INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions has penalized Eastern Washington University for major violations in its football program.

These violations include impermissible participation by ineligible student-athletes in practice activities, the use of too many countable coaches, failure to monitor by the former head coach, and a lack of institutional control and failure to monitor by the university.

Penalties for the violations include three years probation, a postseason ban, financial aid reductions, coaching limitations and recruiting restrictions, among others.

During the 2003-04 through the 2006-07 academic years, 13 football student-athletes were allowed to participate in practice activities even though they were non-qualifiers, they did not have their eligibility certified by the university or the NCAA, or did not meet transfer requirements.

Additionally, two of the student-athletes were provided housing and meals during preseason practice prior to the first day of classes even though they were not eligible to receive such benefits. Further, the university failed to withhold one of the student-athletes from competition after discovering the young man’s involvement in the NCAA violations.

The football program also exceeded the maximum number of 11 countable coaches during the 2003-04 through 2006-07 academic years. During this time, anywhere from 13 to 15 individuals per year were allowed to perform coaching duties in the football program.

The committee found that the violations in this case were the result of the former head coach’s inattention to certain aspects of his program. The committee stated it was most concerned that the former head coach did not report various violations to the compliance office once he learned of them.

It was also found that the violations in this case were a result of the university’s failure to have in place an effective system of athletics compliance. Specifically, the athletic department failed to have a system in place for monitoring preseason housing and meals; did not establish a proper system for monitoring the activities of those involved in the football program; and did not provide adequate rules education.

The committee noted that the deficiencies within the athletics program were exacerbated by consistent turnover in some positions and the university’s failure to devote adequate resources to the compliance effort. During the relevant timeframe, the university had five directors of athletics and three presidents, making it difficult to implement a comprehensive compliance system or establish continuity.

The committee also noted that a more direct problem in the athletics department was the compliance coordinator also served as the faculty athletics representative and had teaching responsibilities. The committee found that it “was simply not feasible for one individual to hold three such diverse and responsible positions and be able to devote the necessary time and attention to oversee an NCAA Division I compliance program.”

The penalties, some of which were self-imposed by the institution and adopted by the committee, are as follows:

•         Public reprimand and censure.

•         Three years of probation (Feb. 11, 2009 to Feb. 10, 2012).

•         Reduction of two overall equivalencies awarded in football from 63 to 61 for the 2008-09 through 2010-11 academic years. (Self-imposed by the university).

•         Reduction of the number of full-time coaches by one from 11 to 10 for the 2008-09 through 2010-11 academic years.  (Self-imposed by the university).

•         Limitation of the number of incoming freshman who are non-qualifiers to no more than three per year for all three years of probation. The university previously averaged seven incoming freshman non-qualifiers per year over a four year period.

•         Prohibition of the recruitment of non-qualifiers from two-year institutions for three years. (Self-imposed by the university).

•         Prohibition of incoming student-athletes who have not been certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center from attending preseason football camp for a period of two years to include 2009-10 and concluding in the 2010-11 academic year. (Self-imposed by the university).

•         The football team shall end its 2009 season with the playing of its last regularly scheduled, in-season contest and is not be eligible to participate in any postseason competition.

•         The former head coach shall attend, at his own cost, an NCAA Regional Rules Seminar during each of the three years of probation.

•         The former head coach will not be allowed to have any contact with his present institutions’ football squad during the first three days of practice prior to the 2009 season.

The members of the Committee on Infractions who reviewed this case include Paul Dee, lecturer of law and education at the University of Miami and formerly the institution's athletic director and general counsel. He is the chair of the Committee on Infractions. Other members are John S. Black, attorney; Melissa Conboy, deputy director of athletics at University of Notre Dame; Eileen Jennings, general counsel at Central Michigan University; Alfred Lechner, Jr., attorney; and Dennis Thomas, the commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and formerly director of athletics at Hampton University.

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