U.S. Rep.
Donna Shalala is not a fan of the NCAA, and she wants Congress to make it better.
Shalala, a Miami Democrat, introduced legislation Thursday to create a two-year congressional commission with a sweeping mandate to examine the NCAA.
A former president at the University of Miami and the University of Wisconsin, in addition to Hunter College, Shalala has first-hand knowledge of the workings at major college athletics’ highest levels.
Under the legislation, introduced with Republican Rep.
Ross Spano of Florida, the
Congressional Advisory Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics would examine the links between athletics and academics, the financing of college sports, recruitment policies as well as NCAA policies on oversight, health and safety and rules enforcement.
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Why It Matters: Higher education receives over $130 billion in federal student support and are subsidizing athletic programs with little or no financial controls.
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What They're Saying: “College sports, as overseen by the NCAA, have undergone a massive transformation in recent years. As profits, compensation for coaches, and spending on luxurious athletic facilities have ballooned, the association has repeatedly failed to address systemic problems with respect to the health and well-being of student athletes."
- Shalala.
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The Big Picture: Earlier this year, Shalala told McClatchy that the NCAA has “absolutely no clout with me.” “Now the conferences have some clout with me,” she said when asked about NCAA lobbying efforts. “If the head of the ACC (
John Swofford) or
Jim Delany, who is about to step down from the Big Ten, picks up the phone and calls me, I’ll listen to them. I have far more respect for their student-centered approach than I do for the NCAA.”
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