Download the August 2021 Elmira College Public Infrations Decision
Elmira committed major financial aid violations when it awarded merit-based scholarships to student-athletes at a disproportionately higher rate than other students, according to a decision released by the Division III Committee on Infractions.
The NCAA enforcement staff and school agreed that Elmira awarded approximately $144,909 in financial aid to 36 student-athletes across 13 sports in violation of NCAA rules. Division III schools may not provide financial aid to student-athletes or teams at levels clearly distinguishable from the general pattern of financial aid for all students at the campus.
During the 2018-19 academic year, college athletes had 91% of their financial need met on average, while those who were not student-athletes had only 64% of their need met. Similarly, during the 2019-20 academic year, student-athletes had 83% of their financial need met, while others had only 61% of their need met. The committee found that this variance was clearly distinguishable.
Also, according to the decision, during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 academic years, Elmira failed to provide adequate financial aid rules education to athletics and financial aid personnel. As a result, the school failed to monitor its packaging and awarding of financial aid.
Further, the former vice president of enrollment management — who was responsible for implementing the financial aid awards — failed to cooperate in this case by refusing to participate in an interview and failing to provide information relevant to the investigation, resulting in a violation of NCAA ethical conduct rules.
"Elmira failed to provide comprehensive rules education to the financial aid office and coaching staff members," the committee said in its decision. "Most notably, no one monitored the former vice president of enrollment management's implementation of his enrollment strategies or the process of awarding financial aid to ensure compliance with financial aid legislation. These failures caused the violations to occur and go undetected for two academic years."
This case was resolved through the cooperative summary disposition process, a process in which involved parties collectively submit the case to the committee in written form. All participating parties must agree to the facts and level of the case for this process to be used instead of a formal hearing.
The committee prescribed the following penalties and corrective measures:
- Two years of probation.
- A two-year show-cause order for the former vice president of enrollment management. During that period, he must attend NCAA Regional Rules Seminars, and any NCAA member school employing him must restrict his involvement with NCAA financial aid legislation by requiring direct oversight from the athletic department's senior leadership on financial aid-related responsibilities.
- The director of financial aid, current vice president of enrollment management and associate vice president of athletics must attend a NCAA Regional Rules Seminar in either 2021 or 2022. (Self-imposed.)
Members of the Committee on Infractions are drawn from NCAA member schools, conferences and the public. The committee members who reviewed this case are Sarah Feyerherm, vice president of student affairs and dean of students at Washington College; Richard Lapidus, president at Fitchburg State; Donna Ledwin, Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference commissioner; Jody Mooradian, athletics director at Salve Regina; and Angela Givens Williams, chief of the civil division in the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.
