CÁRDENAS PLEASED WITH “POWER 5” ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHANGE PROPOSALS
CÁRDENAS PLEASED WITH “POWER 5” ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHANGE PROPOSALS
(Washington, DC) -- U. S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D – San Fernando Valley) today applauded recommendations made by the so-called “Power 5” athletic conferences, to alter NCAA policy to better protect student-athletes. Cárdenas, who co-founded the Congressional Collegiate Student-Athlete Protection Caucus, wrote a letter last month to leaders of the Power 5 conferences and the Presidents of colleges and universities in each conference, calling on them to make major systemic changes to the academic, financial and health support given to student-athletes.
“Today, the five largest conferences in college sports have come together and announced their intention to make certain the ‘student’ portion of ‘student-athlete’ is not only respected, but protected,” said Cárdenas. “I am pleased that many of the suggestions I made will be part of the official proposal for changes. I hope these improvements are approved unanimously and are quickly put into effect.”
The Southeastern Conference, PAC 12, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten and Big XII conferences were recently given permission by the NCAA to create autonomous improvements for their programs that would become part of official NCAA regulations for the 65 schools in those conferences.
According to news reports, the changes they have called for include: Scholarships to cover full tuition; scholarships guaranteed for the full term of education; guarantees allowing student-athletes to return to complete degrees; long-term healthcare and insurance for former athletes; and increased oversight of practice schedules.
Each change was called for by Cárdenas in his letter, sent last month.
“I am still very concerned with some issues not included in these proposed improvements, including improved protection for concussions and ensuring that sexual assault charges against athletes are properly handled,” said Cárdenas. “However, this is a great step toward making certain that, as the NCAA says, student-athletes are prepared to go pro in something other than sports.”
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