First Meeting Of NCAA's Autonomous Voting Members Slated For January Convention

The 80 voting members in the new NCAA autonomy structure will “meet formally to begin historic governance change” on Jan. 17 in DC at the organization's '15 convention, according to Dennis Dodd of CBSSPORTS.com. It is “believed that is the first time" reps from the 65 schools in the Power 5 conferences, along with 15 voting athletes, "will meet in person.” A separate NCAA Convention business session for the Power 5 conferences “will be conducted the next day.” The "likely first order of business: the much-discussed cost-of-attendance stipend," which would allow schools approximately $1,000-$5,000 per school year to athletes over and above tuition. The stipend "has been portrayed as student-athlete welfare to cover incidental expenses.” The "Autonomous 80" also are “expected to consider lifetime scholarship benefits for players and expanded medical coverage” (CBSSPORTS.com, 9/10).