University of Wisconsin’s Athletic Board met Friday to address the possibility of paying student athletes and recognize the opening of the new Fetzer Student Athlete Academic Center.
According to Dale Bjorling, chair of the Athletic Board, the National Collegiate Athletic Association said in order to support their student athletics some schools will need more latency than is allowed by the strict rules and regulations. Some Division I schools are at an extreme disadvantage compared to others in the Big 10 conference because of their size, Bjorling said .
A $2,000 compensation for athletes was discussed, since participating in athletics in college provides no source of employment, Bjorling said. It is not clear how this is going to end, he said.
Bjorling said it is a major concern that student-athletes are unable to balance multiple activities. At the NCAA convention, Bjorling said he discussed adding a ‘black-out period’ into the year in which student athletes were completely shut out of their sport’s activities.
Bjorling brought up how regarding the convention there is a possibility in separating street drug and performance enhancing drug tests. Bjorling said this would result in the NCAA reducing the charges for street drugs taken by student-athletes.
Walter Dickey, staff liaison of the Athletic Board, said it reflected well upon the fundraising efforts of UW to have the Fetzer Student Athlete Academic Center opening this month. The opening of the center demonstrated UW’s support of the student-athletes on campus, he said.
