NCAA approves transfer portal windows, ‘modernizes’ infractions process and denies unlimited transfers
On Wednesday, the NCAA announced big changes to the college football transfer portal — including the introduction of “transfer windows.” In effect, these changes will now govern how frequently players can go from one school to another.
“Like their peers in the general student population, college athletes choose to transfer for any number of reasons,” Georgia president and NCAA board chairman Jere Morehead said in a statement.
“We believe the changes enacted today enable member schools to adapt to students’ needs, while also positioning students for long-term academic success.These changes to NCAA rules recognize further study is needed on graduation rates before we consider authorizing multiple transfer opportunities with immediate eligibility. We will continue to review potential modifications to transfer rules as the landscape evolves over time.”
NCAA Board Chairman Jere Morehead
Two transfer portal periods
The approved transfer portal windows now create two periods of time where athletes are required to notify their coaches of their intent to transfer.
The new rule says the transfer periods will occur as follows:
- 45 days “beginning the day following the championship selection,” and
- a 15-day period in the first two weeks of May at the end of spring practice, May 1-15
These two windows will each last a total of 60 days, and the NCAA says “reasonable accommodations” will be made for players in FBS and FCS national championship games.
The new transfer portal windows will go into effect in time for the 2022-23 college football season.
Infractions process “modernized”
In addition to the transfer portal rulings, the NCAA also announced new guidelines that are supposed to update the infractions process, in hopes it will streamline the process and result in quicker resolutions.
- NCAA will get rid of the Independent Accountability Resolution Process because the number of cases it deals with was too great
- New rules limit causes for appeals, increase the standard for overturning appeals, and changes arguments to it from oral to written form
- NCAA will limit instances of extending the timeline for decisions to “extreme and clearly defined circumstances”
- Measures will take effect Jan. 1, 2023
One Measure Does Not Pass
However, another proposed rule change did not pass: the NCAA voted down the suggestion that players could enter the transfer portal an unlimited number of times with no penalty. Their contention is a rule such as that would have literally created total free agency in college athletics by allowing players to move at will.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
