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Maintaining Your Eligibility

This section explains many of the NJCAA and Muscatine Community College rules and regulations that govern your eligibility to participate in athletics at Muscatine Community College. 
    
Please keep in mind that the rules change from year to year, particularly the NJCAA regulations. You should NOT take for granted that everything printed here is the most complete or current information. ALWAYS check with your coach if you have any questions. 
    
To be eligible for practice and competition at the beginning of the academic year, you must have: 

1. Passed your annual physical examination and submitted necessary medical records
   
2. Been certified as athletically and academically eligible 

Physical Examinations and Medical Records

All student-athletes participating in any one of the NJCAA certified sports must have passed a physical examination administered by a qualified health care professional licensed to administer physical examinations, prior to the first practice for each collegiate year in which they compete. 
    
If you haven't scheduled a physical examination with your own physician, you should contact one of the following health care providers: 
    
Family Chiropractor Sports Injury & Rehab Clinic 
  1505 Plaza Place
  (563) 263-6086
  Office hours Monday through Friday, Saturday by appointment 
    
Unity Physician Clinics 
  1514 Mulberry Avenue
  (563) 264-3220 . . . After hours call (563) 264-3220
  Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday,
  8:00 - 5:00 Friday, 8:00 - Noon Saturday 
    

Academic and Athletic Eligibility

The remainder of this section outlines what you need to know about maintaining your academic and athletic eligibility. Again, keep in mind that this may not be the most comprehensive or current information as the NJCAA passes new legislation and releases rule interpretations throughout the year. If you have questions or concerns, ALWAYS ask your coach. 
    
ACADEMICS 
To be eligible to represent Muscatine Community College in intercollegiate athletics competition, you must make satisfactory progress toward a degree and satisfy other academic requirements set forth by the NJCAA and Muscatine Community College. 
    
FULL-TIME STATUS 
You must be enrolled in a full-time program of study leading to an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree in order to be eligible to practice and compete. This means that, on average, 12 credit hours per semester must be completed. As a student-athlete at Muscatine Community College, you are required to enroll in 12 to 16 credit hours per semester 
    
GOOD STANDING 
You must meet the requirements for good academic standing as defined by the College. If you receive notice of academic probation or suspension from the College, you should notify your coach and advisor immediately. 
 
In order to maintain satisfactory academic progress, the following standards apply:

    0 - 15   semester hours attempted 
    1.5   minimum grade point average

    16 - 30   semester hours attempted  
    1.75   minimum grade point average

    31 - 45   semester hours attempted  
    1.9   minimum grade point average

    46 - 64   semester hours attempted  
    2.0   minimum grade point average

Students whose academic progress is below the above standards at the conclusion of any semester are automatically placed on academic probation and will be notified in writing of their probationary status. The student will be asked to meet with a member of the counseling or advising staff to plan a program of corrective action that may include restrictions on the number of credit hours attempted, supplemental assistance and other developmental requirements. 
    
Students on academic probation who, at the end of the probationary semester, are unable to meet the above minimum academic standards will have their progress reviewed by the Dean of Student Development and may be subject to additional remediation or academic suspension. A student who has been academically suspended may be readmitted, on probationary status, after a one-semester of absence from the college. 
    
GRADE POINT AVERAGE 
According to the NJCAA, a student-athlete must pass a minimum of twelve (12) semester hours with a GPA of 1.75 or higher during the previous semester of full-time enrollment. A second season participant must pass a minimum accumulation of 36 credit hours for a fall sport or 48 credit hours for a spring sport, with a GPA of 2.0 or higher, regardless of previous semester or other accumulation requirements.
   

Class Attendance and Sports

You are not to miss class for practice or any athletic related activity, except competitions. Travel to out-of-town competitions and athletic related activities during these trips are an exception to this regulation. 
    
As a student-athlete it is your responsibility to become acquainted with your instructors. If you have to miss class due to travel for competition or due to home competitions, you need to notify your instructors PRIOR to your absence. You should make arrangements to obtain class notes, handouts distributed during class time, and/or assignments. Do not expect the instructor to provide individual tutoring for missed classes. Because student athletes may miss a number of classes due to travel and afternoon home competitions, it is very important that you do not miss class at any other time. 
    
There may be times when a game is canceled due to inclement weather and rescheduled without advanced notice. It is your responsibility to keep your instructors informed of any schedule changes.

Conduct

As a student-athlete, you have many opportunities to develop leadership skills in the classroom, in your team sport, and in the community. These opportunities will provide excellent training for similar experiences in other phases of your life. Your conduct is a reflection of Muscatine Community College and its athletic program as well as yourself. Muscatine Community College students are expected to maintain high standards of integrity and citizenship. You should always be aware of your behavior and how it impacts others. 

Sportsmanship
Certain standards of behavior are expected of all student-athletes participating in any NJCAA event. Student-athletes are guests at any event and their participation is a privilege, not a right. Sportsmanship and citizenship are modes of conduct that promote and develop respect for fellow participants, coaches, and teammates. That respect should also be reflected in student-athletes' behavior toward officials and spectators.     

Tobacco
The use of all tobacco products shall be prohibited in all practices and athletic events conducted under the auspices of the NJCAA and its member institutions. 
   
Penalty for use of tobacco products at NJCAA events:
The event official shall immediately notify said individual(s) observed using any form of tobacco product of the aforementioned violation and shall enforce an immediate event disqualification and/or additional penalties prescribed by the national rules governing the sport. 
    
Gambling 
As a student-athlete, you cannot knowingly:

• Provide information concerning intercollegiate athletics competition to individuals involved in organized gambling activities
• Solicit a bet on any intercollegiate team
• Accept a bet on any team representing Muscatine Community College
• Solicit or accept a bet on any intercollegiate athletics competition for an item that has tangible value (e.g., cash, dinner, clothing)
• Participate in any gambling activity that involves intercollegiate athletics or professional athletics, through a bookmaker, a parlay card or any other method employed by organized gambling

If you are implicated in gambling activities involving athletics, you will be ineligible for any intercollegiate athletic competition. 

*  THIS INFORMATION WAS TAKEN FROM THE NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION HANDBOOK AND CASEBOOK.