Responsibilities and expectations for traditional undergraduate students can be found in the Student Handbook.
George Fox University's student-athletes are expected to adhere to a high standard of behavior as a participant and as a spectator, on and off campus. With the privilege of participating on an intercollegiate team comes the responsibility to conduct oneself in a manner that brings glory to God, creates a positive image, and brings credit to the University and the sport. It is important student-athletes recognize and accept this responsibility while serving as role models within the University and greater Newberg community.
Communications with officials or opponents are to be done respectfully and tastefully. Rude gestures and taunting are not to be tolerated. Though a student-athlete's season may be completed or eligibility exhausted, they are still associated and viewed as a student-athlete of their specific sport. Improper conduct outside the sport season can be detrimental to George Fox athletics and the University as an institution.
Student-athletes are subject to the University policies set forth in the Student Handbook and all disciplinary procedures which apply to all students at George Fox University. The athletic department has the right to apply additional disciplinary procedures that may result in practice and competition suspension. Further, all student-athletes are subject to the rules and regulations of the NCAA covering unethical or unsportsmanlike behavior and other specific misconduct.
In addition, student-athletes will be expected to adhere to all team rules set forth by their coaches. If a problem arises it is expected that the student-athlete will address the issue with the coach directly.
George Fox University has a zero-tolerance policy toward hazing and considers any offense serious. The University's hazing policy and consequences can be found online: University Hazing Policy.
Physical or sexual misconduct on the part of student-athletes is clearly inconsistent with ideals and standards of the Athletic Department and the academic community, and therefore is a violation of the University's student code of conduct, the athletic department code of conduct as well as a violation of state and federal law. The Athletic Department follows the University policy for physical/sexual misconduct.Â
In addition to any sanctions which may be given for violations of the University Policy for physical or sexual misconduct, the athletic department has the right to apply disciplinary procedures that may result in practice and competition suspension.Â
George Fox University is committed to maintaining an educational environment free from alcohol abuse and the manufacture, use, dispensing, possession, or distribution of controlled substances. Every student-athlete is expected to comply with the policies in these matters as stated in the George Fox University Handbook.
Student-athletes suspected of non-compliance with George Fox University policies regarding drug and alcohol use may be subject to a drug test. Any student suspected of using an illegal or non-prescribed pharmacological agent (as defined by the George Fox University Drug and Alcohol Policy) by the athletic director, coach, athletic trainer, or a representative of Student Life will be required to submit to a drug test provided by George Fox University before returning to play. Refusal of the requested drug test will result in dismissal from the team. A positive drug test may result in the forfeiture of the student-athlete's athletic eligibility for the remainder of the academic year. The student-athlete will remain ineligible until they can produce a negative drug test at their own expense. The drug test results will be shared with the Director of Athletics, the Head Coach, the Head Athletic Trainer, and a representative of Student Life.
This policy serves as a baseline policy for individual coaches, who have the latitude to establish additional team policies, either in-season or out-of-season, in consultation with the Director of Athletics. This policy does not supersede the discretion of individual coaches regarding the student-athletes on their team and their status as members. Under the direction of the Director of Athletics, coaches retain discretion over all team participation decisions.
Athletic department consequences for violations in addition to and independent of University consequences:
Immediate and Indefinite Suspension
- DUI
- Sale or distribution of a controlled substance or marijuanaÂ
- Contributing to the delinquency of a minor (i.e., providing alcohol to minors)
- Any alcohol, drug, or substance-related arrest
All other substance abuse policy violations
- The use of alcoholic beverages and illicit drugs, including marijuana, synthetic marijuana, or controlled substances, is prohibited.
- Use of medical marijuana, as well as recreational marijuana, whether smoked, vaporized, edible, topical, tinctures, wax, or any other form, is prohibited regardless of any state's laws permitting marijuana.
- Smoking, including e-cigarettes/vapor cigarettes, products containing nicotine, and all forms of tobacco use or possession, is prohibited.Â
First Offense (all other substance abuse policy violations)
- Meet with the Director of Athletics to discuss the incident.
- A warning will be issued, and a written copy will be sent to the student-athlete and placed in the individual student-athlete's file.
- If needed, the student-athlete may be referred to the health center for counseling related to the violation.
Second Offense
- 10% Game Suspension - The percentage is calculated using the regular season determined by standard periods of play for sport (i.e., innings, quarters, halves, rounds) multiplied by the number of games on the schedule for the regular season.
- For the calculation, neither postseason play nor overtime/extra innings will be considered.
- Example 1: In football, there are four quarters and ten games on the regular-season schedule. Therefore, 40 quarters and a 10% suspension would equal four quarters or one game.
- Example 2: In softball, there are 7 innings and 40 games on the regular-season schedule. Therefore there are 280 innings and a 10% suspension would equal 28 innings. The student-athlete would be suspended for 4 games.
- Community service as determined by the Athletic Department Administration
- The student-athlete may also be required to complete educational programming and/or attend counseling at the Health Center.
- Drug and alcohol screening
- Copies of the sanction letter will be sent to the student-athlete and placed in the student-athlete's file.
Third Offense
- Season suspension
- If the third offense occurs in the spring for a fall sport student-athlete, the season suspension will be enforced the next academic year.
A student-athlete who is found to have used a substance on the list of banned drugs shall be declared ineligible for further participation for one year in regular-season and postseason competition in all sports. If George Fox University athletic department concludes that circumstances warrant restoration, the department may appeal to the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee for restoration of the student-athlete's eligibility.Â
A student-athlete who tests positive shall be ineligible to participate in regular season and postseason competition for one calendar year after a positive test and shall be charged with the loss of a minimum of one season of competition in all sports. The student-athlete shall remain ineligible for all regular season and postseason competition for one calendar year after the student-athlete's positive drug test. The ineligibility continues until the student-athlete retests negative and eligibility is restored by the Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee.
If a student-athlete tests positive a second time for the use of any drug, other than a "street drug" as defined in Bylaw 31.2.3.2, of the NCAA manual s/he shall lose all regular season and postseason eligibility in all sports. A combination of two positive tests involving street drugs in whatever order, will result in the loss of an additional year of eligibility. In addition the penalty for missing a scheduled drug test is the same as the penalty for testing positive for the use of a banned drug other than a street drug.
If a student-athlete tests positive for the use of a street drug after being restored to eligibility, s/he shall be charged with the loss of one additional season of competition in all sports and also shall remain ineligible for regular-season and postseason competition at least through the next calendar year.
The NCAA list of banned drug classes is subject to change by the NCAA Executive Committee. A current list of NCAA Banned Drugs can be found here.
The term "related compounds" comprises substances that are included in the class by their pharmacological action and/or chemical structure. No substances belonging to the prohibited class may be used, regardless of whether it is specifically listed as an example.Â
Many nutritional/dietary supplements contain NCAA banned substances. In addition, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not strictly regulate the supplement industry; therefore purity and safety of nutritional dietary supplements cannot be guaranteed. Impure supplements may lead to a positive NCAA drug test. The use of supplements is at the student-athlete's own risk.
Before consuming any nutritional/dietary supplement product, review the product and its label with the athletic training staff.
All student-athletes must sign a drug-testing consent form as well as the Buckley Amendment Release form to be eligible to compete in NCAA competition. Participation in intercollegiate athletics is a privilege and may be forfeited by a violation of this policy. George Fox University student-athletes may be required to partake in random drug testing as determined by the athletic administration and University officials. Refusal of the requested drug test will result in dismissal from the team.
