Generally speaking when a starter leaves you usually inform the media in regards to football, since there are like 80 guys on a team. As for the form that is filled out, it's actually a release in the student-athlete handbook that they sign that basically allows the media relations office to disseminate any information regarding their academic and athletic careers (this is what allows us to nominate them for academic awards, and also why I thought I was good on a certain issue I had earlier this year until it dawned on me that a certain someone never signed it since they were never at ISU...oops).
The communications office can send out information on a kid leaving, but again, in football, it tends to be the starters that get the bigger treatment in that regard (basketball is 12 guys, football again, 80 ... in a good year).
This is all very interesting from this side of the fence 1000 miles away. It is always sad to see a player lose their love of the game and quit...generally speaking they show up because of that love.
Frank