200.040 Student Participation in Intercollegiate Athletics

Bd. Min. 1-29-92, revised 10-28-93, revised 03-31-03.

1. The Board adopts the following rules to apply to intercollegiate athletes out of the belief that intercollegiate athletes should provide positive role models for aspiring high school athletes as well as other students and in all respects strive to reflect favorably on the University. Through the public attention generated by intercollegiate athletics, its participants represent the University. For these reasons, the Board holds the intercollegiate athlete to a standard of honorable conduct at all times while a member of any intercollegiate team, in season or out. The following Rules of Procedure and Discipline supplement the Rules of Procedure and Discipline found in the Student Code of Conduct that applies to all students in the University of Missouri System.
2. Any student who represents the University of Missouri by participation in intercollegiate athletics who is charged with a felony shall be suspended immediately from practice and from competition.
   
   1. Within 48 hours of a suspension, the athlete's coach or designee and the Athletic Director shall review the suspension and recommend to the Chief Academic Officer or the Chief Student Affairs Officer, whichever has been designated by the Chancellor (hereinafter referred to as the Designated Officer), whether the suspension should continue. The Designated Officer's decision shall be made within 5 days after his or her receipt of such recommendation.
   2. Upon request by the student, filed within 5 days of notice of the Designated Officer's decision that the suspension should continue, the student shall, within 5 days after making such request, be afforded an opportunity to present his or her position before the Athletic Director, the faculty representative to the regional and/or national athletic conference and association of which the campus is a member, and the Chairman of the campus Intercollegiate Athletic Committee. The aforementioned group shall, within 5 days after the student's presentation, make a recommendation to the Designated Officer as to whether the suspension should be continued, lifted or modified. The Designated Officer's decision shall be made within 5 days after his or her receipt of such recommendation.
   3. Within 5 days after the decision by the Designated Officer, under Section 200.040B.2., that the suspension shall be continued, the student may appeal that decision, in writing, to the Chancellor whose decision shall be final, except as provided in Section 200.040B.4.
   4. Based on available information, the Chancellor, in his or her sole discretion, may at any time prior to a finding of guilt or plea of guilty to the felony charge, lift or modify the suspension.
   5. If the athlete pleads guilty or is found guilty of the felony charge, such athlete shall be barred permanently from participation in intercollegiate athletics at any campus of the University of Missouri System.
3. A student suspended from participation in intercollegiate athletics as a result of a felony charge shall not be prohibited from receiving financial aid during the pendency of such felony charge. Upon a plea of guilty to such felony charge, or a finding of guilt thereon, the University shall immediately determine, utilizing procedures consistent with applicable NCAA or other regulations, whether the student's aid shall continue.
4. The policy shall apply only for acts alleged to have been committed during the time such person is a student at the University of Missouri.
5. The foregoing policy shall not be construed as a limitation on the University of Missouri's right to discipline such student pursuant to Student Code of Conduct procedures in addition to the consequences specified herein.
6. This policy shall be applicable to all renewals of current athletic aid commitments and to all subsequently awarded athletic financial aid.
7. This policy applies only to felonies alleged to have been committed after the date of its adoption.
8. The University is in no way pre-judging the situation by suspending the athlete from participation in intercollegiate athletics; rather, such action is prescribed in order to establish a positive standard by which the University, the Athletic Department and its scholar athletes might be judged by the public.