Serious Misconduct rule for Big Sky

[aldewitt]

I like it. I would like to see this in the MVFC.


www.bigskyconf.com/news/2018/6/4/general-big-sky-establishes-serious-misconduct-rule.aspx

Serious Misconduct Rule: A current or prospective student-athlete who has been convicted of or pled guilty or no contest to a felony or misdemeanor involving Serious Misconduct, or has been subject to official University or athletic department disciplinary action at any time during enrollment at any collegiate institution (excluding limited discipline applied by a sports team or temporary disciplinary action during an investigation) due to Serious Misconduct shall not be eligible for athletically-related financial aid, practice or competition at a Big Sky member institution. For purposes of this provision, “serious misconduct” is defined as any act of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual exploitation, or any assault that employs the use of a deadly weapon or causes serious bodily injury.

The rule is effective for all prospective student-athletes beginning with the December 19, 2019, signing period. For all other student-athletes, the rule will go into effect beginning with the 2019-20 academic year. In unique and compelling cases, an institution may request a waiver of the Serious Misconduct Rule. If a waiver is requested, an institutional panel of individuals outside of the athletic department will review and determine if the request warrants approval.

The Serious Misconduct Rule is another step that the Big Sky has taken to help positively shape the student-athlete experience. The Big Sky has hosted a health and wellness symposium over the last five years with topics that addressed mental health needs of student-athletes, stress management, mentoring those that have alcohol and drug issues, bystander intervention, and sexual assault prevention on campuses.

[yoteforever]

Jun 28, 2018 1:49:46 GMT -6 aldewitt said:

I like it. I would like to see this in the MVFC.


www.bigskyconf.com/news/2018/6/4/general-big-sky-establishes-serious-misconduct-rule.aspx

Serious Misconduct Rule: A current or prospective student-athlete who has been convicted of or pled guilty or no contest to a felony or misdemeanor involving Serious Misconduct, or has been subject to official University or athletic department disciplinary action at any time during enrollment at any collegiate institution (excluding limited discipline applied by a sports team or temporary disciplinary action during an investigation) due to Serious Misconduct shall not be eligible for athletically-related financial aid, practice or competition at a Big Sky member institution. For purposes of this provision, “serious misconduct” is defined as any act of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual exploitation, or any assault that employs the use of a deadly weapon or causes serious bodily injury.

The rule is effective for all prospective student-athletes beginning with the December 19, 2019, signing period. For all other student-athletes, the rule will go into effect beginning with the 2019-20 academic year. In unique and compelling cases, an institution may request a waiver of the Serious Misconduct Rule. If a waiver is requested, an institutional panel of individuals outside of the athletic department will review and determine if the request warrants approval.

The Serious Misconduct Rule is another step that the Big Sky has taken to help positively shape the student-athlete experience. The Big Sky has hosted a health and wellness symposium over the last five years with topics that addressed mental health needs of student-athletes, stress management, mentoring those that have alcohol and drug issues, bystander intervention, and sexual assault prevention on campuses.

I applaud this move. Good job Big Sky. It took an event to happen to address it, but nonetheless, you did it.

[Yotes]

I don't disagree with this rule, but it seems like needless posturing. Generally when someone fits this criteria no one will have them anyways.

[Yote 53]

Jun 28, 2018 21:55:38 GMT -6 Yotes said:

I don't disagree with this rule, but it seems like needless posturing. Generally when someone fits this criteria no one will have them anyways.

Unfortunately that is not true. Plenty of examples in-conference with Youngstown and Illinois State bringing guys in or allowing them to play when there are serious misconduct issues. A program can try to do the right thing and try to recruit the right people but sometimes things happen and stuff goes wrong. In those cases it is how the program responds to the situation.

[kiyoat]

Jun 28, 2018 21:55:38 GMT -6 Yotes said:

I don't disagree with this rule, but it seems like needless posturing. Generally when someone fits this criteria no one will have them anyways.

I agree.  Like 53 stated, occasionally coaches do sometimes choose to play athletes with controversial pasts, but typically there is a good deal of negative press and public pressure that they will face in those situations.  The coach needs to decide if it's worth it, IMO.  They will deal with the consequences.

The NCAA and athletic conferences are not part of the justice system.  If someone has been convicted of a crime and has gone through the legal process, been punished or exonerated, etc, .... I don't think that it's a conference's job to blacklist people legislatively.

I guess I'm just not a fan of "zero tolerance" laws in general.  They sound good on first blush, but in practice they often end up having unintended consequences, punishing many people harshly that have comitted very small infractions.  I'd rather leave things up to individual, case-by-case decisions.  It's easy to get behind banning rapists from scholarships, but the definition they used is pretty broad.

[Yotes]

Jun 29, 2018 8:03:06 GMT -6 Yote 53 said:

Jun 28, 2018 21:55:38 GMT -6 Yotes said:

I don't disagree with this rule, but it seems like needless posturing. Generally when someone fits this criteria no one will have them anyways.

Unfortunately that is not true. Plenty of examples in-conference with Youngstown and Illinois State bringing guys in or allowing them to play when there are serious misconduct issues. A program can try to do the right thing and try to recruit the right people but sometimes things happen and stuff goes wrong. In those cases it is how the program responds to the situation.

I misread the part of this rule that includes their time at other institutuions. Yes, there's a bunch of kids kicked out of bigger schools that end up in our ranks. My bad.