At the end of October, the NCAA approved a wave of changes for the benefit of student-athletes, including one that would allow conferences to offer up to $2,000 extra in scholarship money to athletes each year.
Now, the fate of that new rule remains uncertain, leaving high school student-athletes hoping to receive extra scholarship money in limbo.
Ninety-seven schools have signed a petition asking the NCAA to override the measure at January’s annual NCAA convention, according to an Associated Press report from Wednesday. (Only 75 signatures were needed for the override challenge.)
If 125 schools sign the petition by Dec. 26, the new stipend will automatically be eliminated, the AP reports.
Why did the NCAA pass the stipend measure in the first place? One 2010 study from the National College Players Association estimated that athletic scholarships, which cover only tuition, room and board, and books, leave students paying roughly $3,000 out of pocket each year (depending, of course, on which school they’re attending).
After discussing the possibility of a stipend at a two-day presidents’ retreat over the summer, the NCAA board of directors implemented it on Oct. 27.
Remember, though, that just because the NCAA would allow conferences to offer the “full-cost” scholarships didn’t mean they .