Policy
on Sportsmanship and Ethical Behavior
(Adopted
The PSAC is committed to developing
sportsmanship and creating healthy environments for competition. We believe
that part of the role of education through sports is to educate all
participants in athletic contests to conduct themselves with civility, dignity
and respect for opponents.
A. Institutional: The athletics director shall review annually
with all athletics groups (coaches, student-athletes and spirit groups;
cheerleaders and bands) precisely what is meant by unacceptable conduct, as set
forth in this document.
B. Commissioner: The Commissioner of the PSAC is expected to
monitor and enforce the Conference policy on sportsmanship and ethical conduct.
Institutions and their personnel are expected to fully cooperate with the
Commissioner’s effort to investigate alleged unsportsmanlike or unethical
behavior.
The
commissioner shall:
C. Athletics Administrators: It is incumbent upon institutional
administrators to create a civil environment for all athletic contests and a
hospitable setting for visiting teams.
Each host institution is required to
designate a game manager for each home basketball and football contest and is
encouraged to do so for all other contests. The host athletics administrator
has the authority to suspend immediately any contest that develops into an
unsafe environment for either participants or spectators.
D. Coaches:
Coaches have the most significant degree of influence over whether the
student-athletes in their programs are taught and follow high standards of
sportsmanship.
The coach
shall:
E. Officials: Officials in sports for which the conference
employs a single assignor shall enforce this policy regarding sportsmanship and
ethical conduct. Officials (or officials assignor)
will be required to notify the Conference Office of all unsportsmanlike acts
and misconduct penalties assessed within 24 hours of a contest. Officials may
be subject to sanctions should they fail to adhere to these policies.
F. Student-Athletes: .
PSAC student-athletes must understand that they are perhaps the most visible
representatives of their institutions. Student-athletes at PSAC institutions
are expected to treat opponents with civility, dignity and respect. There will
be no tolerance for taunting of opponents, fighting or other acts of
aggression.
G. Spirit Groups: Like our student-athletes, these groups are
visible representatives of our universities. As such, we place high expectations
on them for proper conduct. Cheerleaders, band and other spirit groups are
admitted to contests at the pleasure of our institutions to support their teams
and assist in creating an exciting and enjoyable atmosphere. Efforts to
disrupt, confront or otherwise harass opponents will not be tolerated. The host
athletics administrator has the authority to eject any spirit group from a
contest.
H. Spectators: The Conference hopes and believes that the
establishment of the principles outlined in this policy will create an
atmosphere that will attract more fans to our events and ensure their safety.
The PSAC Conduct Statement shall be read prior to each contest where there is
an announcer. It is expected that all spectators will behave in an appropriate
manner. It is the responsibility of the host athletics administrator to monitor
the behavior of spectators and when necessary, eject them from the site.
It is clear that if incidents of
unsportsmanlike or unethical behavior are to be curtailed then constant,
consistent and considerable penalties must be assessed. Stated below are the
minimum sanctions the Conference, the Commissioner and member institutions must
assess and enforce. Each institution may want to establish or assess more
stringent sanctions when desired and warranted. More stringent, sport specific
NCAA rules will take precedence.
A. Individual
Penalties. Unsportsmanlike conduct shall subject the individual to
disciplinary action. The member
university with which the offending individual is associated may also be
subject to disciplinary action if it is found that the member university’s
policies, action, or failure to act substantially contributed to the
individual’s misconduct.
Violators
of acts of unsportsmanlike conduct shall be subject to the penalties specified
below by the Commissioner or designee.
Notwithstanding any of the penalties described herein, the Commissioner
or designee, upon a finding of mitigating factors has the authority to impose a
penalty that is consistent with the finding of mitigating factors.
Acts
of unsportsmanlike conduct shall include, but not be limited to the following:
1. In the event that a player is removed from a
game by an official for unsportsmanlike behavior or other acts of misconduct:
a. First
offense: the player shall not be
permitted to participate in the next contest.
b. Second
offense: a second ejection (during the same season) shall result in a two game
suspension.
c. Third
offense: a third
ejection shall result in a suspension for the remainder of the season and a
career suspension from participation in the PSAC may be considered.
An appeal of these sanctions may only
take place within the context allowable under the NCAA rules for the particular
sport. This would apply to all
post-season contests.
2.
Striking or attempting to strike or otherwise physically abusing an
official, opposing coach, spectator or athlete.
Any person committing such an act shall be subject to the following
penalties:
a. First offense: A
public reprimand and suspension for up to 50% of the scheduled contests in the
sport as deemed appropriate.
b.Repeat offense: A public reprimand and suspension for such
number of additional contests as deemed appropriate.
3.
Intentionally, or with careless disregard for one’s conduct, inciting
participants or spectators to violent or abusive action. Violators shall be subject to the following
penalties:
a. First offense: A public reprimand and suspension for up to
20% of the scheduled contests in the sport.
b. Repeat offense: A
public reprimand and suspension for such number of additional contests as
deemed appropriate.
4.
Using obscene gestures or profane or unduly provocative language or
action toward an official,
university official, student, coach or spectator. Violators shall be subject to the following
penalties:
a. First offense: A public reprimand for the first offense.
b. Repeat offense: A
public reprimand and suspension for up to 20% of the scheduled contests in the sport.
5.
Publicly and unduly criticizing a game official, Conference personnel,
another member university, or a student-athlete or personnel of another member
university. Violators shall be subject
to the following penalties:
1. First
offense: A public reprimand.
2. Repeat
offense: A public reprimand and a
one-game suspension
6. Committing any act of
unsportsmanlike conduct not specifically described above shall subject
violators to any of the described penalties which the Commissioner or designee
determines most suitably addresses the conduct involved. In addition to any penalty that may be
assessed, the Commissioner or designee may take such remedial action believed
to be proper to deter any future unsportsmanlike conduct.
A. Suspension –
Student-Athlete: A student-athlete
shall not participate and shall not be present in the playing venue in the
designated number of contests, but may practice. Exceptions for multi-game
events may be made in consultation with the Conference Office.
B. Carrying Penalty
Over to Next Season: Whenever a penalty
or suspension is imposed at or near to the end of a season of competition, the
penalty may be carried over into the next season of competition.
C. Post-Season Penalties: These policies will
also be in effect for post-season competition while penalties may be served
during post-season competition.
D. Jurisdiction of Policies: These policies cover
all acts of unsportsmanlike behavior occurring en route to, from or at the
locale of the practices and competition involving member institutions of the
PSAC.
The
following procedures shall apply to acts of unsportsmanlike conduct listed in
this Agreement.
A. Notification: The Commissioner or designee,
shall notify the institution’s Director of Athletics relative to acts of
unsportsmanlike conduct. Upon mutual
agreement of the Commissioner or designee and the institution, the time limits
stated herein may be waived to facilitate the review and reporting requirements
of unsportsmanlike conduct.
B. Report to
Commissioner. Within two
business days of its becoming aware, by the Commissioner or designee or any
other source, of any unsportsmanlike or possible unsportsmanlike conduct
involving an individual associated with it, a member university, through its
Director of Athletics, is to submit a report to the Commissioner or designee on
its behalf and on behalf of the involved individual containing all information
they have regarding its institutional position relative to the unsportsmanlike
or possible unsportsmanlike conduct, including the identity of each individual
involved in the matter, the penalty and remedial action, if any, which the
member university has assessed or taken or proposes to assess or take. The University President shall receive a copy
of this report simultaneous with its transmission to the PSAC Office. Within two business days of receipt of the
report from the member university or, in that instance where a member
university has not submitted a report, within two business days of the date on
which the report was to have been submitted, the Commissioner or designee is to
determine whether an act of unsportsmanlike conduct has occurred.
C. Review of
Institutional Action.
1. Agreement with Institutional Action: If the Commissioner or designee determines
that such conduct has not occurred or that it has and the penalty or remedial
action assessed or taken or proposed by the member university appears adequate,
the Commissioner or designee is to submit a report to that effect to the member
university within two business days of receipt of the report from the member
university. A press release announcing
the findings of the report will be made by the PSAC Office.
2. Disagreement with Institutional Action: When the Commissioner or designee does not
concur with the penalty assessed or remedial action taken, if any, by a member
university for an act of unsportsmanlike conduct, the Commissioner or designee
shall give written notice of this decision to the member university involved
within two business days of receipt of the member university’s report or within
two business days of the date when the report was to have been submitted. This notice is to contain a brief statement
regarding the findings of fact, the penalty and remedial action to be imposed
by the Commissioner or designee and reasons for the penalty and remedial
action. The notice shall be sent to the
Director of Athletics with a copy to the President. The penalty and remedial action are to take
effect within two days following receipt by the member university unless an
appeal is taken in accordance with the following provisions:
a. Appeal.
In the event that the individual or
member university involved believes the penalty or remedial action set forth by
the Commissioner is inappropriate because the violation did not occur, or
because the penalty or remedial action is excessive, either the individual or
the member university, through the member university’s President, has the right
to appeal the matter to the Infractions Committee (a subcommittee of the
Advisory Council). The appeal is to be
submitted by the member university, giving the Commissioner or designee notice
of the findings, penalty and remedial action.
b. Hearing by the
Infractions Committee.
Should a majority of
the members of the Infractions Committee object to the Commissioner’s or
designee’s report within two business days of their receipt of the appeal, the
Committee shall conduct a prompt hearing, in person or by telephone as a
majority of its members determine, giving the individual and member university
an opportunity to be heard. The
individual may be represented by counsel.
The member university is to be represented by its Athletics
Director. The Commissioner or designee,
the individual, and the member university may present evidence to the
Committee. The Committee may reaffirm,
set aside, reduce, or increase the penalty and remedial action set by the
Commissioner or designee as it deems appropriate. The Committee is to give the individual and
member university written notice of its decision and its reason for such within
three business days of the close of the hearing. The decision, to be made by a majority of the
members of the Infractions Committee, is final.