STUDENT ATHLETE (502E)

Updated 03/13
502E

STUDENT ASSISTANCE FUND

General Policy Statement
In accordance with NCAA Bylaw 15.01.6, student-athletes may receive financial assistance that is not countable against their cost of attendance (COA). U.S. Department of Education (DOE) rules state that all financial resources received by a student must be reported to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (FAS) and documented in the student’s award package. In order to comply with DOE rules, the FAS financial administrator must document when student-athletes receive aid from the Student Assistance Fund

Federal rules governing student aid prohibit institutions from adjusting a student’s Federal Pell Grant. Pursuant to Bylaw 15.1.1, student-athletes who receive Athletic Grant-in-aid (GIA) are allowed to exceed the COA when they qualify for a Federal Pell Grant. As per NCAA Bylaw 15.01.6, it is permissible for student-athletes to receive an SAF grant as additional outside financial resources without affecting their COA.

Federal rules applying to student-athletes receiving an athletic equivalency award and additional institutional, state, or federal aid are governed by the COA and need-based aid limits. Adjustments to the COA may be made through the FAS financial aid administrator (FAA) for review and consideration based on the student’s documented specific situation or needs.

Procedures for Distribution of Funds

  • a. Student-athletes may apply for SAF assistance following NCAA and Big 12 Conference guidelines, which are incorporated as part of Kansas Athletics’ policy for use of the SAF. Additionally, Kansas Athletics may provide further guidance for the use of the SAF based on the needs of student-athletes and availability of funding. All requests for expenditures and/or reimbursements from the SAF must be submitted on an application form available from the Associate Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) or designee (SAF coordinator);
  • b. After determining the eligibility of the expenditure/reimbursement request for the SAF, the SAF coordinator will document the requests. This information is forwarded to the FAS weekly.
  • c. The FAS financial aid administrator will document expenditure/reimbursement requests from the SAF in the university’s financial aid monitoring system (PeopleSoft) and the designated Compliance Software system.
  • d. The SWA will review, approve (if appropriate), and submit the request to the Compliance Office for processing.
  • e. The Compliance Office will review, approve (if appropriate), and submit the request to the Business Office.
  • f. If the request is not approved by the SWA or the Compliance Office, the SAF coordinator will notify FAS to delete posted awards.
  • g. The Business Office will process the request for disbursement to the student-athlete or vendor, as appropriate.
  • h. The Student-Athlete must show identification when picking up his/her check.

NOTE: Student-athletes are encouraged to seek assistance/guidance from the SWA office prior to purchasing items or making financial commitments that may not be eligible for reimbursement.

Student Assistance Fund (SAF)

Pursuant to guidelines set forth by the NCAA and the Big 12 Conference, the SAF is intended to provide direct benefits to student-athletes. As a guiding principle, the SAF shall be used to assist student-athletes in meeting financial needs that arise in conjunction with participation in intercollegiate athletics or enrollment in an academic curriculum, or that recognize academic achievement. Further, this institution intends to maximize the use of the fund in ways that impact a majority of the student-athletes whenever appropriate.

A committee designated by the Athletics Director will oversee the administration of the SAF. The Committee will include a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The Committee will:

  • Review on a periodic basis a record of disbursements from the fund;
  • Prepare an annual report of disbursements on the SAF reporting form; and
  • Conduct an annual review of these SAF guidelines and submit any modifications to the Conference office with the annual reporting form.

The Big 12 Conference Principles and Guidelines for the Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund provide guidelines for permissible uses of the SAF, however, this is not meant to be an exhaustive list. Institutional discretion will determine approved uses of the SAF in order to meet the needs of student-athletes and maximize the available funding.

Educational Expenses and Fees

  • Summer school
  • Fifth or sixth year aid
  • International student fees and taxes
  • Graduate school application and exam fees, placement exams, professional program testing, etc. If a student-athlete is Pell eligible, graduate school test preparation course fees may be considered. Note: annual maximums per student-athlete may be placed for this type of expenditure.
  • Expendable supplies (e.g. pens, pencils, notebooks, highlighters)
  • Educational supplies (e.g. computers, educational software, cameras, calculators, USB drives, headsets for specialized learning program)
  • Learning disability testing
  • Orientation fees for enrolled student-athletes (only permissible if the fees are not considered part of an institutional grant-in-aid: tuition, room and board, books and fees)
  • CPR course
  • Internet service fees

Health and Safety Expenses

  • Insurance premiums
  • Supplemental insurance
  • Medical expenses (not covered by another insurance program)
  • Dental expenses (not covered by another insurance program, e.g. dental exams, treatment of cavities, extractions)
  • Vision expenses (not covered by another insurance program, e.g. eye exam, contact lenses)
  • Medical expense for student-athletes’ spouses/dependents
  • Medical insurance for international student-athletes
  • Accidental death and dismemberment insurance for student-athletes during team travel
  • Surgery expenses
  • Medical testing
  • Nutrition shakes
  • Multi-vitamins
  • Psychological therapy sessions
  • Psychological screenings

Personal or Family Expense

  • Per diem expenses to student-athletes who remain in the locale of the institution for reasons other than practice and competition, as long as the per diem is provided consistent with institutional policy for providing per diem to institutional staff members, and it is provided consistent with the process for providing per diem when NCAA rules permit such arrangements (e.g. required to remain on campus for practice and/or competition during an official vacation period).
  • Clothing allowance and/or personal expense (e.g. travel) for a maximum of $500 annually for Pell eligible student-athletes
  • Additional student-athlete travel home due to competition (e.g. Christmas and spring break)
  • Emergency travel for student-athletes, spouses and/or dependents (e.g. attend funeral, visit ailing family member)
  • Emergency expenses for student-athletes, spouses and/or dependents
  • Travel expenses for parents to be present when a Pell eligible student-athlete is individually honored (e.g. as Student Athlete of the Year) at an annual awards event. Note: a maximum amount may be placed on this expense.
  • Travel expenses for team members being honored by governmental body
  • Travel expenses for birth of child
  • Team travel for funeral of a teammate’s family member
  • Replacement of items lost in a fire (e.g. books, supplies)
  • Parking passes for student-athletes living on campus
  • Formal/Semi-formal attire for award ceremony
  • Suit for Conference media day
  • Passport and student Visa
  • Tax on Special Assistance Fund purchases

Institutional Academic or Programming Enhancements

  • Academic achievement or graduation awards (e.g. I-Pod)
  • Academic support services
  • Supplies for staff and tutors working with Specialized Learning Students
  • Expenses associated with Recruiting Guideline and Host Training
  • Drug-free sports speaker
  • Motivational speaker
  • Gambling education speaker
  • Career counseling sessions
  • Enhancement of tutoring budget
  • Career Employment Service resume posting fees
  • Other academic or programming expenses

Prohibited uses for the fund are listed in NCAA Bylaw 15.01.6.1 and 16.11.1.13. Additionally, Athletics Director may opt to limit or deny any funding request not meeting the intent of the previously referenced guiding principle.