Fordham Given Probation for Summer Aid Violation
The NCAA placed Fordham University on two years probation for violations involving summer school financial aid rules:
A breakdown in communication resulted in a mistaken belief that NCAA rules allowed incoming student-athletes to receive scholarships when only enrolled in three credit hours during summer sessions. Although a proposal was considered to lessen the requirement to three hours, it was defeated and NCAA rules still required student-athletes to enroll in six credit hours. The academic advising office did not verify the minimum hour requirement after the proposal was defeated, resulting in incoming student-athletes enrolling in only three credit hours, instead of the required six. A further breakdown in communication led the compliance office to believe that the academic advising office had implemented a policy that permitted incoming student-athletes to enroll in six credit hours and immediately drop down to three, a practice permitted under NCAA rules. However, this did not occur.
Fordham self-imposed a $20,000 fine and required everyone involved with summer enrollment and financial aid to attend a 2013 NCAA Regional Rules Seminar. The Committee on Infractions also required Fordham to complete a compliance audit within the next six months and provide the results as part of the probation reporting.
One reason for the lack of penalties like scholarship restrictions or vacating games is that financial aid to incoming students is unlimited in sports other than football. Fordham also had the loophole mentioned in the NCAA’s report available, which it simply failed to implement.