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Scholarships

Length of Award and Renewal

According to NCAA regulations, athletic contracts can only be awarded for one academic year. They may be renewed annually contingent upon your compliance with and adherence to departmental and individual team policies, NCAA regulations and University principles governing grant-in-aid. The NCAA requires a member institution to notify you by July 1 of your renewal status provided you have continuing athletic eligibility.

Athletic aid may be reduced or cancelled during the term of the award under the following conditions:

Render yourself ineligible for intercollegiate competition.
You fraudulently misrepresent any information on University documents, NCAA statements or letter of intent.
You engage in serious misconduct, including academic dishonesty, that results in a substantial disciplinary penalty.
You voluntarily withdraw from a sport squad.

Additionally, renewal of your aid will be contingent on continued levels of academic and athletic performance at a high level of achievement.

The NCAA provides you an appeal procedure regarding your scholarship status. You will be granted an appeal before a University committee which does not include athletic personnel and their decision is final. For further information about this appeal, contact the Assistant Athletic Director/Compliance.

If you fail a class and the contributing factor, according to the professor or athletic department Academic Support staff, is your voluntary absence from class, from study hall, and / or utilizing tutors, the Athletic Department has the right to not provide financial assistance to "make up" for those hours failed.

Permitted Expenses

NCAA regulations permit athletically related aid to include tuition and related fees, books, room and meal expenses. Off-campus room and board levels are to be equivalent to the normal campus cost for residence hall and meal plan programs.

Employment

NCAA Bylaw 15.2.6.1 will permit a USF student-athlete to earn legitimate on and off-campus employment income during semester or term time.

GUIDELINES

The student-athlete has permission to work from his or her head coach. Such permission will not be reasonably withheld (USF).
The student-athlete has a minimum 2.30 gpa, and permission to work from the Assistant Director of Athletics/Academic Services. In addition, the Academic Advising office will periodically monitor grades during the semester and if the projected term gpa is 2.0 or less, the student-athlete will be advised to terminate their employment (USF).
Student-athletes may not work during their sport's season of competition (i.e. the first through the last regularly scheduled contest) (USF).

Only under special circumstances as determined by the Director Athletics may these provisions be waived (USF).

Prior to beginning employment, the student-athlete and the employer must sign a written statement to be kept on file in the athletics department, which specifies the following:

The student-athlete may not receive any remuneration for the value or utility that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame or personal following he or she has obtained because of athletics ability;
The student-athlete is to be compensated only for work actually performed; and
The student-athlete is to be compensated at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services.

Marvin Caston, Compliance Coordinator, has been designated the employment program coordinator. All student-athlete requests and on-or off-campus employment opportunities will go through his office before the students begin work.

Pell Grants and Academic Awards

A student-athlete shall not be eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics if he or she receives financial aid that exceeds the value of the cost of attendance as defined in Bylaw 15.02.2. A student-athlete may receive institutional financial aid based on athletics ability (per Bylaw 15.02.4.1), outside financial aid for which athletics participation is a major criterion (per Bylaw 15.2.6.4) and educational expenses awarded per Bylaw 15.2.6.5 up to the value of a full grant-in- aid, plus any other financial aid unrelated to the athletics ability up to the cost of attendance . (Revised: 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04)

Post Eligibility Scholarships

Post-eligibility grant-in-aid is not automatic and include the following criteria:

Student-athlete must have been on athletic scholarship and competed for a minimum of two years.
Student-athlete must have made a significant contribution to your program.
Student-athlete must have made a sincere commitment towards their academic progress which includes being in good standing as defined by the University of South Florida..
Post-eligibility grant-in-aid can not exceed the proportionate level of aid awarded the previous academic year.
Student-athlete must have no unresolved "incomplete" hours on their USF transcript.

Under the revised Post-Eligibility Grant-In-Aid program, approved student-athletes will not only be assisted with completion of their degree requirements, but also provided opportunities to network and commit time to community outreach/speaking opportunities and/or internships organized through the Athletic Department. Approved student-athletes must be prepared to adhere to the following:

Meet with both Phyllis LaBaw and major college advisor prior to the start of Fall 2004 semester and develop plan towards degree completion with specific courses detailed and registered as such.

Register for approved courses prior to the first day of classes or incur the $100. late registration fee.

Meet with Phyllis LaBaw prior to the start of Fall 2004 semester and develop plan for community outreach and/or Athletic Department commitment.
Must make a sincere commitment towards their academic progress at the post-eligibility status and remain in good standing as defined by the University of South Florida.

Pursue linkage programs available to certain International student-athletes.

Are required to meet bi-weekly with Phyllis LaBaw to monitor progress and assess academic and community outreach/speaker and internship status.

Apply for graduation per the guidelines and dates set forth in the Academic Calendar for the University of South Florida.

Post-eligibility grant-in-aid scholarships will include the above criteria and that failure to comply with the guidelines and requirements of the program will result in discontinuance of further aid and for the student-athlete to incur the financial liability of aid awarded for the semester in question.

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