Army West Point Athletics
Patriot League Code of Conduct
June 30, 2006 | General
Patriot League Code of Conduct
Purpose:
The Patriot League was founded upon the principles of fairness, equality and excellence in academics as well as in athletic participation. It strongly supports the NCAA’s core principle: promoting character development of participants and fundamental values such as respect, fairness, civility, honesty and responsibility. The Patriot League member institutions will ensure that their athletic programs promote and require the highest standards of sporting behavior and ethical conduct by all participants (student-athletes, coaches, staff and faculty). Additionally, the member institutions will require and demand the highest standards from all supporters (bands, cheerleaders, spirit groups, student bodies and spectators).
Host institutions must provide venues that foster an environment of fair play and civility. This will allow the conducting of sporting events that properly showcase the student-athletes, member institutions and the Patriot League as a whole.
The Executive Director of the Patriot League is empowered to monitor and require member institutions to enforce this Code of Conduct.
Institutional Responsibilities:
Institutions will ensure that good sporting behavior and ethical conduct is promoted at all times. Each institution will actively support the Patriot League Code of Conduct and ensure that the policy is presented to all members of the institution on a yearly basis. Contents of the Code of Conduct will be included in an annual meeting with coaches and administrators. This information will also be provided at the annual orientation of incoming student-athletes and reviewed with all other student-athlete groups at the beginning of each academic year.
Each institution will promote sporting and ethical conduct throughout the year. Institutional representatives and event management staff will be most vigilant during the conduct of any game or athletic event. In that regard host institutions will do the following:
- Ensure that an administrative representative of the host institution is present (or readily accessible) at all Patriot League contests and that he/she is charged with the enforcement of the League’s code of conduct. The representative will identify him/herself to the visiting coach or administrator prior to the start of the contest.
- Provide for adequate security, police and other game management measures necessary to protect the safety of student-athletes, coaches and officials, and to maintain adequate crowd control during home athletic events.
- Announce a statement promoting good sporting behavior before each home sporting event where a public address system is utilized and/or print the announcement in the game program. Public address announcers will be directed to announce the game in an impartial manner and assist event management with the promotion of good sporting conduct throughout the game.
- Reserve or protect the seating or spectator areas immediately behind the visiting team bench for fans of the visiting team, where possible.
- Ensure that members of the institution’s band, cheerleading squad and other such spirit groups in attendance at athletic events adhere to the League’s code of conduct. The home team’s band is to be seated in areas on the home team’s side or half of the playing venue.
- Report incidents of poor sporting behavior or unethical conduct by student-athletes, coaches or institutional representatives to the institution’s Director of Athletics within 48 hours of the incident.
- Provide a written report of incidents that are a direct violation of Patriot League Standards as defined below to the Executive Director within 48 hours of the incident. The report will include the identities of the individual(s) involved and the Director of Athletics’ recommendation for a penalty and/or remedial action. The Executive Director is authorized to approve or alter the recommended penalty and/or remedial action.
- Report in writing the removal or suspension of a student-athlete or institutional personnel from a contest for fighting or flagrant behavior to the Executive Director within 24 hours following the contest. The Director of Athletics will administer an immediate suspension of that individual(s) from the next intercollegiate contest, including Patriot League or NCAA championship competition, or if the last contest of the season, the suspension will be extended to the beginning of the next season. (During a suspension, the coach involved may not be in the team bench area, nor make any attempt to coach the team from one hour before the contest begins until one hour after the contest ends. Similarly, a suspended student-athlete(s) may not dress nor sit on the team bench during the conduct of the game.) If warranted, the Executive Director may impose additional penalties for repeated suspensions by an individual within the same sport season.
Patriot League Responsibilities and Procedures:
The Council of Presidents is responsible for approving and modifying the Patriot League Code of Conduct. The Council of Presidents will invest authority in the Patriot League’s Executive Director to ensure that all member institutions abide by the League’s Code of Conduct and the authority to impose sanctions as deemed appropriate.
The Executive Director will ensure that all facts regarding an alleged violation of the Code of Conduct are reported promptly following the incident. After all interested institutions and affected individuals have had an opportunity to present any facts or arguments regarding the violation, the Executive Director may issue a directive to an institution to take action on the violation. This action may include an admonishment or warning, a private or public reprimand, suspension of any person from attendance or participation in one or more events or games, forfeiture of any game or other actions as the Executive Director deems appropriate.
Any member institution has the right to appeal the directive of the Executive Director to the Executive Committee of the Council of Presidents. If an appeal occurs during a Patriot League Championship and must be acted upon prior to the end of the championship, the Games Committee will be charged with hearing the appeal and determining the appropriate course of action. The member institution must submit a written appeal to the Patriot League office within 48 hours of receipt of the directive. This written statement will include the institution’s objection and its alternative recommendation of action concerning this violation. Upon receipt of the appeal, the Executive Director may withdraw or modify the original directive.
Any member institution may obtain a stay of the Executive Director’s directive upon submission of the written statement until the Executive Director withdraws the directive the Executive Committee of the Council of Presidents hears the appeal and takes final action.
The Executive Committee of the Council of Presidents will make the final decision regarding each appeal. The Executive Director will forward the decision in writing to the appealing institution’s Director of Athletics and President for immediate action. The Council of Presidents’ (Executive Committee’s) decision is final and will not be challenged or appealed to any tribunal, court, or other authority.
Patriot League Standards:
Specific Requirements of Coaches:
Contest Statement:
One of the following statements or a similar institutional statement should be read before all athletic events where a public address system is utilized.
“Ladies and gentlemen, [Host Institution] and the Patriot League welcome you to today’s contest. We ask that you join us and today’s coaches, players and officials in practicing good sporting behavior in supporting your teams and in your conduct toward players, coaches, officials and other spectators. Unruly and disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated. [Please note that the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages (and use of tobacco) also are prohibited. Spectators are not allowed on the playing field at any time.]” Thank you.
or:
“Ladies and gentlemen, [Host Institution] and the Patriot League promote good sporting behavior by student-athletes, coaches and spectators. We encourage everyone to actively support all participants of today’s game, and ask that you express your enthusiasm in a respectful and sporting-like manner. [Please note that the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages (and use of tobacco) also are prohibited. Spectators are not allowed on the playing field at any time.]” Thank you.
Patriot League Award of Good Sporting Conduct:
In the spirit of ethical conduct and sporting behavior, the Patriot League has established an Award of Good Sporting Conduct to recognize and honor exemplary sporting behavior. All Patriot League student-athletes, coaches, a team as a whole and staff members associated with a member institution’s intercollegiate athletic program are eligible for the award. The definition of good sporting conduct is left to the discretion of the member institution with the understanding that the behavior should be at a standard beyond what is normally expected during the course of play. Award recipients will receive an Award of Good Sporting Conduct certificate, will be listed on the League’s website and will be publicly recognized at an institutional event.
