With the NCAA’s new structure of autonomy for the power five conferences taking shape, NCAA president Mark Emmert thinks the conferences should have certain priorities as the transition takes place.
According to the Associated Press, Emmert, while speaking at Western Connecticut State University, said the conferences should “prioritize the establishment of guaranteed scholarships, better insurance for student-athletes, new rules for dealing with agents and better concussion protocols” first and foremost.
The issue of full cost of attendance for student-athletes is especially important for Emmert, as well as the ability for student-athletes to pursue professional athletics and still return to school to finish their degree.
“Some notion of a scholarship that covers a bachelor’s degree and not a year-to-year commitment is going to be really critical,” he said.
When it comes to health for student-athletes, Emmert said students should not have to pay out of pocket to cover heath expenses. Though he declined to comment on the Shane Morris situation at Michigan, Emmert also thinks every team should have a medical professional on the sideline whose sole responsibility is to monitor concussions.
“And when those aren’t followed, we need to explore how we hold people accountable for doing it, and there is not a system for doing that now,” Emmert said.
Additionally, on the subject of players interacting with agents, Emmert thinks conferences should loosen those rules because they are not helpful for athletes when deciding whether to go pro or stay in school.
"It's hard to figure out what your market value really is without 'professionalizing' yourself, and the whole nature of those relationships needs to be reconsidered, " he said.
The NCAA Board of Directors approved a plan for the schools in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC to have greater autonomy on issues that “enhance the well-being of student-athletes.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - NCAA president Mark Emmert has suggestions for power five conferences in transition toward autonomy
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