliance Office to get prior approval to participate in the promotion.


STUDENT-ATHLETE EMPLOYMENT

Earnings from a student-athlete's on- or off-campus employment that occurs at any time is not counted in determining a student-athlete's full grant-in-aid or in the institution's financial aid limitations, provided: 1. The student-athlete's compensation does not include any remuneration for value or utility that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame, or personal following that he or she has obtained because of athletics ability; 2. The student-athlete is compensated only for work actually performed; and 3. The student-athlete is compensated at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services. Before you begin any employment, you need to complete a STUDENT-ATHLETE EMPLOYMENT FORM with the Compliance Office.


BOOSTERS, EXTRA BENEFITS & AGENTS

EXTRA BENEFIT (NCAA Bylaw 16.02.3)

An extra benefit is any special arrangement by a UW-Green Bay employee or booster to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete's relative or friend a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.

Receipt of a benefit by student-athletes or their relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution's students or their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the student body (e.g., foreign students, minority students) determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability.

REPRESENTATIVES OF GREEN BAY ATHLETICS ("BOOSTERS")

Representatives of Green Bays Athletics' interests (i.e., boosters) are an important part of the success of the Athletics Department. A booster is identified as any individual (person, entity, or organization) that falls into one or more of the following categories:

1. Has ever been a member of the Phoenix Fund or its booster club subsets (e.g., Fast Break Club, Dunkers).
2. Has ever made any financial contribution to the Phoenix Fund, its booster club subsets, or to the Athletics Department in general.
3. Has ever been a season ticket holder for any sport program.
4. Has ever employed or helped arrange employment for a current or prospective student-athlete.
5. Is otherwise involved in promoting the Athletics Department.

Once an individual meets one or more of these criteria and becomes a Green Bay Athletics booster, that individual remains a booster indefinitely and falls under the guidelines below.

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES OF WHICH YOU SHOULD BE AWARE

Prohibited benefits include:

• Discounts and Credits. A student-athlete may not receive a special discount, payment arrangement or credit on a purchase (e.g., airline ticket, clothing), or a service (e.g., laundry, dry cleaning) from a UW-Green Bay employee or booster.

• Free or Reduced-Cost Services. A UW-Green Bay employee or booster may not provide a student-athlete with professional services (for which a fee normally would be charged) without charge or at a reduced cost. Professional services provided at less than the normal rate or at no expense to a student-athlete are considered an extra benefit unless they are available on the same basis to the general student body.

• Telephones and Credit Cards. It is not permissible for a UW-Green Bay employee or booster to allow a student-athlete to use a telephone or credit card for personal reasons without charge or at a reduced cost.

• Entertainment Services. A student-athlete may not receive services (e.g., movie tickets, dinners, use of car) from commercial agencies (e.g., movie theaters, restaurants, car dealers) without charge or at reduced rates, or free or reduced-cost admission to professional athletics contests from professional sports organizations, unless such services also are available to the student body in general.

• Other Prohibited Benefits. A UW-Green Bay employee or booster may not provide a student-athlete with extra benefits or services, including, but not limited to:

o A loan of money.
o A guarantee of bond.
o An automobile or the use of an automobile.
o Signing or cosigning a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan.
o Transportation (e.g., a ride home with a coach or booster), except as permitted in NCAA Bylaw 16.10.1-(e), even if the student-athlete reimburses the staff member or booster for the appropriate amount of the gas or expense.

OCCASIONAL MEALS

With prior approval by the Compliance Office, a student-athlete may receive an occasional meal on infrequent and special occasions under the following circumstances:

• From a UW-Green Bay staff member in the locale of UW-Green Bay (i.e., at a local restaurant, at the UW-Green Bay staff member's home).
• From a booster in that booster's home (i.e., the meal cannot be at a restaurant, but it can be catered in the booster's home).

If you are approached by someone offering you a meal, please make sure to get prior approval from your coaching staff and the Compliance Office; otherwise this meal is an extra benefit and will affect your eligibility.

TELEPHONE, PRINTER, AND COPY MACHINE USAGE

UW-Green Bay and the NCAA prohibit a student-athlete from making or billing long distance telephone calls utilizing University telephones. UW-Green Bay also prohibits a student-athlete from making personal copies utilizing Athletics Department copy machines (this includes making copies of notes and other academic materials) and using office printers for any purpose.

AGENTS

A student-athlete shall be ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if he or she ever has agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation in that sport.

Further, an agency contract not specifically limited in writing to a sport or particular sports shall be deemed applicable to all sports, and the individual shall be ineligible to participate in any sport.

A student-athlete shall also be ineligible if he or she enters into a verbal or written agreement with an agent for representation in future professional sports negotiations that are to take place after the individual has completed his or her eligibility in that sport.

Similarly, a student-athlete who signs a contract or commitment that does not become binding until the professional organization's representative or agent also signs the document is ineligible, even if the contract remains unsigned by the other parties until after the student-athlete's eligibility is exhausted.

A student-athlete shall be ineligible if he or she (or his or her relatives or friends) accepts any benefits not expressly authorized by the NCAA from:

• Any person who represents any individual in the marketing of his or her athletics ability. The receipt of such expenses constitutes compensation based on athletics skill and is an extra benefit not available to the student body in general.
• An agent, even if the agent has indicated that he or she has no interest in representing the student-athlete in the marketing of his or her athletics ability or reputation and does not represent individuals in the student-athlete's sport.

However, a student-athlete may request information about professional market value without affecting his or her amateur status.

Further, the student-athlete, his or her legal guardians, or UW-Green Bay's professional sports counseling panel may enter into negotiations with a professional sports organization without the loss of the student-athlete's amateur status.

Similarly, securing advice from a lawyer concerning a proposed professional sports contract shall not be considered contracting for representation by an agent under this rule, unless the lawyer also represents the individual in negotiations for such a contract.


TRAVEL POLICY