Eligibility - GMU Hockey - Madison Rose |
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Eligibility Ruling
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2011-12May 9, 2012Facts: MacEwan Women’s Hockey player, Madison Rose, sustained a serious shoulder injury during this year’s ACAC playoffs, ending her season. As a result of her injuries, she was forced to withdraw from courses in Outdoor Education and Swimming due to the physical component involved in each course. Prior to her injury, she had been taking 9 credit hours during the winter semester. As a result of withdrawing from the two courses, she ended up finishing the semester with 7.5 credit hours. She had successfully completed 9 credit hours during the fall semester for a total of 16.5 credit hours during the 2011-12 school year. Ms. Rose is spending the summer at home in High Prairie. MacEwan is seeking a ruling exempting Ms. Rose from the credit hour requirements outlined in Rule 1.1.3.1 of the ACAC Operating Code. Ruling: Article I Section 1 Rule 3.1 of the Operating Code reads as follows: 1.1.3.1. Two Semester Participation To be a student in good standing, a student athlete must pass eighteen (18) credit hours in an academic year to be eligible to participate in the subsequent semester and must pass a minimum of six (6) credit hours in the September – December semester to be eligible for the January – April semester. Therefore, the academic progress of a second semester student athlete must be measured at the completion of the subsequent fall semester to determine eligibility for the winter semester and again by August 31st to determine eligibility for the fall semester. If the student athlete does NOT earn the required 6 credits (or equivalents) between Sept. to Dec., the student athlete is immediately ineligible for participation in the winter semester and the Reinstatement Rule is applied. Academic progress is measured again by August 31st to determine if the student-athlete has earned the required credits over the academic year. The Athletic Director is also responsible for measuring the student-athlete’s eligibility against any new eligibility rules that are effective for the upcoming year. In the event that the student-athlete is registered in any combination of full year and half year courses, the student-athlete must be registered in a minimum of nine (9) credit hours in each semester and be a student in good standing at his/her institution to participate in the January – April semester. A student-athlete in a postgraduate degree program must have the graduate office/registrar confirm fullātime status to be eligible to participate in the subsequent academic year. (Amended August, 2011) Clearly, Ms. Rose’s 16.5 credit hours do not meet the 18 credit hours required by the above rule to allow her to be eligible during the fall of 2012. MacEwan has suggested that an exemption to the requirements of Rule 1.1.3.1 be granted given that the injury in question was the sole reason that Ms. Rose was forced to drop the two courses in question. They also add that Ms. Rose’s remote location will make it difficult for her to take the necessary 1.5 credit hours by August 31 in order to satisfy the 18 credit hour total, as contemplated by the rule. I have reviewed Rule 1.1.1.3 thoroughly. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the rule offers me no discretion. It does not provide an exemption for injury. It is absolute in its requirement that a two semester athlete must have completed 18 credit hours before August 31 in order to be eligible for the following season. Unfortunately for Ms. Rose, she had not provided herself with a cushion in the event that an unforeseen circumstance, such as her injury, happened. In my opinion, although the ACAC Council is free to amend the rule to provide exemptions for illness, injury or other reasons, it would be dangerous to make such a change without considering the full ramifications of doing so. There are many valid reasons why a student might be forced to reduce his or her course load below the required minimum. However, were Council to amend the rule, the Conference might be opening itself up to a significant number of requests for exemptions based on injury, illness or other personal circumstances. Based on the above, Ms. Rose’s request is denied.
Sincerely, Bill Hendsbee
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