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IMPORTANT:
- Only CCCAA Online exams taken July 1 or later, using the July 1, 2013, edition of the CCCAA Constitution and Bylaws, will be credited for the 2013-14 academic year.
- The 2013-14 CCCAA Constitution and Bylaws will be posted to the CCCAA website by July 1, 2013.
- For the 2013-14 year, a minimum score of 80 percent is required.
- For the 2013-14 year, those achieving a minimum score of 90 percent will be eligible to take a reduced, 10-question exam in 2014-15.
- The CCCAA Online exam will be off line June 15 through June 30, 2013.
The Compliance Corner answers questions about the
California Community College Athletic Association Constitution.
The questions are those that are frequently asked of Conference
Commissioners. The answers assume there are no other circumstances.
The answers are to be used as guides to make the Constitution
clearer. They do not replace the Constitution.
Updated 8/22/05
INTERPRETATIONS AND RULINGS FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Bylaw 3.19.3 The State office issued a ruling "that any
initials or like emblem or color that connects the team
with the college would be a violation of bylaw 3.19.3"
Bylaw 12.1.
CORRECTIONS TO 2005 CONSTITUTION.
Identified and agreed to by Conference Commissioners on
8/12/05
Article 7.5.8.1 Seventh line the word "open" should be
"testimonial."
CONSTITUTION
QUESTION
What are Consent Items?
The Executive Director is responsible for reviewing the
proposed legislation to screen those items, which do not
change intent. These items will be consent and informational
in nature and will not go through the legislative process.
QUESTION
How do the responsibilities of the CCCAA Board of Directors and the Management
Council differ.
Articles 2.2.2 and 4.2.2
The CCCAA Board of Directors shall be responsible for CCCAA policy issues,
and the Management Council is responsible for operational
decisions that determine the procedures that support CCCAA
policies.
QUESTION
Who has the authority to employ and determine the role of
the Executive Director?
Articles 2.2.3 and 2.2.4
The CCCAA Board of Directors
QUESTION
Are all of the rules found in the Articles and Bylaws?
Article 7.1.1
No. The Sports Guides are part of the Constitution, and
can contain sport specific rules that might not be found
in the articles and Bylaws.
QUESTION
What authority does the Disabilities Board have?
Article 7.5.15.4
The Disabilities Board has the power to create eligibility
for any student, for one semester, by allowing modification
or the eligibility rules in a way that do not adversely
effect the necessary operation of the CCCAA.
QUESTION
What happens if a college does not follow the due process
procedure, and instead immediately utilizes the legal system?
Article 7.5.3
Colleges that do not abide by the due process procedures
as enumerated in Article 7 or that support a student, coach,
or other entity for failing to abide by due process procedures
are responsible for all legal expenses incurred by the conference
and the CCCAA.
BYLAWS
QUESTION
A soccer team is short of players, so the paid assistant
coach enrolls in twelve units so that he can be eligible
to play on the team. Is this legal?
Bylaw 1.3.1
No. In 1998 the Southern Appeals Board addressed the issue
of a coach being paid to coach, while actually playing on
the same team. The Board ruled that this was inappropriate.
QUESTION
A volleyball player is enrolled in 12 units before the first
contest. Her math teacher informs her that she is not prepared
for the math class and tells her that she must drop it.
She tries to add a class to get back up to 12 units. The
only class that is open and fits into her schedule does
not start until the eighth week of the semester. She adds
the class. Is she now eligible?
Bylaw 1.3.1
She isn't eligible until she is enrolled and ATTENDING 12
units. In the above case it would not be until the eighth
week.
QUESTION
Are student/athletes eligible once they are enrolled in
a minimum of 12 units?
Bylaw 1.3.1
Not necessarily. To be eligible to compete in a scheduled
contest a student must be enrolled and ATTENDING class in
a minimum of 12 units.
QUESTION
A soccer player wishes to transfer to the University of
California and major in physics. She enrolls in 12 units
of classes that transfer to the University of California.
On the last day of the add and drop period a 4 unit class
is cancelled because of low enrollment. The only class that
is still open and will fit into her class and work schedule
is a non-transferable cake decorating class that also does
not meet the colleges AA degree requirements. Can she add
the class and still be eligible?
Bylaw 1.3.3
Yes. This article states that of the 12 units, at least
9 shall be attempted in courses that are consistent with
the student's education plan.
QUESTION
A student from another state has enrolled in 14 units by
mail. She can't move until the fifth week of classes. Her
coach has contacted all of her instructors, and they have
agreed to keep her on the class roster until she can move.
Is she eligible that semester?
Bylaw 1.3.8
No. A student must be registered and actively enrolled and
attending class no later than 4 weeks after the first day
of class instruction to be eligible.
QUESTION
A first year baseball player practices with the team for
two weeks in the spring, and plays in a scrimmage. He then
quits the team and drops out of school. The next spring.
He enrolls in a second community college and wants to play
baseball. Is he eligible?
Bylaw 1.5.1
A season of competition is only recorded if the athlete
plays in a scheduled game, meet, or match (excluding scrimmages).
Because he did not use a season of competition, the 24/unit/2.0
and transfer rules do not apply.
QUESTION
A basketball player is dropped from a class in the last
week of the semester, and is only enrolled in 10 units.
He has already completed the registration process of the
spring semester, and is enrolled in 17 units. Is he eligible
to compete during the semester break?
Bylaw 1.5.3
No. In sports that span two semesters or quarters, if an
athlete is not enrolled in at least 12 units at the end
of the first semester or quarter, the athlete can not become
eligible until they are enrolled and ATTENDING classes in
at least 12 units.
QUESTION
A fall semester sport student athlete has completed 21 units
by the end of the spring semester. He has to work most of
the summer, but finds a 3 unit class at a neighboring college
that does not start until August. The class is over one
week into the students fall semester, but before competition
starts. Is he eligible for his second season?
Bylaw 1.6.1.A
No. The 24-semester/36 quarter units must be completed prior
to the beginning of the semester/quarter of the second season
of the sport.
QUESTION
A basketball player is enrolled in 14 units at the end of
the fall semester. He fails 8 of the 14 units. Can he continue
playing during the semester break?
Bylaw 1.6.3
Yes. The only way athletes can become ineligible during
a season of sport is to drop below 12 units.
QUESTION
A baseball player plays one full season at a four-year college,
and returns to a California Community College and plays
his second season. Is he eligible to play one more year
at the community college?
Bylaw 1.7
No. An athlete shall not be allowed more than two (2) seasons
of collegiate competition in any one sport.
QUESTION
A tennis player is injured in the second match of the season.
She transfers to a California community college in another
conference and wishes to apply for an injury waiver. Which
conference decides on the appeal?
Bylaw 1.8
On August 16, 2002 the Executive Director ruled that the
appeal will be considered in the conference where the athlete
is attempting to establish eligibility.
QUESTION
A baseball coach is preparing an injury/illness appeal.
The team played 38 regular season games, and 4 post season
games. Which figure does he use to determine the 50% of
the completed contests, and the 20% maximum number of contests
that the student can compete in.
Bylaw 1.8
The coach must use the regular season total (38). Post season
competition is not used in injury/illness calculations.
QUESTION
A volleyball player has a season ending injury, and is granted
an injury/illness appeal. It is her first season of competition.
What must she do academically to be eligible the following
season?
Bylaw 1.8
Nothing. Continuing eligibility requirements do not apply
unless the athlete has used a year of competition. When
an injury/illness appeal is granted it is as if the limited
competition did not exist.
QUESTION
If the above volleyball player was in her second season
when the injury occurred, the appeal only removes the second
year of competition. Therefore if she returns to play the
following season, the 24 unit and 2.0 gpa rules would still
apply. The calculations would begin the fall of her first
season.
QUESTION
A softball player suffers a season ending injury in the
third game of the season. The letter describing the nature
of the injury, the date it occurred, and the fact that it
is season ending is from a chiropractor. Can the appeal
be granted.
Bylaw 1.8.B
No. A physician is a person licensed under the California
Medical Practice act who has a "physician's and surgeon's
certificate." Chiropractors are not licensed under the Medical
Practice Act, nor do they receive "physician's and surgeon's
certificates.
QUESTION
A football player plays in one of a college's first five
games. He suffers a season ending injury on the Wednesday
before the sixth game of the 10 game schedule. Can he be
granted an injury/illness appeal?
Bylaw 1.8.C
Yes. The injury occurred before the CONTEST that that begins
the second half of the playing season.
QUESTION
A volleyball team is in a pool play tournament the first
week of the season. There are six teams in a pool. In the
last game of pool play a player suffers a season ending
injury. For injury/illness purposes how many games has she
appeared in.
Bylaw 1.8.H.3
For injury waiver purposes we count contest for contest.
For this purpose she has played in five contests. The day
of pool play will also count as five completed contests
in determining the total number of contests for the waiver.
QUESTION
A cross country runner successfully completes the season.
He is on the track team the following spring, and is injured
in the first meet. He has surgery and is out for the season.
His injury/illness appeal is approved.
He wants to transfer to another community college to run
cross country the next year. He argues that because his
injury appeal was granted, his track competition did not
count therefore he is not a transfer.
Bylaw 1.8 and Bylaw 1.10.1
He is correct that the appeal erases his track competition,
but transfer is determined by where the student last competed,
not where they last attended. The fall cross country competition
makes him a transfer student.
QUESTION
A student attends a California community college and competes
in swimming for one season. She transfers to a four year
college and takes a full load of classes for two years.
She then goes back to a second California community college
and wants to play water polo. Is she eligible?
Bylaw 1.10.1
No. Transfer is determined by where the athlete last competed,
not necessarily where the athlete last attended. For athletic
eligibility purposes she is transferring from one California
community college to a second one, without satisfying the
transfer rule.
QUESTION
A basketball player decides to attend community college
"A". She is enrolled in a basketball class that is recommended
for varsity basketball players. After the first week she
decides she does not like the college. She drops all her
classes and enrolls in community college "B". Can she play
basketball at "B"?
Bylaw 1.15.3
No. Once a student athlete attends ANY intercollegiate athletic
class at a community college that student is considered
as attending that college for eligibility purposes and is
not eligible at any other community college during the season
of the sport.
QUESTION
Community college A sends a tracer to community college
B. College B indicated that the athlete practiced one day
with them and if he had stayed probably would not have played
much, but that they will "forget about it" so that the student
can play at college A. Is this allowable.
Bylaw 1.15.4
A student athlete may only practice with one California
community college in any season of sport. Also, coaches
or colleges do not have the authority to set aside an article
of the Constitution. Should they do so, they are subject
to conference sanctions.
QUESTION
A college drops a sport. Must those athletes meet all the
requirements of the Constitution to compete at another community
college?
Bylaw 1.17
Not necessarily. Bylaw 1.17 outlines the criteria that must
be met for an exception to be met. The conference commissioner
has the authority to grant the waiver.
QUESTION
What are the guidelines for an athletic web page for a California
community college?
Bylaw 2.12
Athletic web pages are allowable as long as they can only
be accessed through the college's home page. Athletic web
pages can not stand alone. The college's athletic camps
or clinics can be advertised on the athletic web site if
the above criteria are followed.
Advertising an institution's web address out of the recruitment
area is acceptable, unless it specifically lists an athletic
web address.
Using any reference to athletics with the institution's
web address outside the recruitment area is prohibited.
For example, having a billboard with an athlete on it with
the institution's web address.
QUESTION
What is an agent?
Bylaw 2.2.2
An agent can be ANYONE whose actions are designed to benefit
a specific community college's athletic program. An agent
can be a college staff member, players, ex-players, parents/relatives/friends
of players, alumni, high school coaches/teachers, etc.
Bylaw 2.2.3
Agents can be encouraged by an athletic department's program
or they can exist without the knowledge of the program.
In the latter case as soon as the community college becomes
aware of an agent, they must take steps to stop the activity
QUESTION
Can any staff member at a community college actively recruit
athletes in the community college's contiguous district?
Bylaw 2.8.2
Yes. But only if they have attended a certification and
information meeting regarding Constitution rules and regulations
at least once a year, as required in bylaw 2.8.2.
QUESTION
After 10 successful years coaching at a San Diego area high
school, the head football coach takes a job at a Northern
California community college. He is invited back to be the
keynote speaker at the high school's football awards banquet.
Can he accept the invitation?
Bylaw 2.10
Only is he can be introduced without mentioning his association
with a California community college. By appearing as the
keynote speaker he runs the risk of representing his college
and it's programs.
QUESTION
A community college alumnus wants to donate money to the
college foundation, and create funds for an athletic scholarship
that is based on athletic talent and academic achievement
as two of the criteria. Can this be done?
Bylaw 2.11.3
A December 1998 memo from the COA Executive Committee, states
that student athletes who have COMPLETED their athletic
eligibility at the community college may receive a grant
to continue their education. These awards are to be granted
at the completion of the athlete's eligibility term and
shall NOT BE USED AS AN INDUCEMENT to attend the college.
QUESTION
If a college has been found to be in violation the recruitment
rules for the second time during the period of probation
or in the three -year period following probation, are the
penalties completely up to the conference hearing board?
Bylaw 2.13.3
No. Bylaw 2.13.3.A requires that there be a loss of participation
in post season competition for one, some or all of the intercollegiate
programs at the college. The conference then has the option
to impose other penalties.
QUESTION
Does the season of sport start on a certain date, with the
start of practice, or when games are first played?
Bylaw 3.1
The season of sport is defined as starting with the first
day of the CCCAA allowable practice date and ends with the
completion of conference competition, except for those who
have qualified for post-season competition.
QUESTION
A football player decides he does not like college "A" after
three days of practice. He then enrolls in college "B" and
wants to play soccer the same semester. Is he eligible?
Bylaw 3.5.5
The phrase "season of sport" refers to all CCCAA sanction
sports during that time period, not just the same sport
QUESTION
A water polo team pulls out of a tournament the day before
it is to begin. The host coach wants to continue with the
format, so he divides his team into two teams for the tournament.
Can he do this?
Bylaw 3.14.4
Yes. However the tournament now counts as two contests per
day for that college.
QUESTION
A California community college's baseball team has a car
wash in October. Can they use these funds to help finance
the off campus fall program?
Bylaw 3.17.3
No. No college of district funds may be used to support
any unofficial team in any practices or competitions that
is out of season. The car wash was for the baseball team,
so the funds become college funds.
QUESTION
When the sport rule book and the CCCAA decorum policy differ,
which set of rules are used?
Bylaw 4.3.2
This bylaw states that when the rule book and the CCCAA decorum
policy differ, the most stringent shall be enforced.
QUESTION
During a baseball game a base runner and the short stop
get into a fight at second base. Both benches run out to
second base as well as all of the players on the field.
They mill around in a threatening manner, except for the
right fielder who jumps on the back of the base runner.
How many decorum violations occurred and what are the penalties?
Bylaw 4.3
This is a situation where we need to utilize both sets of
rules. The NCAA baseball rulebook gives an ejection and
a three game suspension if you leave your position and become
involved in the fight. The two who were actually fighting
are ejected and have a next game suspension, and all of
those who left the bench or their positions (even though
they did not fight) are ejected (CCCAA decorum) and must sit
out the nest game. Because everyone was ejected the game
is a double forfeit, and both teams will have to forfeit
the next game because of lack of players.
QUESTION
A baseball coach is removed from a game for arguing with
the umpire. The written report states that the coach was
disqualified, but in the written description of the incident
it is clear that the coach continually used profanity.
Bylaw 4.3
The CCCAA constitution states that the use of profanity is
verbal abuse and is therefore an ejection. The umpire's
decision needs to be changed, and the coach is charged with
one decorum violation. He sits out the next game.
QUESTION
A soccer player, other than the goal keeper, received a
red card for touching the ball with her hand in the goal
area. Does she have to sit out the next game?
FIFA rules state that any player who is removed from
a contest must sit out the next game.
QUESTION
At the conclusion of a football game there is a fight that
involves many players from both teams. The officials have
already left the field when it occurred. Are there penalties?
Colleges are responsible for enforcing the Constitution.
Even though the officials have left the field, violations
have occurred. The involved colleges and the conference
commissioner(s) are responsible to identify those in violation
and apply the appropriate penalties.
QUESTION
Since game officials are the one who eject participants,
shouldn't they determine the penalty?
Bylaw 4.3 and bylaw 4.4.
No. Officials usually are not aware of the specifics of
our decorum rules. In many cases sanctions for ejection
are different in rule books and the CCCAA Constitution. The
Conference Commissioner makes the determination.
QUESTION
Isn't it the responsibility of the officials to report an
ejection, because they are the ones who ejected the player?
Bylaw 4.8.1
No it is the coach's responsibility to report the names
and circumstances to the athletic director within 24 hours.
The Athletic Director shall immediately inform the conference
commissioner.
QUESTION
What if the above coach claims he did not know reporting
was his responsibility?
Bylaw 4.8.3
If this is the case, then the college is not fulfilling
it's responsibility. The college must make sure that EVERY
person participating in a California community college athletic
event receives a copy of the decorum policy and
provides a written acknowledgment of understanding.
QUESTION
What does a college have to do if they want to add a program
to their athletic offerings?
Bylaw 5.6.2
Written notice shall be provided to the conference and the
Executive Director in order to be sanctioned for conference
competition. This should be done as early as possible.
QUESTION
A college is hosted in a conference that has rules that
are in conflict with those of the college's home conference.
What rules does the hosted college follow?
Bylaw 5.6.3
The host conference's rules for the specific sport(s) must
be followed.
QUESTION
It looks like our basketball team is going to make it into
post season for the first time in many years. How can we
find the post conference rules?
Bylaw 6.2.1
In the Sport Guide. Each CCCAA sanctioned sport has a guide
that outlines the procedures and rules relative to that
sports post conference competition.
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