Bylaw: Article V, Section C, Item 3
“The student must be identified and enrolled in a minimum of 12 institutional credit hours at the time of participation.
EXCEPTION: A student who will complete requirements for graduation for a baccalaureate degree within 10 semesters, 15 quarters, 12 trimesters or less may retain eligibility during the last term of attendance of the senior year by enrolling in fewer than 12 institutional credit hours. Official verification must be provided by the registrar that the student has completed all other academic requirements for graduation except for the currently enrolled credits. Such verification must be provided to the eligibility chair.”
Interpretation
In order to keep in line with the approach for identification as written in Article V, Section B, Item 8 that instructs nine of the 12 hours required for identification must be taken at the NAIA institution, a similar standard must be made for seniors who will be taking less than 12 hours in their final term. If a student wishes to evoke the senior exception for the 12-Hour Enrollment Rule, three-fourths of the remaining course load must be taken on the NAIA campus in order to maintain identification.
Example
A student-athlete only needs 8 hours in the spring to graduate in May. The student plays softball, and in order to compete in the spring she must satisfy the senior exception to the 12-Hour Enrollment Rule. She needs to complete an entry-level statistics course for graduation, but it is not offered by her school in the spring, so she plans to take it from the local junior college. Can she do this and still compete?
Of her 8 hours needed for graduation, three-fourths must be taken at her NAIA school in order for her to be considered identified with her NAIA school. Therefore, so long as she is enrolled in at least six hours at the NAIA institution, she will be considered identified and can compete.
Related Bylaws
Article V, Section B, Item 8: Identification
Article V, Section B, Item 9: Institutional Credit Hour
Related Interps
Credits used for 12-Hour Enrollment Rule
NEC Interp – Creation date unknown. Current as of: February 2016
