Big 12 officials yesterday announced that the conference “will allow its members to offer multiyear scholarships and increased aid to ‘full cost of attendance’ for no less than a student-athlete’s period of eligibility,” beginning with the ’15 fall semester, according to John Henry of the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said, “This is an important step in implementing policies that are in line with the 21st century student-athlete.” He added that full cost of attendance “represents the extra expenses one might incur as a result of college living.” Bowlsby said it can include the cost of an athlete’s trip home, routine supplies, and even “a pizza out, maybe a movie.” Henry notes the Big 12 “did not distinguish between revenue and non-revenue sports or male and female athletes.” The conference also announced that former student-athletes "can now return at any time and receive aid to continue their education." Students previously “had a six-year window to complete four years” (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 12/2). In Austin, Kevin Lyttle writes the Big 12 “rolled out a package of scholarship enhancements that not only match what other power conferences are doing but in some cases go beyond.” The SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 all previously announced covering full cost of attendance, but "not all of those leagues have adopted multiyear scholarships or the continuing-education policy." Bowlsby said, "We wanted to make sure to not just look at the minimums of what is permitted, but to put a stake in the ground as to what we’re going to stand for." Baylor AD Ian McCaw: "There was great unanimity among all schools that this was the right thing to do" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 12/2).
WHAT'S THE DAMAGE? In Lubbock, Don Williams reports covering the full cost of attendance will “increase Texas Tech’s annual athletic budget" by more than $1M. Texas Tech professor and 1A Faculty Athletics Representatives President Brian Shannon said the measures are “a very positive step.” He added that at Texas Tech, the “shortfall between athletic scholarships and full cost of attendance comes to $4,353 a year.” Texas Tech Associate AD/Media Relations Blayne Beal said that the school's "athletic budget for this school year" is $70M. Shannon: "The numbers that I have been hearing in conversations with [Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt] is that it could be an increase of up $1.3 to $1.4 million to the overall budget." He added that Texas Tech already gives "athletic aid to former athletes returning to finish school" (
LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL, 12/2). In Charleston, Dave Hickman notes West Virginia AD Oliver Luck “has in the past estimated the additional costs per athlete at between $1,700 and $2,000." With roughly 350 athletes on scholarship, that "would cost WVU an additional $700,000 per year." That “would amount to less than” 1% of the school's athletics budget (
CHARLESTON GAZETTE, 12/2). Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard estimates that the new policy will cost the school “an additional $750,000” per year. In Ames, Bobby La Gesse notes ISU “must find a way to fit it in the budget.” Pollard: “It’s not a choice so we have to figure it out.” He added that the school "could reallocate money, come up with other revenues or pull ... it from athletic department reserves" (
AMES TRIBUNE, 12/2).
ONE IS THE LONELIEST NUMBER: ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter wrote, "The Big 12 might not be great at slogans. But it's good at finding loopholes." With Bowlsby acknowledging the possibility that Baylor and TCU could be named Big 12 co-champions if they finish the football season with the same league record, he "clarified Monday that ‘One True Champion’ -- the grandiose slogan the league has trumped-up on TV commercials this year -- doesn't actually mean, well, one champion.” Instead, the slogan “smacks of the league’s nine-game, round-robin schedule.” The Big 12 is now "left in need of a new motto that isn’t the laughingstock of college sports" (ESPN.com, 12/1).
COAST WITH THE MOST? The ACC yesterday announced three legislative proposals that have been submitted to the NCAA as part of the recently adopted D-I autonomy process as approved by the league’s Council of Presidents. The proposals focus on the issues of cost of attendance, loss-of-value insurance and scholarships renewal. The ACC will work with the NCAA to finalize legislative language in anticipation of the January NCAA Convention (ACC).
