Members will further discuss additional Board of Governors requirements, including a prohibition on canceling, reducing or not renewing athletics aid for student-athletes who opt out of participation due to COVID-19 and required medical coverage for COVID-19 if a student contracts the virus through sports participation. Members also will discuss financial aid limits for fall sports. Although that topic was not part of the board’s mandate, some Council members think providing schools some flexibility in this area is important.
“In this time of uncertainty, the Council members are working to create additional flexibility for college athletes whose seasons have been negatively impacted by the pandemic,” said Council chair M. Grace Calhoun, athletics director at Pennsylvania. “Every day things are changing in college sport, and we want to be as responsive as possible, with the best information, to help student-athletes and their families make important decisions for their future. The Council worked hard today and will seek membership input before we make final recommendations to the board next week.”
The board will meet Aug. 21 to review Council recommendations regarding student-athlete well-being protections and the future of fall championships.
Emergency legislation
Additionally, the Council adopted emergency legislation to implement an injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken, which addresses the following items, many already allowed by Division I rules:
- Computers, science equipment, musical instruments and other tangible items not included in the cost-of-attendance calculation but related to the pursuit of academic studies.
- Post-eligibility scholarships to complete undergraduate or graduate degrees at any school.
- Scholarships to attend vocational school.
- Tutoring.
- Expenses related to studying abroad that are not included in the cost-of-attendance calculation.
- Paid, post-eligibility internships.
The NCAA, schools and conferences also may provide an academic or graduation award or incentive that has a value up to the maximum value of awards an individual student-athlete could receive in an academic year in participation, championship or special achievement awards (combined).
The injunction is effective immediately. It applies to men’s and women’s basketball and Football Bowl Subdivision student-athletes. The limit on academic incentive payments mirrors the limit allowed by the injunction, which did not set a specific dollar figure. The injunction permits these benefits but does not require schools to offer them. The injunction also allows a conference to set its own limit if it chooses to do so.
The NCAA intends to appeal the Alston/grant-in-aid antitrust matter to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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