Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 9 No. 5 | May 2017

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12 Inside Hokie Sports
Q: What did you think of the
Maryland president’s comments that
North Carolina should receive the death
penalty as a result of the academic
scandal there? Is there any end in sight
to this case? Thanks for the input, John
from Roanoke.
TP: “The comments were surprising in
that most university officials refrain from
commenting on pending investigations at
other schools. That said, this has been a
polarizing case on many fronts and received
unprecedented national attention.
“As for the case timeline, the NCAA
Enforcement Staff provided an initial ruling on
this case in 2013. However, new information
led to the governing body re-opening the case
in 2014, and an official “Notice of Allegations”
was issued in 2015. The Enforcement Staff has
amended the Notice of Allegations on three
occasions, sending the latest notice to North
Carolina in December.
“North Carolina’s 90-day deadline to
respond to the latest notice of allegations
passed in mid-March. The latest reports
The compliance corner answers questions concerning the governance of
intercollegiate athletics and its impact on our athletics department. Have
a question? Please send it to , and we’ll answer
it in upcoming issues. Now, here are some questions that we’ve received
from Tech alums and fans over the past few months, with responses
from Tim Parker, Senior Associate AD for Compliance & Governance:
stated that the school and the NCAA were
in consultations. Once it receives North
Carolina’s response, the NCAA Committee
on Infractions will have a month to respond,
at which time it will set a date for Tar
Heel representatives to appear in person.
Following that appearance, and barring the
introduction of relevant new information,
the committee—which is comprised largely
of employees from Division I schools and
conference offices—will then reach a decision
regarding the case.
“Given the nature of the case, the many
amended notices, and the changing levels of
responsiveness from pivotal witnesses, it’s
difficult to say when the case will actually
come to a conclusion.”
Q: When can high school prospects
start taking official visits? So many
of them take unofficial visits over
the spring and summer at their own
expense and make a decision before
their senior years. Didn’t I read that
this was changing? Thanks, Ruth in
Christiansburg
Keeping up with Compliance
by
Jimmy
Robertson
TP: “Well, the first permissible date for
official (i.e. paid) visits varies by sport. The
sports of men’s and women’s basketball
already allow official visits by high school
juniors—men’s recruits beginning Jan. 1
of the junior year, and women’s recruits
beginning on the Thursday following the
national championship game in April. For all
other sports, recruits may not take these paid
visits until the first day of class of their senior
years in high school.
“Now, for football, that is about to change.
On April 14, the NCAA Division I Council
adopted a recommendation by the Football
Oversight Committee to allow for high school
juniors to be provided official visits during a
window that begins April 1 and extends until
nearly the end of June. The NCAA Board of
Directors voted to approve this change and
many others at its meeting April 26. The
change will take effect Aug. 1.
“For all other sports, the first-day-of-
senior-class start date remains in force…at
least for the present.”