ACC: NCAA Autonomy Proposals Announced

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Monday it submitted three legislative proposals to the NCAA in accordance with the Division I autonomy process that was finalized in early August by the NCAA’s Council of Presidents. The process allows for the five power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) to pass legislation aimed at aiding the student-athletes.

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It feels like the NCAA is doing some damage control after it was revealed in open court during the Ed O’Bannon case how much money they make off of their student-athletes under the guise of providing them with a free education. So now, the NCAA is doing something out of the goodness of their hearts to provide additional benefits to student-athletes across the nation. It is a step in the right direction for the NCAA to improve the situation of student-athletes, even though it took public embarrassment to do so.

The proposals focus on the cost of attendance, loss-of-value insurance, and scholarship renewal. Here is a summation of the ACC Proposals:

1. An institution will be allowed to provide a student-athlete with a scholarship up to the cost of the attendance of that institution. The cost of attendance will be determined using institution policies that establish the value of all students and federal regulations. This applies to student-athletes of every sport and would take effect in August 1, 2015, if finalized.

1. A student-athlete is permitted to borrow against his or her future earnings potential to acquire loss-of-value insurance. The treatment of loss-of-value insurance will be consistent with the treatment of disability insurance. If the proposal is finalized, this clause will be effective immediately.

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1. An institution will not be allowed to refuse to renew a student-athletes scholarship for poor athletic performance or injury, even after the scholarship has been awarded. This will take effect August 1, 2015, if finalized.

Not a bad set of proposals for the first go around. The allowance of loss-of-value insurance is especially nice for the top-tier players in football and basketball who will be able to protect themselves if they fall victim to a career ending injury. The proposal for guaranteed 4-year scholarships is a necessary compromise if the universities do not want to deal with being called hypocrites for stating that these athletes get the greatest gift of a free education only to have it snatched away if they are not performing well or get hurt

The main concern is if the cost of attendance includes standard living costs. Too many times is there a story of a student-athlete who is breaking his body for the university only to be unable to eat because he and his family don’t have the money to get food. Any sort of help from the university or anyone else is considered a NCAA violation that could result in penalties. If the schools really cared for the well-being of their student-athletes, they should at least take into account grocery/food costs in the cost of attendance so the athletes can at least have that basic need covered.

The proposals will be discussed and finalized in January 2014 at the NCAA Convention.

Update: Per source working at a major university admissions office, food is included in the calculation for cost of attendance.  In this case, universities may be required to distribute stipends for students to spend on food.  This will be a major benefit for the student-athletes who routinely have to skip meals because they lack the funds to eat outside the athletic dining facility.