CCCAA Compliance Corner

The Compliance Corner answers questions about the California Community College Athletic Association Constitution.

Board Action (April 1, 2016)

P-4-F14 - New 6-Unit Rule Resources [3C4A 6-Unit Matrix][Constitution Committee Q&A] (Links are under construction)
There are two documents to assist the membership with the Constitution. The answers in both documents assume there are no other circumstances and are to be used to make the Constitution clearer. Please note that neither document replaces the Constitution. Both documents can be searched by whole or partial keywords or specific article or bylaw numbers using the software’s search feature.

Official Interpretations since 2007 - updated 1/2017	FAQ of the Commissioners	Unattached Q&A

New - Infractions Chart

CCCAA Constitution and Bylaws - The CCCAA governance, policy and operational structures are outlined in this publication, which includes a wide range of information, from the functions and duties of the CCCAA Board of Directors, to due process, appeals and penalties, eligibility requirements, and college and conference responsibilities. In addition, recruitment, finance, awards programs, seasons of sport, and sport-specific operational guidelines are contained in the document.

Additionally, this page will occasionally feature official interpretations that are issued in the space below.

Recent Interpretations from the Constitution Committee – May 2016

Interpretation 2015-16-12 – Bylaw 1.3.3

Question

With respect to the following Board changes to Bylaw 1.3.3, "Effective immediately, summer and intersession courses may be used to meet the 6-unit and 2.0 GPA requirement", if a student athlete, (specifically a basketball student athlete) doesn't pass 6 units in the spring, what is their requirement to become eligible the following fall? Do they need to complete all 6 units in the summer or just make up the difference of their deficit?

Ex. A basketball student athlete only passes 5 units in the spring semester. Do they need to complete 1 unit in the summer to be eligible in the fall or do they need to complete 6?

Answer

The student-athlete would need to make up the deficit. If the student-athlete only passed 5 units in spring, they would need to pass 1 unit in summer to meet the 6 unit requirement while still meeting the cumulative GPA requirement at the end of the session as calculated from their first term of competition. If the GPA is deficient then they need to have a cumulative 2.0 GPA at the end of intersession/summer as calculated from their first term of competition.

Please also note that if the deficiency is being made up during the season of competition, the course(s) used to make up the deficiency must be taken at the institution of competition as per Bylaw 1.3.1. If the deficiency occurred during the season of competition, the course(s) used to make up the deficiency must also be taken at the institution of competition. If the deficiency occurred outside of the season, the course(s) used to make up the deficiency may be taken at any accredited postsecondary institution.

Interpretation 2015-16-13 – Bylaw 1.3.3

Question

With respect to Bylaw 1.3.3, "In order to be eligible and remain eligible to represent an institution in intercollegiate athletics competition a student athlete has to successfully complete at least 6 units (semester or quarter) during the preceding academic term in which the student is enrolled as a full-time student at the certifying institution…" and the recent changes issued by the Board in which summer may be used to meet the 6 unit and GPA requirement; can a student athlete take a summer school class at a different institution from where they compete to satisfy the 6 unit and/or GPA requirement?

Ex. A student athlete competes at college A and they don't pass 6 units and/or have a 2.0 GPA in the spring. Can they complete the units or raise their GPA at college B in the summer and compete again at college A the following fall?

Answer

If the 6 unit/GPA deficiency is being made up during the season of competition, the course(s) used to make up the deficiency must be taken at the institution of competition as per Bylaw 1.3.1. If the deficiency occurred during the season of competition, the course(s) used to make up the deficiency must also be taken at the institution of competition. If the deficiency occurred outside of the season, the course(s) used to make up the deficiency may be taken at any accredited postsecondary institution.

Interpretation 2015-16-14 – Bylaw 1.3.3

Question

With the recent amendments approved by the Board regarding 1.3.3 and specifically the use of summer school and winter intersession to remedy deficiencies in the 6 unit and cumulative 2.0 GPA requirements, clarification is needed to define where those units can be completed to meet the requirement. With sports that overlap semesters (basketball) and spring sports at the quarter schools, in-season eligibility requirements are different from those sports that are out of season and seeking to fulfill this requirement.

Can intersession at any community college or four-year university, whether it be in person or online coursework, be used to meet 1.3.3 requirements for sports that are in-season or must they be completed on your campus?

Answer