Home  >  Media and Events  >  Press Room  >  News Release Archive  >  2010  >  Infractions

NCAA Press Release Archive

« back to archive | Back to NCAA.org

Division III Committee on Infractions Issues Decision on State University College at Buffalo

For Immediate Release

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Contact(s)

Stacey Osburn
Associate Director of Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117


INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division III Committee on Infractions has penalized State University College at Buffalo for violations of financial aid rules.

Penalties in this case include two years probation, financial aid restrictions and a postseason ban.

This case was resolved through the summary disposition process, a cooperative effort where the involved parties submit the case to the Committee on Infractions in written form. When the NCAA enforcement staff, the university and involved individuals agree to the facts of the case and penalties proposed by the university, they may use this process instead of a formal hearing.

During the 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 academic years, the percentage of the total dollar value of institutionally administered grants awarded to student-athletes was not closely equivalent to the percentage of student-athletes within the student body. Specifically, the institution awarded Canadian Incentive Grants almost exclusively to student-athletes and particularly those participating in men’s and women’s hockey. This grant program was in place to increase the enrollment of Canadian students and utilized by the institution due to its close proximity to the Canadian border. Though there was no indication that anyone in the institution’s athletics department or administration intended to circumvent NCAA rules, the disproportionate awarding of grants to student-athletes resulted in more than a minimal competitive advantage to the athletics program.

During the 2006-07 academic year, 11 of the 17 grants awarded from this program were given to student-athletes. In 2007-08 academic year, all of the nine grants awarded were given to student-athletes. During the 2008-09 academic year, 23 of the 24 grants awarded were given to student-athletes.

The penalties in this case are as follows:

  • Public reprimand and censure.
  • Two years of probation from January 28, 2010, through January 27, 2012 (Self-imposed by the institution).
  • Termination of the Canadian Incentive Grant program for incoming students, beginning with the 2009-10 academic year (Self-imposed by the institution).
  • Effective immediately, any of the institutions’ athletic teams whose rosters include one or more student-athletes receiving Canadian Incentive Grants shall end their seasons with the playing of their last regularly scheduled, in-season contest and will not be eligible to participate in any postseason competition, including conference tournaments and NCAA championships. Further, any affected teams will not be eligible for regular season conference championship consideration as long as their rosters include student-athletes receiving Canadian Incentive grants.

The members of the Committee on Infractions who reviewed this case include Mary Jo Gunning, committee chair and athletic director at Marywood University; Keith Jacques, attorney at Smith Elliott Smith & Garmey; and Dea Shipps, associate commissioner and senior woman administrator for Eastern College Athletic Conference.