Supporting Our Student Athletes

Supporting our Student-Athletes through the Sport Review Transition

December 16, 2013

We understand the pressure and anxiety the Sport Review is causing for many of our current student-athletes.  While we cannot guarantee that all current student-athletes will remain in the Varsity strand, we have accelerated the review process in order to bring clarity as soon as possible (28 February 2014).

While the outcome of the Sport Review will be known at the end of February, the new model will not be implemented until September 2015 in order to offer one full additional season of playing at the varsity level, and to offer the time necessary to support students through a period of transition.

We are committed to supporting student-athletes following the Sport Review, and will honour any athletic scholarships that have been committed to for the duration of their time at UBC. Should a student wish to pursue their varsity sport at another University, we will support this transition as well.

For those student-athletes that currently compete in the CIS, Policy 40.10.5.2 (Discontinuance of a Sport), stipulates that an athlete who is registered at a post-secondary degree granting institutions and who successfully completes at least one academic year at that institution, shall be allowed to transfer to a member institution and participate immediately when the original institution cancels the sport.  All other eligibility regulations continue to apply.

For those student- athletes that currently compete in the NAIA, Article V, Section G (Transfer: Previous Identification at a four-year institution), stipulates that a student who participates in a sport that is subsequently discontinued at an institution and transfers from that institution to another does not have to satisfy the residency requirement, provided the student satisfies all other eligibility requirements and transfers within the first two full terms after the institution announces the discontinuance of that sport and provided the institution does not announce reinstatement of that sport while the student is still attending the institution.

For those student-athletes that currently compete for a varsity sport that does not participate in the CIS or the NAIA, but follows CIS, NAIA or NCAA Division II rules, we are committed to working closely with all student-athletes to ensure as smooth a transition as possible.