NCAA and Big Sky Conference
Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund Guidelines
The Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund is intended to provide direct benefits to student-athletes or their families as determined by conference offices. As a guiding principle, the fund shall be used to assist student-athletes in meeting financial needs that arise in conjunction with participation in intercollegiate athletics, enrollment in an academic curriculum or that recognize academic achievement. Accordingly, receipt of Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund monies shall not be included in determining the permissible amount of financial aid that a member institution may award to a student-athlete. Further, inasmuch as the fund is design to provide direct benefits to student-athletes, the fund is not intended to be used to replace existing budget items.
All student-athletes, including international, are eligible to receive SAOF benefits, regardless of whether they are grant-in-aid recipients, have demonstrated need or have either exhausted eligibility or no longer participate due to medical reasons. Additionally, student-athletes receiving monies from the Special Assistance Fund may also receive SAOF benefits.
In addition to funding direct benefits to student-athletes, the Academic Enhancement fund will continue to allow spending on academic support salaries and benefits and capitol improvements that enhance the academic services. The institution is encouraged to consider using this fund for the provision of other direct benefits to student-athletes that enhance student-athlete welfare. The additional benefits may be provided in accordance with the SAOF Guidelines.
WHO CAN RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE FUND:
1. Student-athlete on full grant-in-aid
2. Student-athlete on partial grant-in-aid
3. Student-athlete receiving no grant-in-aid
4. Student-athlete receiving funds with Exhausted Eligibility or Inactive Due to Medical Reason.
NON-PERMISSIBLE USES OF THE SAOF FUND:
Pursuant to NCAA Bylaw 15.01.6.2, member institutions and conferences shall not use monies received from the fund for the following:
· Salaries and Benefits.
· Grants-in-aid (other than summer school) for student-athletes with remaining eligibility.
· Capital improvements.
· Stipends.
PERMISSIBLE USES OF THE SAOF FUND
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Allocations from the SAOF may also be utilized to supplement the Special Assistance Fund.
Educational Expenses and Fees:
1. Summer School.
2. Fifth or sixth year aid.
3. International student fees and taxes.
4. Graduate school exam fees.
5. Professional program testing.
6. Expendable supplies (e.g. pens, pencils, notebooks, highlighters).
7. Educational supplies (e.g. computers, cameras, calculators, USB drives, headsets for specialized learning program).
8. Tutoring services for student-athletes
9. Placement exams.
10. Learning disability testing.
11. Graduate school application fees.
12. Orientation fees for enrolled student-athletes (Only permissible if the fees are not considered part of an institutional grant-in-aid: tuition, room and board, books and fees).
13. CPR course.
14. Graduate school test preparation courses (e.g. Kaplan course).
15. Internet service fees.
16. Other educational expenses or academic course supplies.
Health and Safety Expenses
1. Insurance premiums.
2. Supplemental insurance.
3. Medical expenses (not covered by another insurance program for student-athletes not eligible for SAF).
4. Dental expenses, not covered by another insurance program for student-athletes not eligible for SAF (e.g. dental exams, treatment of cavities, extractions).
5. Vision expenses, not covered by another insurance program for student-athletes not eligible for SAF (e.g. eye exam, glasses, and contact lenses).
6. Medical expenses for student-athletes’ spouses/dependents.
7. Medical insurance for international student-athletes.
8. Accidental death and dismemberment insurance for student-athletes during team travel.
9. Surgery expenses.
10. Medical testing.
11. Nutrition shakes.
12. Multi-vitamins.
13. Psychological therapy sessions.
14. Psychological screening.
Personal or Family Expense
1. Clothing allowance.
2. Additional student-athlete travel home (e.g. Christmas and Spring Break)
3. Emergency travel for student-athletes, spouses and/or dependents (e.g. attend funeral, visit ailing family member).
4. Emergency expenses for student-athletes, spouses and/or dependents.
5. Travel expenses for family members to be present when a student-athlete is honored.
6. Travel expenses for team members being honored by governmental body.
7. Travel expenses for birth of child.
8. Team travel for funeral of a teammate’s family member.
9. Replacement of items lost in a fire (e.g. books, supplies).
10. Gas.
11. Parking passes.
12. Vacation period expenses (e.g. lodging, meals).
13. Formal/Semi-formal attire for award ceremony.
14. Suite for Conference media day.
15. Passport and Student Visa.
16. Tax on Special Assistance Fund Purchases.
Institutional Academic or Programming Enhancements
1. Academic achievement or graduation awards
2. Academic support services.
3. Supplies for staff and tutors working with Specialized Learning Students.
4. Chairs for computer center.
5. Mall glass for tutoring center.
6. Expenses associated with Recruiting Guideline and Host Training.
7. Drug-free sports speaker.
8. Gambling education speaker.
9. Career counseling sessions.
10. Spring fling event.
11. Enhancement of tutoring budget.
12. Career Employment Service resume posting fees.
13. Tape recorders for student support services.
14. SAAC
15. Other academic or programming expenses.
SALARIES AND CAPITAL EXPENSES (ALLOWED FOR ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENT FUNDS ONLY!)
1. Personnel expenses for academic advisors, academic coordinators and other staff hired specifically for the academic enhancement of the student-athlete.
2. Capital improvements that enhance academic services
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The responsibility for oversight and administration of the fund, including interpretations, rests solely with the Big Sky Conference.
A conference may accumulate not more than the total allocation received over the previous two years. The succeeding allocation will be forfeited if that amount is exceeded.
Independent institutions' funds have been assigned to a conference office for administration based on the same assignment made for administration of the National Letter of Intent.
Conferences will be required to report annually to the NCAA the fund recipients by sport and gender, as well as the purposes for which the moneys were used and the amounts for each purpose.
Big Sky student-athletes interested in applying for the SAOF should contact their SAAC Supervisor.
SAOF Request Form