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The following guidelines are dedicated to ensuring that our student-athletes understand the academic eligibility requirements for athletics participation.  Student-athletes are expected to be aware of their academic status, acknowledge any present academic difficulties, and seek the support they need to resolve any such difficulties.
 
REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION
 

1. All students must complete Athletic Eligibility paperwork annually, via Front Rush. Teams will be assigned specific deadlines for completion and student who do not submit eligibility paperwork before the deadline will not be able to participate.
2. All students must complete Pre-participation Physicals and required Athletic Healthcare paperwork over the summer to be eligible for participation.  
3. All student-athletes must be deemed academically eligible to be cleared for participation.

 
Tardiness in the submission of paperwork by established deadlines will lead to a delay in certifying you as eligible to participate and you will be withheld from participation until cleared. To ensure you are eligible for the first day of practice all paperwork must be submitted by the established deadlines.
 
 
ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS
 
To be eligible to represent an institution in intercollegiate athletics competition, a student-athlete shall be enrolled in at least a minimum full-time program of studies, be in good academic standing and maintain satisfactory progress toward a baccalaureate or equivalent degree. NCAA BYLAW 14.01.2 Academic Status.
 
Full Time Enrollment Requirement

1. All student-athletes must be enrolled full time ---- 12 credits / 3 units.

 
Academic Standing & Grade Point Average Requirement

2. Student-athletes must remain in Good Academic Standing as defined by TCNJ’s Retention Standards to be athletically eligible for participation.  Student-athletes are expected to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0

 

3. Student-athletes who are placed on Academic Intervention Standing per TCNJ’s Retention Standards may be declared ineligible for athletic participation. These students will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis within the Athletic Department to determine if Athletics participation will be permitted.

 

4. Student-athletes who are placed on Academic Probation per TCNJ’s Retention Standards are declared academically ineligible for athletic participation. Academically ineligible student-athletes are not permitted to participate in practice, travel to away games or receive meal money.

 
 
Normal Progress Expectation

1. Student-athletes are expected to maintain normal progress, which is defined as the satisfactory completion of 24 semester hours of academic credit / 6 units annually.

 

2. If a student-athlete fails to maintain normal progress – winter or summer courses can be taken to earn additional credits/units, but not to improve GPA or change Academic Standing Status.

 
 
ACADEMIC & ATHLETICS ADVISING SUPPORT
 
Faculty Academic Advisor – All students are assigned an Academic Advisor. This is your primary advisor that will assist you with any questions or concerns related to academic scheduling, course requirement for graduation and any other academic need/concern.
 
We strongly suggest you build a relationship with your advisor and connect with them regularly to ensure you are on the right academic path towards course completion and graduation.
 
TCNJ Advising Resources
 
 
Athletics Department Advisor – The Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Student Development serves as an Athletics Advisor for all student-athletes.  Your Athletics Advisor serves as a secondary advisor and can specifically provide information on your athletics eligibility.  Your Athletic Advisor will serve as a liaison with the Faculty Athletic Rep and assist in connecting you with educational resources on campus as needed.
 
Student-Athlete Resources | TCNJathletics.com
 
 
Faculty Athletic Representative – A member of the institution's faculty or an administrator who holds faculty rank and shall not hold an administrative or coaching position in the athletics department. The Faculty Athletic Representative works close with the Associate AD for Compliance & Student Development, and the Coach Staff to serve as the liaison between Academic Faculty and the Athletic Department
 
 
 
ATHLETICS PRIORITY REGISTRATION & COURSE SCHEDULING
 
 
Athletics Priority Registration - Student-athletes who will be in season, will be assigned a time for Athletic Priority Registration, as determined by their Class Level (defined below). You MUST meet with your Academic Advisor to review your course schedule and pick classes accordingly. We STRONGLY suggest you do this in advance of your priority registration date, so that when your registration time opens you are prepared to select and register for your courses.  Failure to take advantage of your assigned priority registration take may result in the inability for you to schedule the desired class times to avoid practice conflicts.
 
 
First Year Student Scheduling – All first year students will be scheduled into their first semester classes by their Academic Advisor accordingly.  Head Coaches provide their roster and practice times to ensure appropriate practice blocks are held on your schedule so Academic Advisors are aware and will do their best to avoid scheduling your classes during practice block times.
 
After your first semester, you will be assigned an Athletics Priority Registration time to schedule your own classes for the next semester. 
 
Changes in your schedule after it is approve can result in athletic ineligibility. Once you are certified as eligible, you MUST speak with your Athletics Advisor before you drop any classes. Failure to do so can result in your ineligibility.
 
 
Class-Level Definitions Class level is determined by the student’s number of earned course units. Only undergraduate degree candidates will be assigned a class level. Class levels are used to determine student eligibility for many college activities and procedures (e.g., registration priority, parking privileges, on-campus housing). Class levels are as follows:
 
 
Level                                                              Earned Course Units
Freshman (First Year)                                  0-7.75
Sophomore (Second Year)                           8.00-15.75
Junior (Third Year)                                       16.0-23.75
Senior (Fourth Year)                                     24.0+
 
 
 
WITHDRAWAL FROM CLASSES
 
If a student-athletes drops below the minimum 3 units (12 credit hours) requirement for eligibility at any time during the semester the student-athlete will become immediately ineligible. If a student-athlete participate in any competition or travels with the team for competition while under the minimum requirement will cause for a NCAA violation in which that team may have to forfeit wins will the student-athlete competed. All student-athlete must make sure to add a class before dropping a class during add drop period. Before a student-athlete withdraws from class the student-athlete must meet with the secondary advisor to approve the student-athletes withdrawal.
 
 
 
ACADEMIC INTERVENTION AND PROBATION EXPECTATIONS
 
All student-athletes who are placed on Academic Intervention will need to meet with this secondary advisor (Associate Athletic Director of Compliance and Student Development) monthly to discuss their progress throughout the semester.
 
All student-athlete who are placed on Academic Probation will need to meet bi-weekly with their secondary advisor (Associate Athletic Director of Compliance and Student-Development) to discuss their progress on Academic Improvement Action Plan developed with primary advisor. Student-Athlete and Head Coach may sign off on Academic Probation Checklist bi-weekly.
 
GUIDELINES ON SCHEDULING CONFLICTS BETWEEN
ACADEMICS & ATHLETICS
 
All student-athletes will need to send a scheduling conflict email to the appropriate professor. Student-Athletes must send an email and cc head coach.  A sample letter template for student-athletes to utilized has been included below when emailing their professor(s) regarding conflicts has been included below – be sure to cc your Head Coach!
 
 
 
SAMPLE ACADEMIC LETTER FOR PROFESSORS
 
Fill in the BOLD with your information. If you have any issues please let your coach know ASAP so they can notify the AD/AAC Chair.  Adjust the email template for your use! In the subject put: TCNJ [YOUR SPORT] Schedule
 
Hello Professor,
 
My name is (FILL IN YOUR NAME) and I am excited about taking your class this semester. I wanted to let you know that I am a member of the TCNJ [TEAM] and that I may need to miss class on occasion to represent TCNJ at an official NCAA event. Here is a link to the current schedule: [PUT YOUR TCNJ SCHEDULE HERE].  I will make it a point to remind you of my matches especially before quizzes and exams, but for now I know I will be missing class on:
 
 [PUT EVERY CLASS YOU WILL MISS IN BULLETED ORDER with a small explanation...the schedule link is not sufficient, it just backs up what you write here]
– 2/4 (Home Match; but starts early)
– 2/25 (Away match, but leaving day before)
 
In most cases we follow the schedule, but every now and then I may need to attend a last-minute event due to a number of different reasons including weather, injury, or rescheduled event.
 
I am looking forward to class and thank you for your time,
 [YOU NAME]
[YOUR MAJOR]
[Class of 20XX]