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Pac-12, Big Ten commissioners talk autonomy plans

By WTOP Staff

ANTONIO GONZALEZ
AP Sports Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott and Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany believe it’s time for the NCAA model to change and for autonomy to be given to the five major football conferences.

They’re not alone, either.

Two of college football’s biggest powerbrokers spoke out on the topic Wednesday during an event in downtown San Francisco to promote the bowl game at the new 49ers’ stadium. The upgraded bowl will be played between teams from the Pac-12 and Big Ten on Dec. 30 in Santa Clara.

Scott said there is “broad support” to let schools from the five major conferences — which also includes the SEC, ACC and Big 12 — decide how their own legislative process works in many areas affecting their athletes. Delany said “I hope we can develop some momentum and act, and act in a way that maybe we haven’t been able to act over the last 25 years.”

The public calls for action come after Pac-12 university presidents sent a letter to their colleagues at the other major football conferences last week formalizing plans for sweeping changes to the NCAA model and autonomy for those leagues. A copy of the letter was first obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Spurred in part by Northwestern football players’ move to unionize, the Pac-12 presidents’ plan for reform includes many proposals commissioners have been advocating for several years, including a stipend for athletes. The NCAA is working on a new governance structure that will allow the five wealthiest conferences to make some rules without the support of smaller Division I schools.

“The letter represents a sense of urgency that our presidents have,” Scott said. “But maybe more importantly, our desire to be really, really clear about what we want to see happen. And we want to make sure that we have alignment among conferences. We don’t want to go through this governance reform process and get autonomy and wake up and find out in January that not everyone agrees. We want to know now. And we want to tell the world now what we want to do.”

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive, who has long advocated for many of these same reforms, also said during a phone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that his conference will continue to support autonomy. The NCAA board of directors is expected to vote on restructuring in early August.

The five power conferences are seeking decision-making powers in funding the full cost of scholarships, handling health care and other areas involving their athletes. Other changes under consideration include providing money for families to travel to NCAA tournaments, more resources for academic and career counseling, creating mandatory break times from sports and relaxing transfer rules.

Scott said he doesn’t expect much pushback on the issue from schools in small and mid-major conferences. Asked if the autonomy initiative could create a bigger divide between conferences, Scott said most collegiate leaders — even those from non-major conferences — believe that idea is outdated.

“One size fits all doesn’t work anymore,” Scott said. “The conferences that can afford to and want to do more for student-athletes ought to be able to do it. I’d be a little surprised if that view were still out there.”

The push for reform is being accelerated because of the seemingly countless issues facing the NCAA right now.

Besides the movement to unionize by Northwestern football players, the NCAA is also facing litigation and possible Congressional hearings. That includes an antitrust lawsuit led by former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon and 19 other former athletes who claim the NCAA unlawfully profits off of athletes while restricting their ability to earn income while in college. The trial is scheduled to begin June 9.

One thing the commissioners can all agree on: the litigation will probably take several years — and likely several appeals — to resolve and, therefore, so will the collegiate model.

“I don’t think it’s a Democratic or Republic issue,” Delany said. “I think people have a lot of affection for college sports in America. And I think in a lot of cases they say, ‘Why don’t you guys do better?’ And I agree with that. I think that will be the challenge, whether it’s a large group or small group, to find the sweet spot — the right balance between education and athletics, entertainment, student-athlete health and welfare, and so on.”

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Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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