Compliance, Financial and Student Services
The University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics will provide athletic, academic and personal development opportunities to support its student-athletes. We will promote a culture of excellence and diversity, while providing the resources that will enable our student-athletes and staff to achieve the highest levels of success.
It is our mission to develop the best athletics programs and serve as a great source of pride in representing the University of Pittsburgh community, the City of Pittsburgh and our alumni and friends worldwide.
The University of Pittsburgh is committed to the principles of institutional control in operating its athletic programs in accordance with the NCAA, ACC and University rules and regulations. As a member institution with a Division I intercollegiate athletics program, the University of Pittsburgh adheres to the standards that have been established to govern athletics participation in its 19 varsity sports.
The Compliance, Financial and Student Services Office works to help educate its student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty, staff and external constituents about the basic requirements and guidelines that must be followed in order to make the Panthers compliant.
Our staff strives to be proactive with education, and acts as the communication center to address questions, concerns and the interpretations of the NCAA rules for its constituents. Staff members are available as a resource to anyone who has any questions or concerns regarding NCAA guidelines. Please feel free to contact the Compliance, Financial and Student Services Office and someone will gladly assist you.
Report a Potential Violation
For general inquiries and questions, or to report a potential violation: Compliance@athletics.pitt.edu
Agent/Advisor Registration Application
Adherence to NCAA legislation and Pennsylvania State Laws as it relates to agents and advisors is of utmost importance to the University of Pittsburgh. It is our expectation that our student-athletes and agents who seek to contact them adhere to the NCAA and state regulations. Agents interested in any Pitt student-athletes must be registered with the state of Pennsylvania. Please forward any student-athlete correspondence to the Compliance, Financial and Student Services Office, we will gladly pass it along to them.
Should you have any questions please feel free to contact Ryan Mitchell, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at 412-327-1155 or compliance@athletics.pitt.edu.
The links below provide information and resources for you during your time as a student-athlete at Pitt. Please contact the Compliance, Financial and Student Services Office if you ever have questions or concerns.
Agents and Advisors
It is permissible to interact with agents and advisors. You must receive permission from the Office of Athletics Compliance prior to any contact with agents, advisors, or anyone associated with them.
You will lose eligibility if you, you parents/legal guardians and/or friends accept any of the following:
- Meals
- Transportation
- Lodging
- Clothing
- Tickets
- Entertainment
- Enter into an agreement for future or current representation (amateur status will be lost and you will be deemed permanently ineligible)
- Written agreement
- Verbal agreement
Name, Image and Likeness
It is now permissible to hire an agent, talent representative, marketing representative for Name, Image, and Likeness purposes ONLY. Hiring an agent and signing any type of agreement (either verbal or written) for professional sports opportunities remains impermissible. If this occurs, you will forfeit all remaining eligibility at University of Pittsburgh
Parents of Pitt Student-Athletes
As the parent or guardian of a Pitt student-athlete it is important that you understand and follow NCAA rules that apply to both you and your son or daughter. If you have any questions or concerns about your son or daughter's participation, please feel free to contact the Compliance Office
Drug Testing and Substance Abuse Program
Pitt student-athletes are subject to year-round drug testing by Pitt, the ACC, and the NCAA.
For more information, visit the NCAA Drug Testing Program webpage.
If you aspire to be a student-athlete at the University of Pittsburgh or any other institution, or if you are a parent of a child who hopes to do so, there are several things you should know regarding NCAA eligibility requirements and the recruiting process. A great resource for explaining many of these requirements is the NCAA Guide for College-Bound Student-Athletes (PDF).
Every college-bound student-athlete must be certified academically and as an amateur by the NCAA Eligibility Center prior to competing in Division I athletics. Prospects need to register with the NCAA Eligibility at the beginning of their junior year in high school. Register Now.
In order to be academically certified, prospects need to have all transcripts sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Pitt Compliance Office at any time.
APR and GSR
APR
The National Collegiate Athletic Association holds Division I institutions accountable for the academic progress of their student-athletes through the Academic Progress Rate, a team-based metric that accounts for the eligibility and retention of each student-athlete, each term.
The Committee on Academic Performance oversees the Academic Performance Program, with set policies and recommended legislative changes to the Board of Directors, which has the final say on rules changes in Division I.
Teams must earn a four-year APR of 930 to compete in championships.
For more information, visit the NCAA APR webpage.
GSR
Graduation rates are based on the IPEDS-GRS which is defined as a six-year proportion of those student-athletes who graduated versus those who entered an institution on institutional aid. In addition to the student-athlete data in the graduation-rates data, the GSR accounts for student-athletes who transfer into an institution while discounting student-athletes who separate from the institution and would have been academically eligible to compete had they returned. The Academic Success Rate (ASR) also includes freshmen who did not receive athletics aid but did participate in athletics. All member institutions are required to report graduation rates for their student body; those institutions offering athletics aid are required to report for their student-athletes. Division I members, as well as those institutions having multi-divisional sports, must also provide their GSR. Data for the graduation rates/GSR/ASR is collected each spring.
For GSR Rates, please visit the NCAA GSR search portal.
Featured Links
Thank you for your continued support of Pitt Athletics. Pitt's responsibilities related to NCAA and Conference rules and regulations extend beyond entities within the Athletic Department. Your adherence to all applicable NCAA rules and regulations is essential as we strive to be the best. Violations of NCAA rules involving Boosters, Alumni and Fans of Pitt can have a negative effect on the prospects and/or student-athletes involved, the student-athlete's athletic program, and the national perception of the University as a whole. We appreciate your efforts and cooperation.
If you serve as a mentor for a student-athlete in our department’s Panthers to Pros program, please be aware of the following Compliance Rules and Regulations:
Extra Benefits
An extra benefit is any special arrangement by a Pitt employee or booster. As a booster, alumni, or fan of Pitt Athletics, you cannot be directly or indirectly involved in making any arrangements for a prospect, student-athlete, or their relatives or friends, to receive material or tangible extra benefits of any kind that are not available to the general public or authorized by NCAA rules.
A prospect or student-athlete, or their relatives or friends, may not accept an extra benefit. Receipt by a prospect, student-athlete, or their relatives or friends, of an impermissible award, benefit, or expense allowance can render the individual ineligible and jeopardize the institution.
Some examples of extra benefits include, but are not limited to:
- Cash, clothing, haircut, concert or sporting event tickets, or any type of gift;
- Loans or cosigning of loans;
- Vehicle or the use of a vehicle
- Payment for, or the arrangement of, any transportation costs for student-athletes, their relatives or friends;
- Free or reduced cost goods or services;
- Free or reduced cost housing;
- The sale or trade of complimentary admissions for merchandise, services, or debt repayment; or
- The sale or trade of any items a student-athlete has received for his or her participation in athletics (e.g. gear, clothing, awards).
However, benefits generally available to the entire student body or the general public are permissible for both student-athletes and prospects.
Occasional Meals
A permissible benefit a booster can be involved with is an occasional meal. Occasional meals must be held in the home of the booster, not at any other location, but may be catered. Or, on campus. Additionally, the Athletics Compliance Office must pre-approve all occasional meals. Occasional meals are permissible for student-athletes only. Prospects and their relatives or friends are not permitted to receive occasional meals.
You may provide a meal or coffee etc. in your home or on campus (as defined by the Campus Map).
Employment
A booster may employ or arrange for the employment of a student-athlete as long as the student-athlete has registered the job with the Athletics Compliance Office before beginning work. As an employer, you will be required to sign paperwork before employment of a student-athlete begins.
A booster may also employ or arrange for the employment of a prospect, provided he or she has signed a NLI and the employment does not begin prior to the conclusion of the prospect’s senior year.
Compensation for prospects and student-athletes:
- Must be for work actually performed;
- Must be at a rate commensurate with the going rate in the Pittsburgh area for similar services; and
- May not include payment for the value or utility that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, personal following or fame that the individual has obtained.
Additionally, an employer may not use the name, picture or appearance of an enrolled student-athlete to advertise, recommend, endorse, or promote sales or use of a commercial product or service of any kind.
Remember, a student-athlete may not receive any extra benefits from their employer. A student-athlete may only receive benefits that are available to all other employees. This includes benefits such as food, transportation and clothing or apparel.
Please explore the links below to learn more about NCAA rules and regulations that affect you as a booster, alumni, fan, or mentor to a Pitt student-athlete. If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding NCAA guidelines, please feel free to contact our office and we will gladly assist you.
Academic Fraud/Ethical Misconduct
Academic fraud and unethical conduct are taken very seriously by both the NCAA and the University of Pittsburgh Athletics. If found to be in violation, the sanctions include termination of employment or disqualification of athletic participation.
The following examples apply to both staff, current, and prospective student-athletes:
- Refusal to furnish information relevant to an investigation of a possible violation of an NCAA regulation when requested to do so by the NCAA or the individual's institution.
- Knowing involvement in arranging for fraudulent academic credit or false transcripts for a prospective or an enrolled student-athlete.
- Knowing involvement in offering or providing a prospective or an enrolled student-athlete an improper inducement or extra benefit or improper financial aid.
- Knowingly furnishing or knowingly influencing others to furnish the NCAA or the individual's institution false or misleading information concerning an individual's involvement in or knowledge of matters relevant to a possible violation of an NCAA regulation.
- Receipt of benefits by an institutional staff member for facilitating or arranging a meeting between a student-athlete and an agent, financial advisor or a representative of an agent or advisor (e.g., "runner");
- Knowing involvement in providing a banned substance or impermissible supplement to student-athletes, or knowingly providing medications to student-athletes contrary to medical licensure, commonly accepted standards of care in sports medicine practice, or state and federal law. This provision shall not apply to banned substances for which the student-athlete has received a medical exception per Bylaw 31.2.3.5; however, the substance must be provided in accordance with medical licensure, commonly accepted standards of care and state or federal law.
- Failure to provide complete and accurate information to the NCAA, the NCAA Eligibility Center or an institution's admissions office regarding an individual's academic record (e.g., schools attended, completion of coursework, grades and test scores);
- Fraudulence or misconduct in connection with entrance or placement examinations.
- Engaging in any athletics competition under an assumed name or with intent to otherwise deceive; or
- Failure to provide complete and accurate information to the NCAA, the NCAA Eligibility Center or the institution's athletics department regarding an individual's amateur status.
Communication and/or interaction regarding a student-athlete’s academic progress or academic performance must be directed by staff members from the Office of Academics Support Services for Student-Athletes. Coaches and support staff are precluded from communicating directly with faculty members regarding their student-athlete’s academic progress or academic performance.
Compliance Tips for University of Pittsburgh Staff
Five Rules to Remember:
- Do NOT Provide Extra Benefits to Prospects or Student-Athletes.
Special arrangements or involvement by a Pitt employee or a Booster to provide you or your relatives or friends with a benefit not authorized by the NCAA legislation.
Permissible Benefits:- Meals provided by a Pitt staff member (e.g. community outreach, Pitt fundraiser, media projects)
- Bona-fide employment
- Cash, Loans, in any amount,
- 3rd Party Co-signing or arranging of a loan/disability insurance,
- Gifts or Free/Reduced Services (concert/movie tickets, meals, haircuts, rent, automobiles, clothing discounts, storage, tattoos, etc…)
- Arrangement in falsifying academic credit
- Do NOT Recruit Prospects.
Writing, emailing, texting, calling or contacting prospects or their friends or family for recruiting purposes by any means is not permitted (including social media). Initiating off-campus contact with prospects for the purposes of recruitment is not permitted.
- You MAY notify outstanding prospects to the attention of the Pitt Athletic coaching and administrative staff.
- You MAY meet with prospects on-campus.
- Do NOT Publicize Recruiting Activity.
You may NOT publicize a prospective student-athlete's visit to campus. (Tweets, Retweets, Favorites) You may NOT comment on prospective student-athlete to the media or other entities.
- Do NOT Use Student-Athletes for Promotional Purposes.
Using a current student-athlete's name, appearance, picture or likeness for promotional purposes is not permitted.
- You MAY use current student-athletes for institutional, educational, or charitable purposes upon approval from Compliance.
- Report Any Known or Suspected NCAA Rules Violations to the Office of Athletics Compliance
It is the institution's obligation to proactively monitor it's athletic program.
- The NCAA takes kind to institutions that identify, cooperate, and report violations.
- Reporting violations is a good thing. It demonstrates that Pitt has proper controls in place.
Extra Benefits Reminders
An extra benefit is any special gift or arrangement provided to a student-athlete, or a student-athlete’s friend or family member, which is not available to the general University of Pittsburgh student body or the general population.
Examples:
- Use of an automobile or transportation
- Admission to an event (e.g., movies, athletic events, banquets, clubs, special events/parties, concerts, etc.)
- Cash or loans in any amount
- Gifts of any kind, including those on special occasions such as birthdays, religious holidays, graduation, etc.
- Free or reduced-cost services, rentals, or purchases of any type (e.g., meals, drinks, clothing, laundry, haircuts, legal fees, tattoos, rounds of golf, car repairs, etc.)
- Free or reduced-cost housing for any length of time
- Entertainment
- Assistance with paying bills (e.g., cell phone, gas money, rent, etc.)
- Awards
- Loans (including co-signing)
- Use of your telephone or credit card
- Providing a meal outside of your home, a local restaurant, or Pitt Athletics facilities (occasional meals must be approved by the Pitt Athletics Compliance Office prior to taking place
Meeting With Prospective Student-Athletes
The NCAA restricts the involvement that you may have with prospective student-athletes. Only coaches and authorized employees may be involved in the recruiting process. NCAA rules prohibit boosters from engaging in recruiting activities designed to secure a prospect’s enrollment at the University of Pittsburgh. If a prospect contacts you regarding academic information, you may have correspondence discussing non-athletically related information at any time. Please remember any athletics recruiting conversation must be directed towards the applicable coaching staff member.
Campus Visits
University of Pittsburgh Athletics coaches/staff may schedule meetings with you to discuss your respective academic department with a prospective student-athlete. Please note the following topics of conversation are permissible:
- Academic Information (admissions, specific courses, etc.)
- University Information
- Pitt Tradition
- General information regarding University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh (town and area) and the state of PA
- Any information available to the general public
3719 Terrace Street
3060 - The William Randolph Hearst Life Skills Resource Suite
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Staff bios and individual contact information