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ATHLETIC FINANCIAL AWARDS (AFA)

Athletic Financial Awards

POLICIES GOVERNING ATHLETIC FINANCIAL AWARDS (AFA)

1. The Western University Athletic Financial Awards (AFA) program will accord with the applicable policies of U SPORTS, Ontario University Athletic (OUA) and with Senate policy.

2. AFAs are open to undergraduate and graduate student athletes registered at Western or at an Affiliated University College.

3. Types of AFA

1. Entering AFA: Awarded to first-year students or transfer students in their first year of enrolment at Western or an Affiliated University College. Tenable for one year.
2. Continuing AFA: Awarded to first-year students or transfer students in their first year of enrolment at Western or an Affiliated University College. Tenable for up to four years, subject to maintenance of eligibility requirements.
3. Returning AFA: Awarded to students in their second or higher year of enrolment at Western or an Affiliated University College. Tenable for one year; renewable for additional years subject to maintenance of eligibility requirements. Renewed amounts may vary from year to year.

4. Eligibility

1. Entering AFA: Have received and accepted an offer of admission to Western University or an Affiliated University College, be enrolled in degree-level courses, and be listed on the U SPORTS Eligibility Certificate.
2. Non-entering AFA: In each year subsequent to the first year in which the student is registered, the student must have a minimum average of 70% in at least 3.0 courses in the preceding year (September to August) and continued participation in U SPORTS or OUA.
   
   Note: Graduate students must meet the entering thresholds as outlined above. To retain a Continuing AFA or to be eligible for a Returning AFA, a graduate student must be in “good standing” as determined by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

5. Value
No student may receive more than a total of $5,000 in AFA funding in any academic year. Value of award determined by the Western Athletic Financial Awards Committee.

6. Allocation Process

1. A Western Athletic Financial Awards Committee will be established to allocate the awards. The Committee’s membership will be as follows:
   Director of Sport & Recreation (Chair)
   Student Financial Services Officer
   Admissions Officer
   Director of Student Engagement
   

   Head Coach of the applicable student athlete (non-voting)
   Director of Sport (non-voting)
   Sports Coordinator (non-voting)

2. Written recommendations for allocation will be made by the Intercollegiate Athletics Head Coaches (using the Western Athletic Financial Award Nomination Form) and the recommendations will be presented to the Committee by the Director of Sport & Recreation.
3. Allocation of awards will be based on the following criteria:
   
   • Student meeting the approved academic threshold for eligibility.
   • Head Coach’s written recommendation/assessment (see Western Athletic Financial Award Nomination Form) in each of the following categories:
     • athletic performance/potential (i.e., coach’s assessment of the student’s athletic abilities, honours and awards earned) [60% weighting]
     • team/campus leadership performance/potential [20% weighting]
   • academic performance/potential [20% weighting]
     - For awards with a financial-need component, financial-need assessment will be dealt with through the regular Student Financial Aid policies and procedures.
4. In making the awards, the Committee is responsible for ensuring that recipients of the awards are in compliance with U SPORTS regulations and that U SPORTS and OAC regulations are followed with respect to the allocations.
5. The Committee is responsible for ensuring the equitable allocation of the awards with respect to men’s and women’s athletic teams.
6. Coaches and Committee members must declare any actual or perceived conflict of interest and must remove themselves from the allocation process. Conflict of interest may include, but is not limited to: family relationships, other personal relationships and relationships of a financial or commercial nature which may give rise to the apprehension of bias. If it is unclear whether a conflict of interest exists, the Committee will make the determination and its decision shall be final.

7. Gender Equity
The Committee will ensure that equal dollar amounts are allocated to men’s and women’s athletic teams.

8. Injury Policy
A student athlete in receipt of an Entering or Returning AFA who becomes injured during the course of a season will continue to receive their award for the balance of the award term, provided they remain registered at Western or at an Affiliated University College. A student athlete in receipt of a Continuing AFA who becomes injured during the course of a season will continue to receive the award for the balance of the award term, provided that they remain registered at Western or at an Affiliated University College and continue in an approved program of rehabilitation/training.

9. Appeal Process
Decisions with respect to Entering AFAs are not appealable. With respect to Continuing or Returning AFAs, student athletes may appeal a decision of the Western Athletic Financial Awards Committee by submitting a written appeal to the Committee within eight weeks of the announcement of the awards. The merits of an appeal will be measured against the allocation criteria.

The Associate Dean (Academic) (or equivalent) of the home faculty or Affiliated University College of the student athlete will be added to the membership of the Western Athletic Financial Awards Committee as a full voting member for the purposes of hearing and adjudicating an appeal.

10. Annual Report to the Senate Committee on Academic Curriculum and Awards (ACA)
Because of the unique nature of these awards, Western Athletic Financial Awards Committee will report annually through Student Experience to ACA on the allocation of the awards.

Senate Academic Policies, Scholarships and Awards, Athletic Financial Awards