Dear IRA Head Coaches and Administrators:
Attached to this email are the following documents:
Summary of Official Interpretation: The two main points of the Official Interpretation are as follows:
i. It reminds IRA members that all NCAA rules/interpretations related to Bylaw 11 (amateurism), Recruiting (Bylaw 13), Awards and Benefits (Bylaw 16) and Playing & Practice Seasons (Bylaw 17) apply to men's crew at all times (regular season and IRA Championship), unless the IRA membership has voted to exclude a particular bylaw from applying to IRA members.
ii. It confirms that the NCAA rules/interpretations to be applied to men's rowing shall be those applicable to women's rowing. Therefore, if a particular NCAA rule is sport-specific and applies exclusively to a sport other than women's rowing, that rule does not apply to men's rowing. Likewise, if a sport-specific exception to a particular NCAA rule applies to women's rowing, it applies to men's rowing. The interpretation provides an example of each of these scenarios.
Applicability of Bylaw 14.2.3.2.1 - Blanket Waiver for 2011-12: As reflected in the attached minutes, and consistent with the Official Interpretation summarized above, the Stewards confirmed that Bylaw 14.2.3.2.1 (Delayed Enrollment - Sports Other Than Men's Ice Hockey, Skiing and Tennis) applies to student-athletes in the sport of men's rowing. However, the Stewards agreed to grant a "blanket waiver" of Bylaw 14.2.3.2.1 for men's rowing athletes who enroll at IRA member institutions prior to August 1, 2012 and were recruited and certified as eligible under the 21st Birthday rule that existed prior to the adoption of Bylaw 14.2.3.2.1
Institutions should take note of the following regarding Bylaw 14.2.3.2.1 and the "blanket waiver":
i. If an institution wishes to take advantage of the "blanket waiver," the Director of Athletics or appropriate sport administrator must submit a letter to IRA Commissioner Gary Caldwell that provides the student-athlete's date of birth and date of initial full-time collegiate enrollment, the circumstances that caused the relief to be necessary and a detailed explanation of the student-athlete's eligibility status under the 21st Birthday Rule (including a competition history after turning 21, if applicable).
ii. This "blanket waiver" does not apply to any men's crew student-athlete who enrolls at an IRA member institution after August 1, 2012. Therefore, unless the IRA membership takes action to exclude Bylaw 14.2.3.2.1 from applying to men's crew, student-athletes enrolling after August 1, 2012 must be certified under Bylaw 14.2.3.2.1 in order to be eligible for regular season and post-season competition during the 2012-13 academic year.
iii. The Stewards have agreed to discuss during its next conference call whether an emergency legislative proposal should be introduced into the 2011-12 legislative cycle (for consideration vote by the IRA members at the June 2012 Annual Meeting) that would exclude Bylaw 14.2.3.2.1 from the IRA Bylaws and replace it with a different eligibility rule.
The above and attached information is also available at the following website: http://ecac.org/affiliates/IRA/2011-12/ira_interpretation_2012
John Morris: Intercollegiate Rowing Association President
Gary Caldwell: IRA Commissioner
Tom Sullivan: IRA Regatta Director