Montana State University-Bozeman
NCAA Athletics Certification
Self-Study 2001-2002
Fiscal Integrity

Operating Principle

3.3 Established Fiscal Policies and Procedures

Membership in the Association places responsibility on each institution to monitor its programs to assure compliance with all applicable rules and regulations of the Association. Consistent with this responsibility, the institution shall demonstrate that it has in place fiscal policies and standard operating procedures to ensure that:

  1. Prospective student-athletes are not provided with impermissible recruiting inducements.
  2. Enrolled student-athletes are not provided with benefits that are expressly prohibited by NCAA legislation.
    3.
  3. All expenditures for athletes are handled consistently in accordance with NCAA, conference and institutional rules.

Self-Study Items

1. Describe the policies and standard operating procedures that help to ensure that all expenditures for athletics are handled in accordance with NCAA, conference, and institutional rules.

Section 5 of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Compliance/Operations Manual, attached as Appendix III-H to this report, treats the handling of expenditures so that institutional, conference and NCAA rules are followed.

2. Describe or provide a copy of the University's policies and standard operating procedures for ensuring that prospects do not receive recruiting inducements and enrolled student-athletes do not receive extra benefits contrary to NCAA, conference and institutional rules, including (a) identification of person(s) responsible for these areas, (b) means of monitoring compliance with these rules and, and (c) means of ensuring that only institutional or Department of Intercollegiate Athletics funds are expended in these areas.

The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has drafted written polices and procedures in their Compliance/Operations Manual (Appendix III-H) that are intended to guide actions in these two areas. In particular, Section 6 of this manual describes policies designed to ensure compliance in recruiting and in treatment of enrolled student-athletes.

The persons in the Department chiefly responsible for ensuring compliance in these areas are the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Director of Compliance, and the Assistant Director of Compliance. However, it is the written policy of the Department that all representatives of MSU athletics also bear responsibility: "Each individual associated with MSU’s intercollegiate athletics program is similarly obligated to act within his or her realm of responsibility in full compliance with the rules governing intercollegiate athletics, and to report any violation of NCAA, Big Sky Conference, and/or MSU rules of which he or she becomes aware." (from "Commitment to Rules Compliance", page 4.1 of the Manual). Finally, the Faculty Athletics Representative, the Athletics Committee, and the Compliance Committee, all involving persons from across campus, support Department staff in this effort.

The Director of Compliance and Assistant Director of Compliance, who are located in the Athletics Business Office, monitor compliance in these areas on an ongoing basis. Also in that office, and assisting in monitoring aid to enrolled students, is the Financial Aid Assistant.

Our response to Operating Principle 3.1, Self-Study Item 4 above addresses part (c) of this item.