Massive Changes to NCAA Rules

Author: by JC Kibbey of NCSA Athletic Recruiting

The governing body of college sports passed some of the most sweeping reforms in its history today.

Scholarship Awards

First, individual conferences may now elect to allow adding $2,000 “full cost-of-attendance” awards to schools’ athletic scholarships (no conference has yet had a chance to vote). Athletes’ busy schedules don’t allow much time to work, so it can be difficult for them to meet expenses that aren’t covered by their scholarships – food, books, gas, etc. The stipend is targeted at easing that burden, though some studies have shown that the average athlete pays as much as $4,000 annually in out-of-pocket college costs.

The new rules will also allow schools to offer athletes multi-year scholarships. The current model requires schools to dole out athletic scholarships one year at a time – critics of that arrangement charged that it left athletes susceptible to being dropped if they were injured or the coaching staff changed. The new arrangement aims to give athletes a more secure position from which to pursue higher education.

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