Representatives of Athletics Interest (RAI)
A "representative of Cornell's athletics interest," commonly referred to as a booster, is anyone that has ever:
- Been a member of a sport support group or booster club;
- Made a donation to Cornell Athletics;
- Promoted Cornell Athletics in any way; or
- Arranged or provided employment for an enrolled student-athlete.
If you meet this definition we encourage you to read
A Guide to NCAA and Ivy League Rules for Representatives of Athletics Interest. In general, please note that RAIs may not be involved in recruiting, or providing benefits to prospects, student-athletes or their relatives.
Any funds for the benefit and the support of our teams, its coaches and its members must go through the University (via a gift by going to
CornellBigRed.com and clicking on Support Athletics) or via a formal University recognized group with procedures in place to ensure compliance with NCAA, University and other reporting policies. Existing sport associations and their bylaws can be referenced
here.
Parents of Current Student-Athletes
Parents are often RAIs, but are also subject to additional NCAA rules and regulations. There are NCAA bylaws that govern the actions and interactions between institutions and parents, other relatives, and friends of student-athletes. Please reference
A Quick Guide to NCAA Regulations for Parents of Student-Athletes for a detailed look of some of the rules that impact parents of student-athletes.
While these documents are a good starting place to understand the rules that effect you most, it cannot cover all possible scenarios. If you have any questions concerning Ivy League or NCAA rules, please contact the compliance office.
Name, Image and Likeness
Student-athletes may use their Name, Image, and/or Likeness (NIL) in a commercial manner so long as the intended activity is compliant with Cornell University's NIL Policy.
