UConn opposes bill to regulate scholarships...

[huskymedic]

I didn't see this in another forum...

http://www.boston.com/news/local/co...cholarships/bB2gt3nKQN3IIDL30IUtIK/story.html

>>"HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — State lawmakers are considering a bill that would require the University of Connecticut to continue paying for the education of athletes who lose their scholarships due to injury, illness or even a coach’s decision. The bill, now before legislature’s higher education committee, is modeled after a law passed last year in California. It would require any school that receives more than $5 million through the sale of media rights to use some of that revenue to educate students who have lost athletic scholarships."<<

I get the illness/injury component but not sure I agree with those that start mailing it in on the field/court of play.

>>"But Allen Sack, a professor of sports management at the University of New Haven, said most schools, including UConn, only offer one-year renewable athletic scholarships. Students, he said, have no legal protection should a school decide not to renew that scholarship. Coaches at some schools use the threat of not renewing a scholarship to force the transfer of students that aren’t meeting their expectations on the court or playing field, he said. And a law, he said, would end that practice."<<

 

[weyuo]

If the University of New Haven wants to pay student athletes a full boat scholarship regardless of their status let them. At the same time let the University of Connecticut decide for themselves who is worthy and who is not. If the lawyers in this state are so bored that they need to dream up some more legislation to keep a few of their kind working let them at least start looking into the obvious collusion between certain D-1 football conferences and major TV sports networks. That should keep them busy for a bit.

 

[businesslawyer]

If the University of New Haven wants to pay student athletes a full boat scholarship regardless of their status let them. At the same time let the University of Connecticut decide for themselves who is worthy and who is not. If the lawyers in this state are so bored that they need to dream up some more legislation to keep a few of their kind working let them at least start looking into the obvious collusion between certain D-1 football conferences and major TV sports networks. That should keep them busy for a bit.

Huh? It's "lawyers" fault what state legislators do?

 

[junglehusky]

Huh? It's "lawyers" fault what state legislators do?

Aren't most of them lawyers?

 

[businesslawyer]

Aren't most of them lawyers?

No.

 

[uc1974]

Actually, most of them just aren't...oh, never mind.

 

[FluxTZ]

UConn scholarships are renewed on an annual basis. While I get the argument, I don't agree with it.

When you are offered a scholarship there is a mutual benefit with both parties. The school benefits by utilizing the athletes talents while the athlete benefits by utilizing the schools academic system.

When one member of the agreeing party does not hold up their end of the agreement (whether intentionally or unintentionally), the agreement is voided.

It sucks if the athlete loses out due to injury but it's still a part of the agreement.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[J187Money]

Sure. Then we should be able to sue kids that drop out or screw our APR up and cost the school millions in lost revenue. Silly.

I have no trouble enforcing a four year scholarship. The school has the choice to give it and the player can choose to go to a school with 1 or 4 year scholarships. If you go to a school with a 1 year renewable scholarship you know the deal.

 

[cohenzone]

Sort of interesting, though. Academic scholarships most often require that a certain grade point average be maintained. In that case, in theory, the student has some control over classroom performance, including course selection. In athletics, it is a little more subjective. How many on this board woof that they don't get why this player or that isn't getting more time instead of that player. And sometimes the woofers have a point. Coaches can be pretty stubborn. Academic scholarship kids have to do weird stuff to get into a profs "doghouse" and have more wiggle room with at least 5 courses a semester. If the head coach puts someone in the doghouse it can be hard to get out. Lot of discretion on the coach"a part and it can be plenty arbitrary. Not sure how I stand or if I stand on this one.

 

[Johnbuoy]

It sucks if the athlete loses out due to injury but it's still a part of the agreement.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Unless you're self-employed I trust you have a better agreement with your employer when you have an illness or injury and take off work.

 

[Palatine]

Governments do only one thing, they increase their own power unless and educated citizenry stops them.

Talk about over reaching, Geez Louise.

 

[weyuo]

My point is they can't even get the roads fixed or balance a budget yet they are gonna waste time forcing UConn into mandatory 4 year scholarships. Come on now. Just sounds like another avenue for lawyers to make money and the tax payers to lose some. Once the bill passes it won't take much to make it retroactive then the lawyers can really feast.

 

[ruskoolie]

That is so stupid I never understood the argument for basically 4 years of guaranteed scholarship money. What happens to a kid who is on academic scholarship and can't cut it? He loses his ride. I think it should be same for athletics to be honest, career ending injury/illness aside.

 

[gioff23]

According to the legislative website, the bill makes NO reference to coach's decision. The bill as proposed seems to want to protect those who suffer incapaciting ionjuries or exhaust NCAA playing requirements, are in good academic standing, but have not graduated. Of course, the benefit of being in the conference w/o a name is that we likely fall short of the 5MM min in media rights! Sorry if effort to try and introduce facts here quells conversation ....

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2013) A public institution of higher education that receives, through the sale of media rights, revenue in an amount of not less than five million dollars per year shall use such revenue to provide academic scholarships to any student athlete (1) whose athletic scholarship is not renewed after the student athlete suffers an incapacitating injury or illness resulting from participation in the institution's interscholastic athletic program, or (2) who has exhausted his or her National Collegiate Athletic Association athletic eligibility, but is still in good academic standing and pursuing a degree.

 

[gioff23]

Oh, and as for the sponsor of the bill ....

He received his J.D. Degree in 1985 from the University of Connecticut School of Law and, since his admission to the Connecticut Bar in 1985, he has been engaged in the general practice of law. He is a partner in the law firm of Keyes & Looney. He is also a practitioner in residence with the Criminal Justice Program in the Department of Public Safety at the University of New Haven in West Haven and is an adjunct faculty member in the Political Science Department at Quinnipiac University in Hamden.

 

[huskymedic]

According to the legislative website, the bill makes NO reference to coach's decision. The bill as proposed seems to want to protect those who suffer incapaciting ionjuries or exhaust NCAA playing requirements, are in good academic standing, but have not graduated. Of course, the benefit of being in the conference w/o a name is that we likely fall short of the 5MM min in media rights! Sorry if effort to try and introduce facts here quells conversation ....

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2013) A public institution of higher education that receives, through the sale of media rights, revenue in an amount of not less than five million dollars per year shall use such revenue to provide academic scholarships to any student athlete (1) whose athletic scholarship is not renewed after the student athlete suffers an incapacitating injury or illness resulting from participation in the institution's interscholastic athletic program, or (2) who has exhausted his or her National Collegiate Athletic Association athletic eligibility, but is still in good academic standing and pursuing a degree.

Agreed - That is just a draft bill (SB205) - It may never be voted out of the joint High Education committee but bears watching for attempts @ amendments: "Looney said he’s not aware of UConn ever dropping a student because of injury, but wants to make sure it never happens. He said he also supports adding language to the bill that would ensure athletes don’t lose scholarships simply to make way for better athletes."

It also appears to have a potential impact on APR calcs... WM Testimony which may be the greater motive for UConn's commentary.

"For teams awarding institutional financial aid, the Academic Progress Rate (APR) cohort is comprised of student-athletes who received institutional financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability and are enrolled full time as of the institution's official census date. Institutions would be required to include non-counters, or individuals who have exhausted their eligibility and would receive institutional athletics aid in their fifth year based on this proposed bill, as part of their APR cohort. Without having the discretion to determine which student-athletes should and should not receive institutional aid after they have exhausted their eligibility, an institution would be forced to include a student-athlete in their APR whom could contribute negatively to a current teams score and impact such things as play/practice hours, scholarship limitations and opportunities for post season play."

Someone has an agenda...

 

[MilliniumPrince]

This is long overdue. I would limit the scope to injury cases, but I this is the right thing to do.

 

[Kgun7]

Maybe somebody knows an instance where a player lost his scholarship due to injury because I can't think of one. The only situation I can remember is Joe Akers ... and Edsall was pretty clear that he would honor all 4 years.

 

[Samoo]

Governments do only one thing, they increase their own power unless and educated citizenry stops them.

Talk about over reaching, Geez Louise.

So I assume you'll be boycotting the Interstate Highway System, Rentschler Field, the internet and Tang.

 

[IMind]

Governments do only one thing, they increase their own power unless and educated citizenry stops them.

Talk about over reaching, Geez Louise.

Shouldn't you be holding up a misspelled sign at some rally some where?

 

[Husky25]

This is long overdue. I would limit the scope to injury cases, but I this is the right thing to do.

If I understand this correctly, I not sure I agree. Not only is there no consideration owed by the former student-athlete, but his free education now must be absorbed by the rest of the tuition paying student body. The University is going to recoup the value of the scholarship, with little regard from where it come. You can count on that.

Plus what about the fringe player or one that loses interest in the sport or team? Wouldn't they be able to milk a fabricated injury and ride it all the way to a degree?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

As usual with Looney, good intentions, disastrous unintended consequences.

Let the institutions police this on their own.

 

[FluxTZ]

Unless you're self-employed I trust you have a better agreement with your employer when you have an illness or injury and take off work.

Fair point.

 

[Rumrunner]

The silver lining is that depending upon how the IMG contract is apportioned between media rights (radio, coaching shows) and marketing rights, there's a good chance that UConn won't reach the threshold $5m in media revenue, and thus the statute would be inapplicable to UConn.

 

[huskymedic]

The silver lining is that depending upon how the IMG contract is apportioned between media rights (radio, coaching shows) and marketing rights, there's a good chance that UConn won't reach the threshold $5m in media revenue, and thus the statute would be inapplicable to UConn.

They will just lower the threshold in the next draft...

"The bill is authored by the majority leader in the state Senate, Martin Looney, who acknowledged the target is UConn."