NCAA Proposal 2009-42, sponsored by the Southeastern Conference, which dealt with media guides has passed and will become effective on Aug. 1. The intent of the rule as stated was "to specify that an institution shall not provide a printed media guide or any other printed athletics publication not listed in Bylaw 13.4.1.1 to a prospective student-athlete, his or her parents or legal guardians, the prospective student-athlete's educational institution or any individual involved in the coaching of a prospective student-athlete."
The amended Bylaw follows:
13.4.1 Recruiting Materials. In sports other than men's basketball and men's ice hockey, a member institution shall not provide recruiting materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, to an individual (or his or her parents or legal guardians) until September 1 at the beginning of his or her junior year in high school. In men's basketball and men's ice hockey, an institution shall not provide recruiting materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, to an individual (or his or her parents or legal guardians) until June 15 at the conclusion of his or her sophomore year in high school. Violations of this bylaw shall be considered institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1; however, they shall not affect the individual's eligibility.
13.4.1.1 Printed Recruiting Materials. As specified below, an institution may provide the following printed materials to prospective student-athletes, their parents or legal guardians, their coaches or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospective student-athlete is involved: [13.4.1.1-(a) through 13.4.1.1-(f) unchanged.]
[13.4.1.1-(h) through 13.4.1.1-(j) relettered as 13.4.1.1-(g) through 13.4.1.1-(i), unchanged.]
[13.4.1.1.1 unchanged.]
13.4.1.1.2 Athletics Publications. An institution may produce a printed media guide; however, an institution shall not provide a printed media guide or any other printed athletics publication not listed in Bylaw 13.4.1.1 to a prospective student-athlete, his or her parents or legal guardians, the prospective student-athlete's educational institution or any individual involved in the coaching of a prospective student-athlete. It is not permissible to make a printed media guide or any other printed athletics publication not listed in Bylaw 13.4.1.1 available free of charge to a prospective student-athlete, his or her parents or legal guardians, the prospective student-athlete's educational institution or any individual involved in the coaching of a prospective student-athlete, even if such publications are available to other members of the general public free of charge. An institution may not create a printed portfolio of information (e.g., pictures) to be used in the recruiting process. An institution may provide a media guide to a prospective student-athlete via a digital media storage device (e.g., compact disc, flash drive).
13.4.1.1.2 Media Guide Restrictions. A printed media guide may have only one color of print inside the cover and may not exceed 8 1/2 by 11 inches in size and 208 pages in length. An institution may not produce a separate printed supplemental media guide. Any supplemental information (e.g., historical information, records) may be posted on the institution's Web site and may be printed in black and white, and provided to the media.
13.4.1.2 Electronic Transmissions. Electronically transmitted correspondence that may be sent to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardians) is limited to electronic mail and facsimiles. (See Bylaw 13.1.7.2.) All other forms of electronically transmitted correspondence (e.g., Instant Messenger, text messaging) are prohibited. Color attachments may be included with electronic mail correspondence sent to a prospective student-athlete, provided the attachment only includes information that is not created for recruiting purposes, except for items that are specifically permitted as printed recruiting materials (e.g., questionnaires) and a media guide. In addition, attachments shall not include any animation, audio or video clips and there shall be no cost (e.g., subscription fee) associated with sending the item attached to the electronic mail correspondence.
[Remainder of 13.4.1 unchanged.]