Kansas State University Athletics

Compliance Athletes & Families

At K-State, student-athletes are supported with state-of-the-art technology, tutoring and access to academic advisors. K-State consistently ranks at the very top of academic achievements, honors and other metrics such as APR across all 16 sports.

Graduation rates for all NCAA student-athletes as a group are higher than those of their peers in the general student body. Two-thirds of former student-athletes agree that playing an NCAA sport helped prepare them for life after graduation. In addition to practicing, competing and studying, student-athletes give back to their communities through volunteer service and national charity partnerships.

REMAINING ELIGIBLE 

Because intercollegiate athletics is part of the fabric of the university, student-athletes must be committed to academic achievement and the pursuit of a degree. Student-athletes must meet academic standards throughout their careers on campus to remain eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics. Member institutions in each division create academic standards specific to that division’s goals. Eligibility to compete is tied to several factors. Learn more below:

WORKING TOWARD GRADUATION 

Because we believe success in the classroom is just as important as winning on the field, we have standards to ensure student-athletes make progress toward a degree – every year and every season. They must meet these standards to be eligible to play.

One of the main goals of the NCAA is to integrate athletics with academics. With this in mind, the memberships in Divisions I and II approves eligibility standards intended to maximize graduation rates while minimizing disparate effects on economically disadvantaged groups. The Division I standards currently in place (both percentage-of-degree requirements and the minimum grade-point average standards) are supported by data that show student-athletes who are most likely to graduate will in fact meet these standards.

Forty percent of required coursework for a degree must be complete by the end of the second year, sixty percent by the end of the third year and eighty percent by the end of their fourth year. Student-athletes are allowed five years of eligibility and athletically related financial aid. All Division I student-athletes must earn at least six credit hours each term to be eligible for the following term and must meet minimum grade-point average requirements related to the school’s GPA standards for graduation.

FINANCIAL AID 

Full scholarships cover tuition and fees, room, board and course-related books and supplies. Most student-athletes who receive athletics scholarships receive an amount covering a portion of these costs. Many student-athletes also benefit from academic scholarships, NCAA financial aid programs such as the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Fund and need-based aid such as Federal Pell Grants.

Division I schools may provide student-athletes with multiyear scholarships. Additionally, Division I schools may pay for student-athletes to complete their Bachelor's or Master's degrees after they discontinue playing NCAA sports.

If a school plans to reduce or not renew a student-athlete’s aid, the school must notify the student-athlete in writing by July 1 and provide an opportunity to appeal. In most cases, coaches decide who receives a scholarship, the scholarship amount and whether it will be renewed.

Your athletics scholarship may be reduced or canceled if you:

  • Become ineligible for intercollegiate competition;
  • Fraudulently misrepresent any information on an application, letter of intent or financial aid agreement;
  • Engage in serious misconduct warranting substantial disciplinary penalty; and/or
  • Voluntarily withdraw from your sport at any time for personal reasons.
COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSIONS 

For all home and away competitions, student-athletes are allowed four complimentary admissions in the sport in which they compete. Student-athletes must adhere to the following guidelines regarding complimentary admissions:

  • Attendees must present identification, sign for and receive a ticket stub for complimentary admission.
  • It is not permissible to sell or exchange a complimentary admission. Doing so will jeopardize the student-athlete’s eligibility.
EXTRA BENEFITS 
What is an Extra Benefit?

The NCAA defines an extra benefit as any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a representative of the institution’s athletics interest ("booster") to provide a student-athlete (or a student-athlete's relative or friend) a benefit that is not generally available to the public or other K-State students, or is not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Here are some examples of extra benefits:

  • Anything from an employee of K-State or a K-State athletics booster (e.g., use of a car, clothing, gifts, money, tickets for any kind of entertainment, payment of long distance telephone calls),
  • Free or reduced cost for room and/or board from any K-State employee, K-State booster or another parent of a K-State student-athlete, and/or
  • Free or reduced cost storage room for personal belongings for the summer months from any K-State employee or booster.

The acceptance of an extra benefit by a student-athlete (or their relatives or friends) is a violation of NCAA regulations. Any inappropriate, even inadvertent activity, on the part of the student-athlete (or his or her family) could result in the following:

  • Declaring a currently enrolled student-athlete ineligible to participate for K-State,
  • Jeopardizing the eligibility of a prospective student-athlete,
  • Sanctions placed on Kansas State University and its athletics program, and/or
  • Restrictions placed upon parent or guardian involvement with K-State’s athletics program.
SPORTS WAGERING 

Sports wagering includes any activity in which one wagers or bets money, or puts up some material good in hopes of winning more than was placed at risk. Please note that if you must give up something of value (e.g., cash, dinner, jewelry, clothes) in exchange for the chance to win something else of value, it is not permissible.

Student-athletes as well as athletic department and conference office staff members may not:

  • Provide information to individuals involved in any organized gambling activities concerning intercollegiate athletics competition (i.e. bookies)
  • Solicit a bet on any intercollegiate or professional team
  • Accept a bet on any team representing the institution

 WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Are you a Representative of K-State's Athletic Interests (i.e., Booster)?

You are a representative of K-State's athletic interests, commonly referred to as a booster, if you meet any of the following conditions:

  • You have participated in or you are a member of an agency or organization that promotes Kansas State Athletics;
  • You have made financial contributions to the athletic department or to an athletic booster organization of Kansas State University;
  • You have been involved in promoting K-State's athletic program;
  • You have provided benefits (i.e., summer employment or occasional family meals) to enrolled student-athletes;
  • You are the parent or legal guardian of an enrolled student-athlete;
  • You have purchased or received tickets to a Kansas State athletics event.
It is important to note: Once deemed an athletic representative ('booster'), he or she retains that title indefinitely.
NOT SURE? ASK! 

If you have any question concerning what is and is not acceptable per NCAA and Big 12 rules, we encourage you to please call the Compliance Office at (785) 532-3990. No question is too insignificant to ask.

 CONTACT US

K-State Compliance Office
Vanier Football Complex, Suite 248
Manhattan, KS 66502
Phone: 785-532-3990
@kstatecomply

Chris Nasuti, Senior Associate AD for Compliance
Alli Purvis, Assistant AD for Compliance
Shae Ridder, Director of Compliance
Cole LaLiberty, Assistant Director of Compliance
Jacob Ratti, Compliance Post Grad Intern
Vera White, Administrative Assistant