Howard University Athletics

Student Employment

Self-Employment
A student-athlete may establish his or her own business, provided the student-athlete's name, photograph, appearance or athletics reputation are not used to promote the business.
 
Compensation may be paid to a student-athlete: [R] (Revised: 11/22/04, 4/19/19 for violations occurring on or after 4/19/19)

• (a) Only for work actually performed; and
• (b) At a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services.

 
Compensation may not include any remuneration for value or utility that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that you  have obtained because of your athletics ability.
 

Fee-for-Lesson Instruction
A student-athlete may receive compensation for teaching or coaching sport skills or techniques in his or her sport on a fee-for-lesson basis, provided: [R] (Revised: 1/9/96 effective 8/1/96, 4/25/02 effective 8/1/02, 4/2/03 effective 8/1/03, 1/23/19)

• (a) Institutional facilities are not used;
• (b) Playing lessons shall not be permitted;
• (c) The compensation is paid by the lesson recipient (or the recipient's family member) and not another individual or entity;
• (d) Instruction to each individual is comparable to the instruction that would be provided during a private lesson when the instruction involves more than one individual at a time; and
• (e) The student-athlete does not use his or her name, picture or appearance to promote or advertise the availability of fee-for-lesson sessions.

Athletics Equipment Sales
A student-athlete may not be employed to sell equipment related to the student-athlete's sport if his or her name, picture or athletics reputation is used to advertise or promote the product, the job or the employer. If the student-athlete's name, picture or athletics reputation is not used for advertising or promotion, the student-athlete may be employed in a legitimate sales position, provided he or she is reimbursed at an hourly rate or set salary in the same manner as any non-athlete salesperson.
 
A student-athlete may be employed by his or her institution, by another institution, or by a private organization to work in a camp or clinic as a counselor, unless otherwise restricted by NCAA legislation (see Bylaw 13.12 for regulations relating to camps and clinics).

An institutional or privately owned camp may use a student-athlete's name, picture and institutional affiliation only in the camp counselor section in its camp brochure to identify the student-athlete as a staff member. A student-athlete's name or picture may not be used in any other way to directly advertise or promote the camp.

Advertisements and Promotions After Becoming a Student-Athlete
After becoming a student-athlete, an individual shall NOT be eligible for participation in intercollegiate athletics if the individual:

• (a) Accepts any remuneration for or permits the use of his or her name or picture to advertise, recommend or directly promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind; or
• (b) Receives remuneration for endorsing a commercial product or service through the individual's use of such product or service.

Continuation of Modeling and Other Non-Athletically Related Promotional Activities After Enrollment
If an individual accepts remuneration for or permits the use of his or her name or picture to advertise or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service prior to enrollment in a member institution, continued remuneration for the use of the individual's name or picture (under the same or similar circumstances) after enrollment is permitted without jeopardizing his or her eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics only if all of the following conditions apply:

• (a) The individual's involvement in this type of activity was initiated prior to his or her enrollment in a member institution;
• (b) The individual became involved in such activities for reasons independent of athletics ability;
• (c) No reference is made in these activities to the individual's name or involvement in intercollegiate athletics;
• (d) The individual does not endorse the commercial product; and
• (e) The individual's remuneration under such circumstances is at a rate commensurate with the individual's skills and experience as a model or performer and is not based in any way upon the individual's athletics ability or reputation.

Use of a Student-Athlete's Name or Picture Without Knowledge or Permission
If a student-athlete's name or picture appears on commercial items (e.g., T-shirts, sweatshirts, serving trays, playing cards, posters) or is used to promote a commercial product sold by an individual or agency without the student-athlete's knowledge or permission, the student-athlete (or the institution acting on behalf of the student-athlete) is required to take steps to stop such an activity in order to retain his or her eligibility for intercollegiate athletics. Such steps are not required in cases in which a student-athletes photograph is sold by an individual or agency (e.g., private photographer, news agency) for private use.
 
A student-athlete may participate in media activities, including but not limited to, radio, television and internet-based programs (e.g., coaches’ shows), and writing projects when the student-athlete’s appearance or participation is related in any way to his or her status as a student-athlete. The student-athlete shall not receive any remuneration for participation in the activity. The student-athlete shall not make any endorsement, expressed or implied, of any commercial product or service. The student-athlete may, however, receive actual and necessary expenses directly related to the appearance or participation in the activity. A student-athlete participating in such media activities may not miss class, except for class time missed in conjunction with away-from-home competition or to participate in an NCAA or conference-sponsored media activity. 
 
a student-athlete is not permitted to use his or her name or picture to advertise, recommend or directly promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind including a crowdfunding entity. A for-profit crowdfunding site would be considered a commercial product or service under current NCAA legislation.
 
A student-athlete's eligibility to compete in intercollegiate athletics in a particular sport is jeopardized if he or she uses his or her name, picture, athletics skill or reputation to earn pay in any form in the sport, including funds through a crowdfunding website for items of need.
 
Road racing" is essentially the same as cross country or track and field competition and cannot be separated effectively from those sports for purposes of Bylaws 12.1, 12.2 and 12.8.3.2. Therefore, a student-athlete who accepts pay in any form for participation in such a race is ineligible for intercollegiate cross country or track and field competition.

Maintaining Eligibility
Staying on Track to Graduate
Because we at the Howard University believe success in the classroom is just as important as winning on the field, Howard University & the NCAA have standards to ensure student-athletes make progress toward a degree – every year and every season. You need to meet these standards to be eligible to compete in your sport.

Other Notable Information
NCAA Summary of Eligibility Regulations to Compete
Student-athlete employment form
Promotion or Endorsement of Commercial Products or Services
Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) Information
Band Drug List
Time-Management Guide