IU Athletics made history today with their announcement of a Student-Athlete Bill of Rights.
The Bill gives IU athletes, current and former, some unprecedented rights in college athletics, including lifetime degree guarantees and a four-year scholarship commitment.
Athletic Director Fred Glass announced the 10-point document that is a first of its kind.
“While no other school has done this,” Glass said, “We hope that others will follow for the betterment of the student-athlete experience.”
Several points in the Bill of Rights make this document a landmark in student athlete rights.
The lifetime degree guarantees make it so that any IU athlete that has to leave school early for a family emergency, pursuit of a career in professional athletics or any other reason may return to complete an undergraduate degree, the document said.
The only stipulations to the lifetime degree guarantee are that a student was eligible for two years, left the University in good standing and did not transfer.
Most schools issue scholarships on a year-to-year basis. So if a player gets hurt or if a coach is not happy with their performance, they could theoretically not grant the player a scholarship.
That is no more with the Bill of Rights for IU athletes. Every full head count scholarship student athlete, regardless of performance or ability, will be granted a four-year scholarship to give them time to complete their degree.
Student athletes will now have a say in head coaching and athletic director hiring under the “Collective Voice” point in the document.
IU will do more for the student-athlete’s cost of education. Full scholarship athletes will have their tuition, room and board, books and fees paid for.
Athletes will receive, “a miscellaneous expense allowance to cover the full cost of attendance.”
To “enhance their academic and athletic experience,” student-athletes will also receive iPads, which they can keep after their time at IU.
“We are thrilled that our administration included us in the process of creating the Bill of Rights,” Field Hockey player Nicole Volgraf said, who was involved in the process. “And on a personal note, it was great that we got to pick out the iPads."
