Division III Rules Test
The Division III Rules Test is required annually for all coaches and athletics administrators with compliance responsibilities per NCAA Constitution 3.2.3 and Bylaw 11.8. It is intended to be a learning tool offered to the Division III membership. It is to be taken “open book” in an effort to better familiarize individuals with the legislation contained in the NCAA Division III Manual.
NCAA Required Day Off
All countable athletically related activities shall be prohibited during one calendar day per week except during participation in NCAA Championships. These limitations do not apply in periods between academic terms when classes are not in session or during preseason practice that occurs prior to the first day of classes.
A countable athletically related activity is defined as any meeting, activity, or instruction involving sports-related information and having an athletic purpose, held for one or more student-athletes at the director of, or supervised by, any member of an institution’s coaching staff.
Non-Traditional Season Activities
Non-traditional season practices and contests should be treated – from an oversight standpoint- in the same manner as activities, which take place in the traditional season.
All practice/competition schedules should be shared with appropriate support personnel as far in advance as possible.
All regular season transportation policies and procedures should be followed.
No student may participate in a fall sport activity until he/she has been cleared from all eligibility standpoints. Medical clearance must be obtained before participating.
NCAA Guidelines for Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Education
As part of the minimum standards for The College of Wooster Department of Athletics to comply with the NCAA and assure they are providing and conducting adequate drug-education program for student-athletes the following is necessary:
- Review and development of individual team drug and alcohol policies
- Review and development of the department’s drug and alcohol policy
- Review of the institutional drug and alcohol policy
- Review and provision of information for student-athletes regarding NCAA policies, list of banned substances, tobacco ban, and nutritional supplements and inherent risks.
All coaches are instructed to develop and file with the athletic director, copies of individual team drug, alcohol and tobacco policies. Develop and file a department policy and file a copy of the institutional drug and alcohol policy.
NCAA Division III Philosophy Statement
Colleges and universities in Division III place highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all students' academic programs. They seek to establish and maintain an environment in which a student-athlete's athletics activities are conducted as an integral part of the student-athlete's educational experience, and in which coaches play a significant role as educators. They also seek to establish and maintain an environment that values cultural diversity and gender equity among their student-athletes and athletics staff. To achieve this end, Division III institutions:
- Place special importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather than on the spectators and place greater emphasis on the internal constituency (e.g., students, alumni, institutional personnel) than on the general public and its entertainment needs;
- Shall not award financial aid to any student on the basis of athletics leadership, ability, participation or performance;
- Encourage the development of sportsmanship and positive societal attitudes in all constituents, including student-athletes, coaches, administrative personnel and spectators;
- Encourage participation by maximizing the number and variety of athletics opportunities for their students;
- Assure that the actions of coaches and administrators exhibit fairness, openness and honesty in their relationships with student-athletes;
- Assure that athletics participants are not treated differently from other members of the student body;
- Assure that athletics programs support the institution's educational mission by financing, staffing and controlling the programs through the same general procedures as other departments of the institution. Further, the administration of an institution's athletics program (e.g., hiring, compensation, professional development, certification of coaches) should be integrated into the campus culture and educational mission;
- Assure that athletics recruitment complies with established institutional policies and procedures applicable to the admission process;
- Assure that academic performance of student-athletes is, at a minimum, consistent with that of the general student body;
- Assure that admission policies for student-athletes comply with policies and procedures applicable to the general student body;
- Provide equitable athletics opportunities for males and females and give equal emphasis to men's and women's sports;
- Support ethnic and gender diversity for all constituents;
- Give primary emphasis to regional in-season competition and conference championships; and
- Support student-athletes in their efforts to reach high levels of athletics performance, which may include opportunities for participation in national championships, by providing all teams with adequate facilities, competent coaching and appropriate competitive opportunities.
The purpose of the NCAA is to assist its members in developing the basis for consistent, equitable competition while minimizing infringement on the freedom of individual institutions to determine their own special objectives and programs. The above statement articulates principles that represent a commitment to Division III membership and shall serve as a guide for the preparation of legislation by the division and for planning and implementation of programs by institutions and conferences.