ex 7: middlebury handbook - athletic mission (undated)

8/10/2019 Ex 7: Middlebury handbook - Athletic Mission (undated)

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Home About Middlebury College Handbook Athletics

AthleticsMiddlebury ollege thlet ics Mission Statement

Athletics are an essential part of the overall educational experience at Middlebury College. The College endeavors to provide athleticprograms that are comprehensive and varied while offering athletic opportunities to all students. The Department of PhysicalEducation and Athletics is committed to the following: a physical education/wellness program that stresses good health, physicalfitness, and lifetime activities; a vigorous intercollegiate sports program that strives for achievement and excellence; an intramuralprogram that encourages students of varied abilities and skills to participate in a wide range of recreational athletic activities; and aclub sports program that offers opportunity for intercollegiate competition in a less structured environment.

A. The Intercollegiate thletics Program

1. All regUlarly enrolled undergraduates are eligible for participation in intercollegiate athletics in accordance with the eligibility rulesof the following organizations in which Middlebury maintains membership: National Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA , the NewEngland Small College Athletic Conference NESCAC , and Eastem Collegiate Athletic Conference ECAC .

2 Faculty Responsibility The College recognizes that intercollegiate athletics have an important and desirable role in a liberal artscollege. The faculty is responsible for seeing that the intercollegiate athletic program is a well-integrated part of the entire educationalendeavor. Through the Athletic Policy Committee, the faculty regulates various phases of the intercollegiate athletic program,including athletic schedules and class absences permitted for participation in intercollegiate athletics.

The Basic Principles goveming intercollegiate athletics at MiddlebUry and all NESCAC institutions follow:

a. The program in intercollegiate athletics is to be kept in harmony with the educational purposes of the institution.

b. To maximize opportunities for students to participate in more than one intercollegiate sport and to keep the proper perspective onthe role of athletics, l imitations are placed upon the number of contests, as well asthe start ing and terminal dates for pract ice andcompetition.

c. Competing players are to be representative of the student body.

d. The academic authority of the College is to control intercollegiate athletic policy.

e. Developing programs will be allowed some latitude within the spirit of the NESCAC Agreement.

4 The routine administration of rules regarding intercollegiate policy, as they apply to students, shall be the responsibility of thedirector of athletics in consultation with the Dean of the College.

5 In an effort to provide opportunities for wide participation in intercollegiate athletics, Middlebury maintains, where possible, a juniorvarsity program, for which all undergraduates are eligible. No student will participate in more contests in any sport than the totalnumber of varsity games scheduled. The Athletic Policy Committee must approve any exceptions to this general rule.

6 Limitations of Schedules: Competition in season starting dates:

Faf{: No scheduled contests prior to seven calendar days after the start of classes or the second Saturday in September, whichevercomes first, or after the second Saturday in November.

Winter No scheduled contests prior to the Friday preceding Thanksgiving or after the first Sunday in March.

Spring: No scheduled contests prior to the second Saturday in March or after the second Saturday in May.

7 Limitations on Number o f Playing Dates or Events n ot inclUding qualifying tournaments or alumni games : The institutionshould determine the optimum number of playing dates or contests, which may be fewer than the maximum number allowed underconference regulations.

Fall

Cross-Country

Varsity

9 dates

EXHI IT

Scrimmage Dates JV

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Field Hockey 14 dates

Football 8 games

Soccer 14 games

Volleyball 14 dates

TenniS 14 events

Golf 12 dates

Fall andlor spring combined total not to exceed one season limit

2

2

o

o

7

6

7

Winter Varsity Scrimmage JVDates

Basketball 24 games'

Hockey 24 games' 0 12

Indoor Track 10 events 0

Squash 15 events 1

Swimming 10 events

Skiing 16days of competitionfor eachcompetitor

* Including preseason scrimmages and vacation games

,. ,

Spring (whileCollege is insession)

Baseball

Softball

Lacrosse

Track and Field

TenniS

Golf

Varsity

16 dates/24 games

16 dates/24games

11 dates

8 events

14 events

12 events

\

Scrimmage Dates

o

o

2

o

o

o

JV

6

Fall andlor spring combined total not to exceed one season limit

o t s

a. No home athletic contests shall beplayed before 3:00 p.m. except on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays or by special permissionof the Athletic Policy Committee and the dean of the College. No intercollegiate athletic contests shall be scheduled for Mondayevenings. Refer to Chapter 3, Section VI. G. Attendance of this handbook for the Guidelines for Explained Absences revised andapproved by the Athletic Policy Committee in January 2002.

b. he Athletic Policy Committee encourages the scheduling of athletic contests for Saturdays.

c. he total number of or Vathletic contests and the number of away games are subject to continual review by the Athletic PolicyCommittee.



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d. Throughout the college year, those days following the end of formal classes bul before the beginning of the formal examinationperiod, will be considered as class time for purposes of scheduling intercollegiate athletic competitions. No regular-season athleticevents may be scheduled during the examination period.

e. All candidates for athletic teams must be given a physical screening at the beginning of each season, and no candidate may be a .member of any team without a certificate of his or her physical qualifications.

f. The College does not assume legal responsibility for the expense in caring for injuries sustained by athletes while training for orparticipating in athletic competition or intramural activities.

8 Practice Regulations: Practice Session Starting Dates

The starting date for practice shall be in accordance with the numberof practice opportunities as defined by NESCAC or NCAAregulations and stipulated below. Students are no t expected to miss class r practice

Fall: a. Football: The starting date for pre-season practice will be in accordance with NCAA bylaws, but will be limited to 23 practiceopportunities. b. For all other fall sports the starting date for pre-season will be determined in accordance with NCAA bylaws, but willbe limited to 13 practice opportunities counted back from the first scheduled contest, except where a specific date has been set bythe NCAA.

Winter: November 1 in all sports

Exception: Effective asof May 2005, Nordic Skiing wil l begin pract ice on the first Monday of October. Alpine Skiing may begin orcontinue when snow isavai lable before November 1 or after the last meet of the season. The length of the season shall not exceed

nineteen (19) weeks.

Spring: February 15 in all sports

9. Guidelines for Out-of-Season ctivities

NESCAC institutions support all students in their desire to engage in activities that promote health and fitness. This support includesstudents participating in intercollegiate athletics. Activity out of season is viewed positively so long as it abides by NESCACregulations.

NESCAC rules state that out of season pract ice is banned in all sports. Out of season is defined as dates not inclusive in the perioddesignated in Sec. III.C.1 [of the NESCAC Manual] as the practice starting dates and last conference approved contest of thatathletic season, Additionally, captains may not conduct organized practices or competitions out of season. On-fieldton-courtactivities called by any member of a team and confined primarily to members of that team are not permissible. The foll ingguidelines have been developed to assist member institutions in the implementation and application of the Conference policybanning out of season pract ice. They must be communicated by the director of athletics to all coaches and captains on an annualbasis and to team members annually by the respective coaches.

Specific Guidelines

All out of season act ivit ies must be completely voluntary There can be no scripting of activity, no attendance taken, no reporting tothe coaching staff, no implication that participation will affect an athlete s chances of being named to a team, and no involvement ofany kind by any member of the coaching staff .

Insurance policies written to provide coverage for accidents occurring from intercollegiate athletics may only cover accidents whichoccur when students participate in events that are permitted as an in-season activity under NESCAC guidelines. Also, studentsinjured in out-of-season activities will not be covered by NC catastrophic injury insurance.

Team captains and members may not conduct pract ices on or off campus. If a pick up game is open to the rest of the student body,

team members may show up to participate. Pick-up games may not contain dri lls. A majority of those participating may be teammembers, but no one may discourage or prevent participation by other students.

Facil it ies may not be reserved for a team activity out of season. In a multipurpose facil ity (i.e. , f ield house) this rule would notpreclude scheduling of activity limitations for safety reasons. In such instance, however, use may not be restricted to varsitycandidates and must be open to all members of the student body. Procedures established for the general college community mustbe followed in the scheduling of such facilities.



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Neither on- nor off-campus facilities may be rented or reserved for a team activity out-of-season.

Students may not use or be issued college-owned apparel or equipment out of season, unless i t is available to the collegecommunity in general.

Voluntary strength and conditioning programs are permitted. Coaches may design voluntary workout programs for their players.Sport coaches are not permitted to require, direct, or supervise these activities out of season. Strength and conditioning personnelmay monitor voluntary individual workouts for safety purposes.

There are to be no contests or scrimmages by teams against outside competition out-of-season.

Violations of this policy will be handled according to established conference guidelines and may result in penalties or sanctionsagainst individuals and/or teams.

B. Post season Competition

In post-season competition, Middlebury College is guided by the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)Agreement. This conference, consisting of Amherst, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Connecticut College, Hamilton, Middlebury, Trinity,Tufts, Wesleyan, and Williams, has agreed:

1. Any type of post-season competition is to be understood as exceptional, and the decision about whether to participate lies whollywithin the jurisdiction of each member institution. Furthermore, post-season competition for individuals and teams is permitted only ifthe post-season event appears on the list of NESCAC Sanctioned Qualifying Tournaments and Post-season Events for Men andWomen. The following specific guidelines should further inform any such decision:

a. Any type of post-season competition for individual performers is permitted. Sports in this category are cross country, golf,swimming diving, tennis, and track field.

b. All teams (except football) are permitted to participate in one season-ending championship event deemed appropriate, normally anNCAA Division III event.

2. Participation in All-Star games will be permitted only under the following gUideline:

Participation is an individual effort making no demands on other team members or coaches.

C. Recruiting ctivity of the Department of Physical Education and thlet ics or thletic Representatives

1. A member of the department may visit a secondary school, public or private, only on specific invitation from an appropriateauthori ty at that school and for the purpose of being present at, or speaking at, a banquet or an assembly to present awards or a

similar scheduled function.

2. The institution will pay only those traveling expenses for coaches incurred in carrying out regular coaching duties, in acceptinginvitat ions to speak at schools as described in 1 above, or to speak at or attend other appropriate meetings.

3. No member of the athletic department, or athletic representative, may visit prospective students (or prospects relatives or legalguardians) in their homes or otherwise seek private interviews with them off campus.

4. Only officially appointed admissions staff members are authorized at any time to make promises or commitments to prospectivestudents as to admission, scholarship, or campus employment.

5. Group Admissions Meeting Guidelines

a. I tmust be sponsored by the insti tution or an alumni group.

b. I t must be open to all prospective students and announced as a funct ion of the sponsoring group.

c. Expenses may not be paid from athletic department funds.

d. All athletic staff members are prohibited from attending, organizing, or administering any off-campus meeting for the purpose ofrecruiting student athletes.

6. Neither the College nor its organized alumni athletic associations may pay the travel costs of prospective students to the campusfor the purpose of athletic recruitment.



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D. Financial Ai d Awards

Financial aid must be awarded by or with the specific approval of the regular academic authority of the institution. Financial aid tostudents shall be detennined solely on the basis of need as computed and controlled by the Office of Financial Aid. Financialassistance may be offered in wri ting only by the Office of Financial Aid and not before the student has been admit ted.

E Club Sports Program

Club sports offer opportunities for competition where no varsity options exist. Any student seeking club sport status in areas where avarsity sport exists will not be recognized. Competition in these areas may be pursued through the intramural program.

a. Approval for new club sport recognition is contingent upon the availability of appropriate facilities, storage, and staff oversight.Approval given to a new club sport does not automatically guarantee funding.

1. General Procedures and Guidelines fo r Club Sports

a. In order to use the name of Middlebury College, club sports must comply with the following regulations:

i. They must receive approval of a constitution from the Constitution Committee of the SGA through the Center for Campus Activitiesand Leadership. A constitution does not guarantee funding. The Finance Committee will not contribute funds for compensating staffpositions i.e., stipends to coaches of club sports), operating facilities, capital projects to support club sports, or overnightaccommodations.

ii. Participants must be regularly enrolled undergraduates.

iii. Club sport teams involved in intercollegiate competition must adhere to College, NESCAC and, where applicable, NCAA policies.

iv. Participants must conduct themselves in a manner that will reflect positively on the College.

A coach is required for contact and water sports. Contracts and wages must be negotiated and authorized bythe director of clubsports in consultation with the director of athletics and the director of human resources.

vi..Club sport teams must make arrangements with the director of club sports for the use of athletic facilities and properties of theCollege at times when they are not otherwise needed by the Department of Physical Education and Athletics.

vii. Before competition begins, or within 10 days of a request, budgets, schedules, updated rosters, etc., must be submitted to thedirector of club sports.

viii. Club sport schedules must have the approval of the director of club sports.

ix. Club sport teams must notify the director of club sports prior to canceling, postponing, or rescheduling a scheduled contest.

x. Club sport teams must provide adequate protective equipment and pre-season medical screenings, arranged through theDepartment of Sports Medicine, for all strenuous and/or contact sports.

xi. Club sport teams must provide safe and adequate means oflravel and housing and be approved by the director of club sports.

xii. College travel forms and releases must be completed with the appropriate coach or director of club sports before private vehiclesare used to transport participants to away matches.

xiii. See Vehicle Rentals policy inthe College Handbook for policies and procedures regarding use of College or rental vehicles.

xiv. Where appropriate, must have SFAPS/CPR-trained personnel in attendance at all games and practices scheduled when thetraining room is not staffed.

xv. Club membership does not entitle a student to class excuses.

b. und raising by club sports is limited to on-campus efforts and is subject to Finance Committee Guidelines. see Fund-Raisingpolicies and information in the College Handbook sections on Student Conduct and Residential College Facilities Policies andProcedures No group may solicit alumni and friends of the College for money to support club teams without permission of thedirector of club sports in consultation with the director of athletics, the director of campus activities and leadership and the CollegeAdvancement office. If permission has been received, those solicitations will be limited to sales and services with group mailingsorganized through the Center for Campus Activities and Leadership at specific intervals. Direct solicitation of funds is prohibited.



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c. Violations of any of the above procedures wil l subject the group to loss of club status and the individuals to discipl inary act ion bythe College. '

2 Levels of Club Sports Middlebury College

Leve

l , SGA and club dues provide funding for equipment and uniforms. The Athletics Department will provide funding for transportation; j and coach's salary.

ii. The club will have a coach for supervisory and/or safety purposes. The coach will be salaried through the Athletics Departmentand other College approved sources. The coach wil l be hired and evaluated by the director of club sports. The coach may not be astudent.

iii. The club must be affiliated with a national/regional goveming sports body,

iv. The club sports director in conjunction with the facilities coordinator must approve all club match/game schedules.

v. Games/matches should be confined to a 400-mile radius-further only at the club sport director's discretion.

vi. Athletics department will provide practice and game space after scheduling varsity programs needs.

vii. Recruiting activities limited to responding to prospective student lnqulries only.

b Level II

i. SGA club dues or other approved college sources wil l bethe means of financial support at this level . There is no athletic fundingfor clubs at this level .

ii, There are no paid coachesladvisors and coaches/advisors are not required except where safety is an issue -as determined bythe0 club sport director and/or director of CCAL.

iii. The club sport director must be consulted regarding the use of athletic facilities and all events will be scheduled through thefacilities coordinator. This will happen only after the level I groups needs are met.

iv. SGA and CCAL oversee scheduling and travel.

c Level III

i. There is no expectation for funding from regular College sources.

ii. There are no paid coaches and coaches/advisors are not required except where safety is an issue-as determined by the club sportdirector.

iii. Athletic facilities will be provided only after all demands for departmental needs are satisfied.

d The folfowing is a list of guidelines indicating the requirements that must be met for a club to move from one evel to the nextOnly special circumstances will permit club to advance skipping level

i . Level I to varsi ty sport status

- The lntroduction of new varsity sports at Middlebury should not be anticipated by any group.

- Full funding to cover all coaching, travel, officials, equipment and other related costs must be available within the AthleticsDepartment budget or approved by appropriate College officials.

- The program must show proof of at least a three-year period of sufficient student interest to insure a continuing program, but suchproof should in no way be assumed to make varsi ty status inevitable. The act ivity must be defined as an emerging conference(NESCAC) or national (NCAA) sport for at least 3 years.

- Proof of feasibility of scheduling natural rivals must be provided. 75 of the other schools in the conference the club will competein must have varsity status (to assure varsity competition availability)



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- Adequate facilities for practice and contests must be available without handicapping any existing programs sponsored by the;{ Department of Athletics.

ii Level II to I

- Demonstrate the ability to meet all requirements expected at level I

- There must be continued student support for 3 successive years.

- All schedule obligations must have been met during this time period no forfeits .

- There can be no disciplinary incidents during that 3-yeartime period.

- There must be availability of facilities to accommodate the program without handicapping any existing programs sponsored by theDepartment of Athletics.

iii. Level III to II

- Demonstrate the ability to meet all requirements expected at level II

- There must be continued student support for 3 successive years.

- All schedule obligations must have been met during this time period no forfeits .

- There can be no disciplinary incidents during that 3-year time period.

- There must be availability of facilities to accommodate the program without handicapping any existing programs sponsored by theDepartment of Athletics.

MiddTags:

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ex 7: middlebury handbook - athletic mission (undated)

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