The foundation of the NCAA has always been the welfare of
student-athletes. At the 106th annual convention last week, members
from all three divisions met to discuss the pressing issues in intercollegiate
athletics.
America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen attended the
convention and shared some of the latest decisions and updates. As a member of
the Leadership Council, Huchthausen as well as the other representatives,
approved the final components of the men’s basketball recruiting model. They
adopted recommendations permitting summer access, allowing coaches to work with
their student-athletes during summer months while still meeting academic benchmarks.
The Council also approved on-campus evaluations, allowing prospective
student-athletes to try out if they meet certain criteria.
Furthermore, the Division I Board of Directors reaffirmed its
support for a $2,000 miscellaneous expense allowance, but directed the
Student-Athlete Well-Being working group to come back with other recommendations
for implementation. The hope is to continue to support the concept but develop
a model to help the student-athletes that need it the most.
Other hot topics that were discussed were agents, multi-year
scholarships, and a reduction in the number of contests allowed. All of these
topics will continue to be reviewed in the near future.
Curtis Schickner, a UMBC student-athlete, serves as America
East’s national SAAC representative and was elected to act as the Vice Chair of
Division I SAAC at the convention. Commissioner Huchthausen commented on how
important the national SAAC representatives are at both a local and national
level.
“It’s quite impressive to watch those
young people stand up in front of the room or in a meeting or general Division
I session and provide their opinions and perspectives on whatever the policy or
legislative recommendations are being discussed and the membership respects
what their opinion is.”
Commissioner
Huchthausen believes NCAA President Mark Emmert is moving the membership
in the right direction. “It is a bureaucratic process but the membership is
committed to change. It’s important that everyone has the chance to be part of
that process.”
Check out this feature to hear what the America East
Commissioner, Amy Huchthausen, and national SAAC representative Curtis
Schickner have to say about their roles at the NCAA Convention.
For more information on convention news and national topics
visit http://www.ncaa.com/news/ncaa/article/2012-01-13/ncaa-convention-coverage