Adopted by the President’s Cabinet 12/20/16

Definition:

Student Athlete – A student athlete is a student who is registered for at least 12 hours, is a participant on one of the East Georgia State College (EGSC) athletic programs, and is subject to the eligibility requirements for enrollment and participation as required by the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Policy:

Effective Fall semester 2017, EGSC will implement an on-campus residency requirement for student athletes. EGSC in making this decision feels it beneficial to the overall success of student athletes both academically and personally. Among the positive effects for living on campus consider the following… National research shows:

    • Students who live on campus tend to experience greater academic success
    • Are more involved in on-campus activities
    • Are more likely to work on campus
    • Benefit from the social integration of living on campus
    • Enjoy a more comprehensive collegiate experience than non-resident students
    • Personal safety
    • Supervision and accountability
    • Are more likely to persist through to completion of their academic course of study and graduation.

Therefore, beginning with the Fall 2017 semester, all student athletes will be required to live in on-campus housing unless they meet one or more of the following exemption criteria: (all exemptions must be documented)

    • They are 21 years or older by the start date of the Fall semester
    • They are married
    • A dependent child lives with the student
    • They are a veteran
    • They are upper classman junior or senior
    • Due to a documented medical condition
    • They are a Move On When Ready (MOWR) student
    • Currently live at home with parents in 1 of the 12 contiguous counties
      • Bulloch
      • Burke
      • Candler
      • Emanuel
      • Jefferson
      • Jenkins
      • Johnson
      • Laurens
      • Montgomery
      • Tattnall
      • Toombs
      • Treutlen
      • Confirmation of permanent residence will be based on the student athlete’s county of origin or county in which the high school resides from which they graduated.
    • Staying in the facility would cause ‘extreme financial hardship’. In cases where a student athlete would like to request the ‘extreme financial hardship’ exemption, he/she must follow the Extreme Financial Hardship Appeal Process.
Standing Exception:

Current student athletes participating prior to January 2, 2017 are exempt from the Residency Requirement for Student Athletes.

Any student athlete who signs a Letter of Intent to be at EGSC Fall 2017 after January 2, 2017 will be subject to the Residency Requirement for Student Athletes.

Appeal Process:

Student athletes who choose to pursue the Extreme Financial Hardship exemption for the Residency Requirement for Student Athletes, should write an appeal to the Athletics Committee in care of the Athletic Director. All appeals must include name, active phone number, address, student ID number, and student email address, as well as, the basis for the appeal. The student athlete should provide as much detail as possible and any accompanying documentation that would lend credibility to the student athletes request.

The Athletic Director will forward a copy of the Extreme Financial Hardship Exemption Appeal to the Athletics Committee. The Athletics Committee is composed of the following: Athletic Director, Student Affairs representative, Institutional Advancement representative, Faculty member, and SGA President. For the purposes of considering the appeal the Athletic Director will recuse himself from the appeal process.

The Athletics Committee will have 5 business days to consider the appeal and respond to the Athletic Director. The Athletic Director will have 5 business days to respond in writing to the appellant concerning the decision rendered by the Athletic Committee concerning the student’s Extreme Financial Hardship Exemption appeal. The student athlete will have 5 business days to appeal the decision of the Athletic Committee to the President of East Georgia State College. The appeal should be addressed to the Athletic Director.

The Athletic Director will forward the appeal and accompanying documentation to the President of the College. The President will have 5 business days to appoint an Appeal Committee to consider the decision of the Athletic Committee concerning the Extreme Financial Hardship Exemption appeal. The Appeal Committee will have 5 business days to consider the 2nd appeal to the President and make a recommendation to the President concerning the appeal. The President will have 5 days to consider the recommendation of the Appeal Committee and respond in writing to the student athlete concerning a final decision for the Extreme Financial Hardship Exemption Appeal decision.

The decision by the President is the final decision concerning the Extreme Financial Hardship Exemption Appeal.