The NCAA Division I BOD “approved a package of sweeping reforms” today during their meeting in Indianapolis. Conferences will “now vote on whether to add $2,000 in spending money to scholarship offers.” Individual schools will “have the option of awarding scholarships on a multiple-year basis or keeping the current model, which is done year-by-year.” The BOD also “decided to phase in” the new APR cutline over a four-year period. The 900 figure will be used for the ’12-13 season before increasing to 930 in year four. It “also adopted a measure to include the rule in bowl licensing agreements” (AP, 10/27).
SI’s Stewart Mandel wrote on his Twitter feed, “Say what you will about NCAA changes, the fact they went from discussion to approval in 2 months is astonishing by NCAA standards.” CBSSports.com’s Brian Fischer: “I want to see the actual legislation but on the surface, it does seem like schools could use multiyear scholarships as recruiting advantage." ESPN.com's Ryan McGee: "Talking w/admins at smaller schools about NCAA's new $2K rule. One said "Gap between haves & have-nots just became a canyon." ESPN's Dick Vitale: "Must recruit kids that WANT TO GRADUATE today or the NCAA plan could create a nightmare."
