The first step to reforming college sports won’t be taken by the much-scrutinized NCAA, but by universities themselves.
Taking the initiative to promote change within the NCAA on a conference level was a central theme by panelists at a UNC discussion Tuesday night on reform in college sports.
The University still awaits the NCAA’s verdict on its football program in response to allegations of improper academic assistance from a tutor, failures of institutional oversight and impermissible benefits to players issued last summer.
Tuesday’s panel did not focus on the investigation, but instead speculated on a broad array of possible changes nationally, united by the agreement that universities will benefit from leading the charge.
Suggested future scenarios included paying student athletes up to $50,000 in salaries, a salary cap and even the eventual disintegration of the NCAA.
Former UNC-system president Bill Friday channeled his experience as one of the founding co-chairmen of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics to discuss ways that universities can band together.
“Several big-time schools have got to sit down together and say this deterioration in intercollegiate athletics has got to stop,” Friday said.
Panelist Charles Clotfelter, a Duke University professor and author of a book about big-time college sports, said reform needs to be university-driven.
“If you want reform, don’t look first at ESPN,” he said.