The NCAA Committee on Infractions Has Spoken: Alabama A&M University

The NCAA Committee on Infractions (“Committee” or “Panel”) recently issued its findings and found that Alabama A&M University (“AAMU” or “Institution”) committed violations of NCAA legislation. The Panel considered this case through the cooperative summary disposition process in which all parties agreed to the primary facts and violations, as fully set forth in the summary disposition report (“SDR”). The Panel proposed additional penalties to AAMU, which the Institution contested in part. After conducting an expedited penalty hearing, the Panel modified the contested penalties based on additional information presented at the expedited hearing. NCAA Bylaw 19.6.4.5 allows parties to appeal contested additional penalties.

The Committee concluded that AAMU committed the following violations:

Violations of NCAA Division I Manual Bylaws 14.5.4.2 (2011-12); 14.4.3.1.8 and 14.5.6 (2011-12 and 2013-14); 14.4.3.1, 14.4.3.1.6 and 14.4.3.2 (2011-12 through 2015-16); 14.2, 14.2.1, 14.10.1, 14.11.1 and 16.8.1.2 (2012-13); 14.1.7.1 and 14.1.7.2 (2012-13 and 2013-14); 14.4.3.3 (2012-13, 2014-15 and 2015-16); 14.10.1 and 14.4.3.1.7 (2013-14); 14.5.4.2.1 (2013-14 and 2014-15); 16.8.1 (2013-14 through 2015-16); 14.2.1, 14.2.2, 14.5.4.1 and 14.5.5.1 (2014-15); 12.11.1 (2014-15 and 2015-16); and 12.8 and 12.11.1 (2015-16) (Level I)

AAMU and the NCAA enforcement staff agreed that during at least the 2011-12 through 2015-16 academic years, AAMU improperly certified as eligible for practice and/or competition 101 student-athletes on 188 instances in 14 sports. As a result, the student-athletes competed and received travel expenses while ineligible. Additionally, the Institution failed to withhold 60 student-athletes from competition during subsequent academic years before securing their reinstatement.

During the 2011-12 through 2015-16 academic years, 24 student-athletes on 30 different instances competed without meeting credit-hour requirements.

(1) Nine student-athletes in the sports of baseball, football, men's golf, women's soccer, men's and women's track, and volleyball failed to pass 24 semester hours of academic credit prior to the start of their second year of collegiate enrollment. Additionally, AAMU failed to withhold six of the nine student-athletes from competition during subsequent academic years before securing their reinstatement.

(2) Twelve student-athletes in the sports of baseball, football, women's soccer, and men's and women's track failed to complete 18 semester hours of academic credit during the institution's preceding regular two semesters. Additionally, AAMU failed to withhold eight of the 12 student-athletes from competition during subsequent academic years before securing their reinstatement. NCAA Bylaws 14.4.3.1.8 and 16.8.1.2 (2011-12 and 2012-13); 14.4.3.1-(b) (2011-12 through 2015-16); 14.11.1 (2012-13), 14.10.1 and 14.4.3.1.7 (2013-14); 16.8.1 (2013-14 through 2015-16); and 12.11.1 (2014-15 and 2015-16).

(3) Nine student-athletes in the sports of men's basketball, football, men's golf, women's soccer, and men's and women's track failed to complete six semester hours of academic credit during the preceding regular term. Additionally, AAMU failed to withhold three of the nine student-athletes from competition during subsequent academic years before securing their reinstatement.

During the 2011-12 through 2015-16 academic years, nine football student-athletes on 10 different instances competed during the first four contests of the following playing season without earning at least nine semester hours during the fall term or did not earn an Academic Progress Rate eligibility point for the fall term. Additionally, AAMU failed to withhold four student-athletes from competition during subsequent academic years before securing their reinstatement. NCAA Bylaws 16.8.1.2 (2011-12 and 2012-13); 14.4.3.1.6 (2011-12 through 2015-16); 14.10.1 (2013-14); 16.8.1 (2013-14 through 2015-16); and 12.11.1 (2014-15).

During the 2011-12 through 2014-15 academic years, five student-athletes in the sports of women's basketball, football, women's soccer and volleyball, on six different occurrences, were in their third year of enrollment or later and competed without designating a program of studies. NCAA Bylaws 14.4.3.1.7 and 16.8.1.2 (2011-12 through 2012-13) and 14.4.3.1.7-(b) and 16.8.1 (2013-14 and 2014-15).

During the 2011-12 through 2015-16 academic years, 80 student-athletes on 119 different instances in 14 sports, competed without meeting the required percentage of degree requirements. Additionally, AAMU failed to withhold 45 of the 80 student-athletes from competition during subsequent academic years before securing their reinstatement. NCAA Bylaws 14.4.3.2 (2011-12 through 2015-16); 14.11.1 and 16.8.1.2 (2012-13); 14.10.1 (2013-14); 16.8.1 (2013-14 through 2015-16); and 12.11.1 (2015-16).

During the 2011-12 through 2014-15 academic years, eight two-year college transfer student-athletes in the sports of men's and women's basketball and softball, who were not qualifiers, competed without meeting transfer requirements. Additionally, AAMU failed to withhold four of the eight student-athletes from competition during subsequent years before securing their reinstatement.

(1) Three student-athletes failed to graduate from a two-year institution. AAMU failed to withhold two of the three student-athletes from competition during subsequent years before securing their reinstatement.

(2) Two student-athletes failed to complete a minimum of 48 semester hours of transferable-degree credit. AAMU failed to withhold one of the two student-athletes from competition during subsequent years before securing her reinstatement.

(3) Four student-athletes failed to complete three semester hours of transferable math credit. AAMU failed to withhold one of the four student-athletes from competition during subsequent years before securing her reinstatement.

During the 2011-12 and 2013-14 academic years, two 4-2-4 college transfer student-athletes in the sports of baseball and women's tennis competed without graduating from the two-year college. Additionally, AAMU failed to withhold both student-athletes from competition during subsequent years before securing their reinstatement. NCAA Bylaws 16.8.1.2 (2011-12 and 2012-13); 14.5.6-(c) (2011-12 and 2013-14); 14.11.1 (2012-13); 16.8.1 (2013-14 and 2014-15); and 12.11.1 (2014-15).

During the 2012-13 academic year, one men's golf student-athlete; and during each of the 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years, one football student-athlete; engaged in practice and competition while enrolled less than full time at the institution. Additionally, AAMU failed to withhold one of the two football student-athletes from competition during subsequent academic years before securing his reinstatement. NCAA Bylaws 16.8.1.2 (2012-13); 14.1.7.1 and 14.1.7.2 (2012-13 and 2013-14); 16.8.1 (2013-14 through 2015-16); 14.2.1 and 14.2.2 (2014-15); and 12.11.1 (2015-16).

During the 2012-13 academic year, two women's soccer student-athletes competed after exhausting their five-year eligibility period; and during the 2012-13 and 2015-16 academic years, a total of three football student-athletes competed after exhausting their four seasons of competition. NCAA Bylaws 14.2 14.2.1, 14.10.1 and 16.8.1.2 (2012-13); 12.8 (2015-16); 12.11.1 and 16.8.1 (2015-16).

During each of the 2012-13 and 2014-15 academic years, one men's golf student-athlete; and during the 2015-16 academic year, one women's track student-athlete; competed without meeting the necessary minimum grade-point average requirement. NCAA Bylaws 16.8.1.2 (2012-13); 14.4.3.3 (2012-13, 2014-15 and 2015-16); and 16.8.1 (2014-15 and 2015-16).

During the 2014-15 academic year, one women's basketball student-athlete, a two-year college transfer who was a qualifier, competed without satisfactorily completing an average of at least 12 semester or quarter hours of transferable-degree credit for each full time academic term. NCAA Bylaws 14.5.4.1-(c) and 16.8.1 (2014-15).

During the 2014-15 academic year, two transfer football student-athletes participated in intercollegiate competition without fulfilling the academic year in residence requirement. NCAA Bylaws 14.5.5.1 and 16.8.1 (2014-15).

Violations of NCAA Division I Manual Constitution 2.1.1, 2.8.1 and 6.01.1 (2011-12 through 2015-16) (Level I)

AAMU and the NCAA enforcement staff agreed that the scope and nature of the violations set forth in above demonstrate that from the 2011-12 through 2015-16 academic years, AAMU failed to exercise institutional control and monitor the conduct and administration of its athletics program. Specifically, the Institution failed to: (1) sufficiently monitor and educate employees directly involved in the certification process; (2) sufficiently involve appropriate institutional staff members from departments outside of athletics in the certification process; (3) properly apply a multitude of academic certification legislation; and (4) withhold more than 100 ineligible student-athletes from team travel and competition.

Aggravating and Mitigating Factors in accordance with NCAA Bylaws 19.9.3 and 19.9.4

Aggravating Factors for the Institution

(a) Multiple Level I violations by AAMU. NCAA Bylaw 19.9.3-(a).

(b) Lack of institutional control. NCAA Bylaw 19.9.3-(c).

Mitigating Factors for the Institution

(a) Prompt acknowledgement of the violations, acceptance of responsibility and imposition of meaningful corrective measures and/or penalties. NCAA Bylaw 19.9.4-b.

As a result of the foregoing, the Committee penalized AAMU as follows:

1. Public reprimand and censure.

2. Five years of probation from September 11, 2018, to September 10, 2023.

3. During the 2018-19 academic year, the baseball, men's basketball, football and men's golf teams shall end their seasons with the playing of their last regularly-scheduled in-season contest and shall not be eligible to participate in any postseason championship or other contest occurring after their last regularly-scheduled in-season contest, including conference tournament, conference football championship game, football bowl game, NCAA championship, foreign tour or any other contest that meets a legislated exemption to the maximum number of contests. The Panel deviated from postseason bans for the other sport programs in which the violations occurred due to the relatively smaller numbers of student-athletes from those sports involved in the violations.

4. AAMU shall pay a $5,000 fine plus one percent of the budgets for the baseball, men's basketball, football and men's golf programs.

5. During the 2018-19 academic year, AAMU shall reduce by 10 percent the amount of grants-in-aid awarded in the baseball, men's basketball, football and men's golf programs. The reductions shall be based on the average amount of aid awarded in each sport program over the past four academic years.

6. During the 2018-19 academic year, AAMU shall restrict recruiting as follows: (A) 13-week ban on unofficial visits, including no scheduled unofficial visits and no complimentary tickets, in all the sport programs in which the violations occurred; (B) a 25% reduction in official paid visits in all the sport programs in which the violations occurred. This amounts to reductions of seven official paid visits in the baseball program, three official paid visits in the men's and women's basketball programs and 14 official paid visits in the football program. For the other sport programs in which the violations occurred, the reductions shall be based on the average number of official paid visits provided during the previous four academic years; (C) a 13-week ban on recruiting communications with all prospects in all the sport programs in which the violations occurred; (D) a 13-week ban on all off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations in all the sport programs in which the violations occurred except for the men's and women's basketball, football, men's golf and women's volleyball sport programs, which have limits on recruiting-person days or evaluation days; (E) a 25% reduction in recruiting-person or evaluation days for the men's and women's basketball, football, men's golf and women's volleyball sport programs. This amounts to reductions of 33 recruiting-person days in men's basketball, 25 recruiting-person days in women's basketball, 11 evaluation days in fall 2018 for football, 42 evaluation days in spring 2019 for football, 12 evaluation days in men's golf and 20 evaluation days in women's volleyball; and (F) AAMU shall not recruit two-year college transfers who would enroll at AAMU during the 2019-20 academic year.

7. Vacation of records is appropriate when ineligible student-athletes compete. Over five academic years, AAMU improperly certified 101 student-athletes on 188 instances in 14 sports. Because of the improper certifications, the student-athletes competed while ineligible. AAMU also failed to withhold 60 student-athletes from competition during subsequent academic years before securing their reinstatement. These violations demonstrated that AAMU failed to exercise institutional control and monitor the conduct and administration of its athletics program. Therefore, pursuant to NCAA Bylaws 19.9.7-(g) and 31.2.2.3, AAMU shall vacate all contests in which student-athletes competed while ineligible.