ICSA Eligibiity Case Book & Guide
01/2003
Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association of North America
The following eligibility cases and decisions are intended as a reference and guide for Competitors, Coaches, Advisors, and other Officials. In abbreviated form, they represent interpretations of the ICSA Procedural Rules as issued by the Eligibility Committee from its inception-to the present.
History of the Eligibility Committee
The Eligibility Committee was created at the Winter Meeting of the Association in 1977. Prior to that time, eligibility issues had been resolved by the Executive Vice President (now President), the Procedural Rules Committee, District Graduate Officers or Special Committees designated by the Executive Committee (now Board of Directors) to deal with major issues.
Purpose and Practices of the Eligibility Committee
The Eligibility Committee is charged with interpreting those Procedural Rules proposed by the Rules Committee and adopted by the Board of Directors, relating specifically to questions of eligibility to compete.
The practice of the Committee has been to interpret the Procedural Rules (PR) as written. Questions which require clarification, or arise out of circumstances not specifically foreseen in the PR should be forwarded to the Committee Chair. In presenting issues to the Committee, it is important to explain the situation as completely as possible. If the issue involves a student's request for an exception to the rules, documents verifying the facts and signed by school administrators and/or people in professional positions, such as doctors or lawyers, be included. Such documents should be of sufficient detail so the Committee members can make their own determination as to the validity and relevance of the content. Testimonial letters of support are not generally useful to the Committee in its efforts to interpret the written rules. While the Committee does its best to reach prompt decisions, it is prudent, whenever possible, to ask for interpretations well in advance of any potential problem. Failing that, it is helpful for the person requesting a ruling to provide a realistic date by which a decision is needed.
When a decision as been reached, the party bringing the issue, the President of the Association and the District Graduate Secretaries are notified.
George H. Griswold, Eligibility Chair
On the following pages are summary statements relating to the rules of eligibility, specific references to those rules as presented in the Procedural Rules (PR), and cases, expressed as questions and answers and ordered chronologically, that have been brought under those rules.
Eligibility of compete in ICSA events is determined by the following:
- Procedural Rules governing Eligibility for Colleges and Universities
- Procedural Rules governing Eligibility for Students
- Administrative Policies governing Eligibility for Students, Colleges, and Universities
Procedural Rule 7(a), (b), (c) and (d), governs the eligibility of colleges and universities
District officers and the Board of Directors of the Association have traditionally dealt with the primary issues related to the eligibility of colleges and universities. Such issues have not generally been reported to the Eligibility Committee and have been resolved on an individual basis within each District.
The most common issues have involved the failure by a college to pay dues and/or fees (PR 7(c)). Other issues have involved the requirement for a college to be in good standing within its District, as determined by the District Association (PR 7(a)).
On occasion, a District Association has invited a non-member college or university to participate in an ICSA event, subject to the requirements of PR 7(d). No issues arising from such participation have been referred to the Eligibility Committee.
The "Four-Semester" Rule (PR 7(b)) was adopted by the Board of Directors in 1990 and subsequently incorporated into the By-Laws of the Association and the "General Conditions for the North American Intercollegiate Championships". By this rule, any Regular or Provisional Member College which has not competed within the four most recent seasons is reduced to Associate Membership and does not count for allocation of berths for any ICSA North American Championship. Although thus not eligible for District or North American Championships, a member so reduced is still eligible to compete in District events.
Procedural Rule 8, parts (a)--(h), governs the eligibility of students.
PR 8 establishes four basic parameters which determine or limit a student's eligibility:
- The individual must be a full-time student at the college or university.
- The student is limited to eight seasons of eligibility within a five-year period.
- The student shall not have received a bachelor's degree.
- A first-year student shall not compete before his/her first college term of study has begun.
PR 8(a) has two requirements and some very specific exceptions.
"..all competitors shall be registered full-time undergraduate students of the college they represent."
The work "registered" means that competitors have completed their school's registration process and are acknowledged as official students by that school. The term "full-time" means that they are taking a full load of classes as defined by their school.
"..shall be registered with their District Association."
This clause requires that each student who wishes to compete must be officially registered with his/her District At the time of such registration, the District may refuse the right to compete to any student who does not meet the eligibility criteria. In cases where compliance is not certain or where interpretation of the eligibility provisions is deemed necessary, questions should be referred to the Eligibility Committee for resolution.
Case PR 8(a) – 1 (1997) Full-time students
Question: Does a student taking a few classes at one university and other classes at a nearby community college qualify as a full-time student at the university if the combination of classes is sufficient to constitute a full-time load, and is he eligible to compete for the university?
Answer: Usually not, unless the student is registered for those additional classes at the community college through the existing cross-registration arrangement or dual enrollment procedure. Such arrangements or procedures ordinarily preclude participation in intercollegiate athletics. Only if the university involved approves intercollegiate athletics participation, as policy for all students is the student eligible to sail.
Case PR 8(a) – 2 (1997) Eligibility during "breaks"
Question: Is a student taking a leave of absence from school during the winter quarter eligible during the "break" period between the winter and spring quarters?
Answer: The student is not eligible during the "break" period prescribed.
Students cannot be considered as "full-time" until the first day of classes for any given academic period. However, a student qualifying as "full-time" during any given regular academic period shall remain eligible during the break immediately following that period.
Thus, only entering freshmen, students taking less than a "full-time" load and students taking leaves of absence from a normal full-time academic program lose their eligibility during breaks between academic periods. (Modified by Cases PR 6-3 and PR 6-4, below)
Case PR 8(a) – 3 (1999) Eligibility during "breaks"
Question: Is a competitor eligible during the break between academic periods when a school is on the quarter system and the competitor has been away from school during the Winter quarter?
Answer: It was determined that the university involved considered the student to have "full-time" status, and thus, the competitor was eligible during the "break
Case PR 8(a) – 4 (1999) Eligibility during "breaks"
Question: Is a competitor at a school using the quarter system eligible between academic periods, and does any rule prohibit an individual from practicing with a team during an off quarter?
Answer: The student would be eligible if the school considered his "full-time" status to be maintained.
Students practicing with a team to not have to meet ICSA eligibility requirements, although there may be requirements set by the school. Students do not use seasons of eligibility unless they participate in an intercollegiate regatta.
Case PR 8(a) – 5 (2000) Full time students and 2 + 2 agreements
Question: Is a student taking part of her classes at a University and part of her classes at a local Junior College which has a 2 + 2 agreement with the University eligible?
Answer: Yes, as long as the University treats the classes taken at the Junior College as if they were taken at the University and not "transferred", because of a 2 + 2 agreement (Reference Case PR 8(a) - 1 (1997)).
Case 8(a) – 6 (2001) Regular admission required to be eligible
Question: Is a student eligible who had been refused admission to a college, but had enrolled in 12 hours of Continuing Education classes at the college. The normal limit on Continuing Education Classes is 8 hours, but a Dean had permitted this student to take the additional hours.
Answer: No. The student while meeting the requirement for the minimum number of hours of classes, had not been admitted to the School, and thus did not meet the full set of requirements to be a full time student at the college and thus is ineligible.
Case 8(a) – 7 (2001) Eligibility while attending a Junior College
Question: Is a student while attending an associated Junior college. It was not clear that there was a written agreement stating that the junior college students would automatically be admitted to the university and be eligible for a university degree.
Answer: No. In the absence of a written agreement guaranteeing admission and a degree from the university, while part of the university system the student not eligible because of the need to be accepted by the university and to transfer credits.
Case PR 8(a) – 8 (2001) Sailing for more than one college in a season.
Question: Can a university recruit students from another college for their sailing team if the two schools were in the process of joining and transportation links had been established as a first step in the process? The intent stated at the end of the process was for college students to get a university degree.
Answer: No. University students could recruit the college students and practice with them, as the Procedural Rules do not cover "practice". However, the college students would not be eligible to sail for university's sailing team until the agreement between the two schools was finalized. Further, at that time, only one sailing team could represent the combined schools.
Case PR(a) – 9 (2002) GPA requirement
Question: What are the eligibility requirements for club participants, such as how many credits are required per semester? Is there a GPA requirement?
Answer: The eligibility requirements are presented in the ICSA Procedural Rule 8. A copy can be found on the ICSA website 
www.collegesailing.org
The number of credits required per semester is determined as a part of each ICSA Member School's general academic Policy and may vary from school to school. Note the exception granted in Procedural Rule 8(b). Any GPA requirement is also determined by the general academic policy of each Member School.
Case PR 8(a) – 10 (2002) Internships
Question: A student has two remaining seasons of eligibility (F 2002 & S 2003). The student is taking less than a full load F 2002 in order to make time for an internship. Do the hours spent on internships count towards a student's total load?
Answer: The hours spent on internships may, or may not count towards a student's total academic load depending on the general academic policy at the student's school. If a school gives academic credit for internships or co-op programs the hours would count towards the student's academic load. If the student's school certifies that a student meets the "full time" criteria for that institution then the student meets that eligibility requirement.
Procedural Rule 8(b) provides an exception to PR 8(a) for graduating seniors.
The number of academic credits for a specific program varies at each college or university. Thus, a graduating senior during his/her last academic period who has "banked" credits earlier may not be required to take the number of classes normally required of a full-time student. A one time exception to PR 8(a) is given to such students who may be taking less than a full load of classes, provided they are taking the requisite courses to graduate at the end of that final academic period and provided they meet all other eligibility requirements.
Case PR 8(b) – 1 (1978) Graduating senior exception
Question: (Prior to the adoption of PR 6(b)): Is a graduating senior who sailed during the Fall season eligible for the Spring season even though he needed only eight credits to finish his degree and declined to take a full course load because of financial reasons?
Answer: No. Procedural Rule 6(b) was subsequently adopted as a result of this case.
Case PR 8(b) – 2 (1999) Graduating senior exception
Question: If a full-time student planning to complete a degree during the Fall academic period learns that one of the courses required for graduation will not be offered until the following Spring, will the student be eligible in the Spring while enrolled only in the one three-credit course required for graduation, meeting all other eligibility requirements?
Answer: The student would be eligible under the graduating senior exception.
Case PR 8(b) – 3 (2000) Graduating senior exception
Question: If a student has completed the requirements for his degree at the conclusion of the Fall season, can he use a remaining season of eligibility in the Spring without taking any classes and because the school has not formally conferred his degree?
Answer: No. The student does not qualify as "full-time", nor does he satisfy the requirements for the graduating senior exception.
Case PR 8(b) – 4 (2002) Graduating senior exception
Question: A student has two remaining seasons of eligibility (F 2002 & S 2003). The student is taking less than a full load F 2002 in order to make time for an internship. The student will take a full load S 2003 to graduate in May 2003. Can the student exercise the exception in PR 8(b) and be eligible for F 2003?
Answer: No. PR 8(b) does not apply as the rule clearly states that the exception only applies to the "Final Term, Semester, or Quarter".
- Note: Procedural Rule 8(c) was deleted by the Board of Directors at its January 2003 meeting therefore Cases PR 8(c) –1 and 2 are no longer valid.*
Case PR 8(c) – 1 (1990) First time registrants
Question: Can the provisions of PR 6(c) -1 be waived because a District's Fall season begins three weeks before school starts and freshmen begin their first academic period?
Answer: No. Only continuing students are eligible to compete before classes commence, provided they otherwise satisfy the requirements of PR 6(a).
Case PR 8(c) – 2 (2001) Transfer students must begin classes to be eligible
Question: Does PR 8(c) apply to transfer students as well as incoming freshmen making this student ineligible until classes start?
Answer: Yes, PR 8(c) applies to all students entering a college for the first time. Thus a student transferring from one school to another would be ineligible until he started classes.
Question: If the answer to the first question is the student is ineligible, then is the Eligibility Committee willing to make an exception in for a student assuming he meets all other eligibility criteria?
At the Annual Meeting in June the ICSA Board of Directors made an exception for PCIYRA Freshmen to qualify for the ICSA Singlehanded Championship. It was not known that this sailor was transferring in June. The situations are identical except that this individual is a transfer student and not an incoming Freshman.
Answer: Yes. Based on the ICSA Board of Directors exception, a one time non-precedent setting exception was approved based on the similar circumstances.
Procedural Rule 8(d) establishes limits for a student's eligibility
- A student may compete for eight seasons
- Those eight seasons must occur within five consecutive calendar years
- The beginning and end of each season are specified.
A student becomes ineligible if either of the eight season or five-year limit is exceeded.
A season of eligibility is charged against a student as soon as that student participates in one race of a regatta either as skipper or crew.
Students who compete for a non-member team invited to participate in a regatta under PR 7(c) are charged for a season of eligibility.
Students transferring from one college or university to another have their eligibility records transferred with them. The five-year "clock" begins when they first compete at any college or university, and the seasons of eligibility are limited to eight whether at one or more colleges or universities.
No student, including transfers, may compete for more than one college in any season except as permitted for a crew during a regatta by Procedural Rule 10(c), Emergency Situations.
PR 8(d)(iii) addresses special circumstances relating to eligibility for a North American Championship.
The Procedural Rules do not limit eligibility by age of a student.
Case PR 8(d) – 1 (1958) No age limit
Question: Is a student in his early thirties, enrolled in a university for the first time under the G.I. Bill, eligible?
Answer: Yes. Eligibility is not limited by a student's age.
Case PR 8(d) – 2 (1967) Suspension of the "clock"
Question: A student who competed on a university sailing team was drafted into the U.S. Army. Should an exception be made and his five-year "clock" suspended for the period of military service even though he spent much of his military time sailing?
Answer: Yes. The student's "clock" was suspended during the years he served as a draftee.
Note: Because they have not been drafted, students attending federal service academies would not qualify for such exception of the five year limit.
Case PR 8(d) – 3 (1978) The "clock"
Question: What penalty should be applied when a student is discovered to have sailed beyond his limit of five consecutive years?
Answer: Re-scoring of all events to reflect disqualification in each race when the student was not eligible.
Case PR 8(d) – 4 (1978) Season of eligibility
Question: Is a student who qualified his team during the Fall, which was his eighth season of eligibility, for the North American Team Racing Championship to be held the following Spring season eligible to sail in the Championship?
Answer: The student would not be eligible under PR 8(d)(iii). His eligibility for the Championship is determined by his eligibility for the Spring season in which the Championship is held.
Case PR 8(d) – 5 (1990) Season of eligibility; medical circumstances; incomplete information
Question: Should a student leaving school because of a medical problem and providing a physician's letter that was uninformative and vague be granted an extension in the number of seasons of eligibility?
Answer: No. It was impossible to determine the validity of the case.
Case PR 8(d) – 6 (1995) Seasons of eligibility; medical circumstances
Question: Should a student be granted an additional season of eligibility because of a hand injury which occurred in a non-collegiate sailing accident early in the season when it was not clear when the student would recover?
Answer: No. No compelling reason was found to grant an extension of eligibility.
Case PR 8(d) – 7 (1998) Seasons of eligibility; medical circumstances I
Question: Should a student re granted an additional season of eligibility because he became ill during the season and had to leave school?
Answer: No. It was determined that the student had already competed in more than half the season and that his team had already competed in all the events for which it was eligible by the time the student became ill.
Case PR 8(d) – 8 (1992) Seasons of eligibility; the Goodwill Regatta
Question: Does a student use a season of eligibility when participating in the Goodwill Regatta in Japan?
Answer: Participation in the 1991 Goodwill Regatta in Japan was determined not to use a season of eligibility. However, starting in the 1992 Fall season and thereafter, participation in the Goodwill Regatta shall use a season of eligibility whether the event is held in this country or Japan.
Case PR 8(d) – 9 (1996) Seasons of eligibility; one event; ignorance of rule
Question: Should a student who sailed in one event before transferring to another school, where he sailed for seven seasons, and who was unaware of the eight season limit be granted an extra season of eligibility?
Answer: No. Sailing in a single event uses the eligibility for that season, and ignorance of the rule does not provide relief.
The question was resubmitted for reconsideration. The answer was the same.
Case PR 8(d) – 10 (2000) Extension of Season of Eligibility
Question: Should a student be granted an eligibility extension under the following circumstances: The student sailed for 4 seasons before transferring to another school. The student participated in (determined by observation and written statements from others) a single event November 7, 1998 while attending another school. The District properly scheduled the event. At the urging of a number of contestants, the "event" was considered to re a "practice" and no RP forms were reported. However, final scores were distributed to the media. The student then transferred back to the original school and sailed 3 additional seasons.
Answer: No. The student has used all eight seasons of eligibility under PR 6(d). The question was resubmitted, citing new evidence. After review of the new evidence, the answer was the same.
Case PR 8(d) – 11 (2000) No RP form submitted
Question: Is a season of eligibility used when no record of participation forms are submitted?
Answer: Yes, if there are other methods by which participation can be verified such as visual observation or written statements from individuals.
Case PR 8(d) – 12 (2000) Minimum Races required
Question: Is a season of eligibility used when the number of races for a regatta to be "official" as required by PR 19(a) are not sailed and scored.
Answer: No. Regattas that do not have enough competition under PR 19(a) to be "official" don't influence an individual's eligibility.
Case PR 8(d) – 13 (2000) Scheduled regattas are not "practice"
Question: Can a regatta properly scheduled by a District be declared as a "practice" by on-site officials or the contestants?
Answer: No. The Race Committee and contestants cannot make a properly scheduled regatta into an "unofficial" event or "practice" without the permission of the District which under the RRS is the "governing authority".
Procedural Rule 8(e) limits eligibility to undergraduates.
However, because academic calendars differ and may not coincide with the ICSA seasons of competition, a student who has graduated but eligible when the degree was received remains eligible until the end of that season. See, also, PR 8(d)(iii).
It should re noted also that for purposes of special events which sometimes occur after the end of the Spring season, such as the British Team Race Tour, eligibility may re extended beyond the season dates listed in PR 8(d)(i).
Case PR 8(e) –1 (2001) Extension of Eligibility beyond Graduation
Question: Should a student be granted an eligibility extension under the following circumstances: The student has been granted an advanced academic standing by a college or university and expects to graduate at the end of three years, but will enroll at the same school to obtain a graduate degree. The NCAA and the school's athletic conference rules will permit a fourth year of eligibility.
Answer: No. PR 8(e) is clear and no student may participate in ICSA events after receiving a Bachelor's degree. NCAA and Athletic conference rules do not apply when ICSA rules are more restrictive.
Case PR 8(e) – 2 (2003) Extension of Eligibility beyond Graduation
Question: Can a student who has earned a Bachelor's degree, but never sailed in a collegiate regatta, be eligible while taking undergraduate classes at another school in a subsequent semester.
Answer: No. PR 8(e) is clear that no student may participate in ICSA events once the season in which a Bachelor's degree was received is concluded.
Procedural Rule 8(f) prohibits sailing scholarships
It has been a principle of the Association, reaffirmed on numerous occasions, that students may not accept financial assistance to attend college based on sailing ability. This rule does not prohibit students from accepting scholarships or other forms of financial assistance for which they might qualify for reasons other than sailing ability.
The exception to this rule was granted from 1989 to 2000 permitting an Olympic Tuition Assistance Grant awarded by the U.S. Olympic Sailing Committee to help defray a portion of a student's tuition after a review of the applicant's potential as an Olympic sailor. A student may accept such a grant once and retain collegiate sailing eligibility. Should a student accept further grants, he becomes ineligible for intercollegiate sailing for the duration of the grant(s). Once the student grant has expired, the student regains eligibility at the start of the next academic period. However, the five year "clock" continues to run during the period of any grant, and the eight semester rule remains in effect. The Board of Directors deleted this exception, June 2000.
Case PR 8(f) – 1 (1989) U.S. Olympic Tuition Grant
Question: Should two students who accepted grants from the U.S. Olympic Committee based on sailing ability be granted an exception to the Association's prohibition of scholarships based on such ability?
Answer: In consonance with the Association's By-Laws, exceptions for the two students were granted.
The Eligibility Committee subsequently proposed the current rule, which was adopted. It is important to note that U.S. Olympic Tuition Assistance Grants are administered through the schools and funds are not given directly to the recipients.
Consultation with the NCAA in 1990 confirmed that receiving "one time only" financial assistance from sources outside a student's own institution, such as the U.S. Olympic Tuition Assistance Grants, would not jeopardize the student's eligibility under NCAA regulations. Again, it was stressed that the grants could be accepted only once and that no funds were to be given directly to students.
Case PR 8(f) – 2 (1990) Second U.S. Olympic Tuition Assistance Grant
Question: Should a student accepting a second U.S. Olympic Tuition Assistance Grant remain eligible for the duration of the second grant?
Answer: No, and the students "clock" continues to run.
Case PR 8(f) – 3 (1995) Foreign Olympic Tuition Assistance Grant
Question: Is a student who accepts a grant from a foreign country similar to a U.S. Olympic Tuition Assistance Grant eligible?
Answer: No. The student would be ineligible because PR 8(f) specifies only the U.S. Olympic Tuition Assistance Grant as an exception.
Case PR 8(f) – 4 (1995) Waiver of out-of-state tuition fees
Question: Does waiving out-of-state tuition fees for a student based on sailing ability violate PR 8(f)?
Answer: Yes. Waiving such fees would violate PR 8(f) and any student benefiting from such waiver would be ineligible. However, a student might qualify for resident tuition rates after attending an institution f or a specified period of time, based on the school's general tuition policy rather than on sailing ability; in which case, eligibility would not be affected.
Case PR 8(f) –5 (2001) Exception to tuition grants based on Sailing Ability
Question: Should a student be given an exemption to PR 8(f) "No student shall receive financial assistance to attend college based on sailing ability" if the student accepts a tuition grant from the Canadian National Sailing Authority?
Answer: No. The rule does not provide for any financial assistance based on sailing ability regardless of the source.
Case PR 8(f) – 6 (2003) Exception to tuition grants based on Interest in Sailing
Question: Should a student be given an exception to PR 8(f) based on financial need and interest in sailing, rather than measured sailing ability or regatta finishes?
Answer: No. The intent of PR 8(f) is to eliminate financial assistance including grants in aid based solely or in part on a student's participation in intercollegiate sailing competition. If an exception for interest in sailing were made, all students participating in ICSA events would qualify, and the intent of PR 8(f) would be negated.
Procedural Rule 8(g) requires all students to be amateurs
There are three measures of amateur status, two compulsory and one advisory
- All students must be US Group l or US Group II competitors as defined by the Racing Rules of Sailing, Appendix P (note, particularly, the exceptions listed under US Group I in P 1.1).
- No student can be compensated as a college sailing coach.
- Procedural Rules Appendix 3 summarizes NCAA regulations as they applied to sailing at the time it was published and advises students attending schools that comply with such NCAA regulations, which are generally more restrictive than those contained in the Procedural Rules, to consult with their NCAA compliance officer.
Case PR 8(g) – 1 (1989) Compensation as a coach
Question: Is a student who is compensated for coaching his own team or a team any other college eligible?
Answer: No. The Board of Directors subsequently incorporated this prohibition into the Procedural Rules.
Case PR 8(g) – 2 (2002) Suspension by US SAILING
Question: A sailor has been suspended from competition by US SAILING is joining our team. The suspension has expired. Is the individual eligible to sail in ICSA events?
Answer: Yes, if the suspension has been lifted without restriction. The individual will, however, have to meet all of the current ICSA eligibility rules.
Case PR 8(h) – 1 (2003) Prescription Painkiller use
Question: Is a sailor ineligible under PR 11(a) (Contestant Conduct) or RRS Appendix 3 (ISAF Anti-Doping Code) if using a painkiller prescribed by a Doctor for an injury.
Answer: It depends on whether the painkiller is on the list of prohibited substances. This list is subject to change. If in doubt students are urged to check the current list on the ISAF website: http://www.sailing.org
Case PR Appendix 3 – 1 (1997) NCAA Rules
Question: Is the eligibility of a graduating senior taking less than a full load of classes at a school with an academic "break" period during the Spring season affected by NCAA rules and regulations?
Answer: The student is eligible under PR 6(b). NCAA rules and regulations do not apply to college sailors unless their college or university specifically complies with them for sailing.