The Pac-12 yesterday adopted sweeping reforms for student-athletes, including guaranteed four-year athletic scholarships, continuing education, improved health care, liberalized transfer rules and more. The new rules apply to student-athletes across all sports. Student-athletes who leave school before graduating will be able to use the remainder of their educational expenses later to earn their degrees. Medical expenses for student-athletes who are injured during their college athletic careers will be covered for up to four years after a student-athlete leaves the institution. Student-athletes who transfer between Pac-12 schools will be able to receive athletic scholarships immediately. Student-athletes will be represented in the conference governance structure (Pac-12). CBSSPORTS.com's Jon Solomon wrote the changes adopted by the Pac-12 "appear to be the most progressive package put forward by a conference, although they are measures that could have previously been adopted by schools or conferences." The Big Ten earlier this month "became the first major college conference to guarantee scholarships across all sports through the duration of an athlete's enrollment at a university" (CBSSPORTS.com, 10/27). Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said, "This was the first meeting since this new autonomy process had been in place (by the NCAA) where we could act and our presidents stepped up and acted." The items voted on by the Pac-12 "are things that the other commissioners have been discussing" and the "other schools look at what we've done and decide to follow suit." Scott: "This reinforces that our schools and our conference really does put the student-athlete front and center" ("Pac-12 Sports Report," Pac-12 Network, 10/27).
WHAT'S NEXT? In L.A., Chris Dufresne noted the "'full cost of attendance' stipend that was passed last summer" was not included in the Pac-12's announcement yesterday. Pac-12 presidents "reaffirmed their support for the stipend but will hold off on that announcement until a meeting of the five major conferences next January" (LATIMES.com, 10/27). Scott said that the stipends "will likely range between $2,000 and $5,000 per athlete depending on the university" (AP, 10/27).
