Football recruiting practices, especially those that use hostesses, came under intense scrutiny last month after allegations surfaced that the football program at the University of Colorado used sex and strippers to recruit players.
But unlike Colorado's program, hostesses at the UA say the Arizona Angels recruiting program limits hostess duties to leading campus tours and answering questions, in only the approved attire ÷ collared polo shirts and khaki pants.
Amy Stricherz, an elementary education senior who has participated in the program for three years, said the program is "very professional and really goes by all the NCAA rules."
Stricherz said every hostess knows the strict rules about the program. She pointed out that the uniforms the girls wear when interacting with recruits are "very conservative and show absolutely no skin."
Football hostess programs have come under fire recently because allegations have surfaced that CU uses parties involving sex and strippers to recruit players.
Football hostesses at CU were reported to have attended these parties, a violation of NCAA rules.
Stricherz said the hostesses at other schools are to blame for engaging in inappropriate behavior.
"The girls are putting themselves in bad positions. If the programs at other schools are at all like ours, and I think they have to be under NCAA rules, they wouldn't allow that kind of behavior," Stricherz said.
Dan Berezowitz, director of recruiting and football operations, said the UA strictly enforces the NCAA rules that limit contact between hostesses and recruits.
"By 5 p.m., the hostesses' job is done," Berezowitz said.
Bill Morgan, the associate athletics director of compliance, said only the head football coach is allowed to contact recruits by phone or by mail.
"After-hours socialization between the hostesses and recruits is discouraged, and it is against NCAA regulations," he said.
Despite the regulations in place, Morgan said it is inevitable that college students, including athletes, party and sometimes engage in drinking and sex.
"Partying is bound to happen at any college; you can't really prevent it," he said.
But Berezowitz said it's unlikely that any inappropriate activity occurs at the UA between the hostesses and the recruits.
"What these girls do is similar to what the Office of Orientation does with non-athlete students," Berezowitz said.
Stricherz said her duties include leading campus tours for the recruits and their parents and taking the recruits to appointments with academic advisers and professors.
"Everything we do is on campus; we are there to help the recruits and their parents," she said. "The recruits aren't as intimidated by us as they could be by the football players."
Berezowitz said the coaches do not give campus tours because they don't know specific information about the campus, and the hostesses can answer more questions that the recruits and their parents might have about the UA.
"The recruits are prospective students as well as athletes, so it's important that they learn about that aspect, as well," he said.
Morgan said the main purpose of the hostesses is to be "window dressing."
"Guys like girls; it's marketing," he said.
Berezowitz said while the UA has no plans to eliminate the hostess program, it is considering a name change to avoid the recent negative publicity.
"We're actually thinking about giving the program a new name that doesn't draw immediate negative thought," he said.
Berezowitz added that the hostesses aren't paid, and usually participate in the program to gain experience in the athletic field.
Although the hostesses aren't assigned a specific recruit for the entire year, they are usually grouped according to similar majors and interests.
The students who are hired are required to sign a behavioral conduct agreement, the details of which are being refined because Mike Stoops, the UA's new football coach, wanted to change the contract, Berezowitz said.
"We try to make sure not to put anyone in a situation that could be problematic or dangerous," he said. "We are as good as anyone in the country at running the program in compliance with all the regulations."