By Aaron Price, Michael Burke, and Will Monty
Contributing Writer, Staff Writers
sports.asp@gmail.com
Dec. 15, 2014
Photo from UAlbany Athletics
Peter Hooley is one of many international athletes at UAlbany.
Despite a recent NCAA rule change allowing Division I athletes to receive unlimited meals and snacks, the University at Albany is still looking into ways to provide additional nutritional benefits for its athletes without increasing the Student Intercollegiate Fee.
The NCAA decision came soon after the University of Connecticut won the 2014 men’s basketball National Championship. Their star-player, Shabazz Napier said, “Some nights I go to bed starving.” His comment fueled those in favor of expanding the privileges of student-athletes.
UAlbany currently allows its student-athletes on full scholarship to receive a free standard meal plan and free housing. If the student-athlete chooses to live off campus, they’re given a refund equal to the standard meal plan and housing costs. This is how they would pay for groceries and rent.
For student-athletes on part-time scholarship the funds are adjusted according to the scholarship’s worth.
“Some athletes take a full meal plan because they don’t want to deal with buying groceries and cooking. The value given to the student athlete is the same amount [as it would be] for any student,” UAlbany Deputy Athletic Director Rick Coe said.
According to Coe, a large portion of the scholarship fund comes from the Intercollegiate Athletics Fee, a $ 275.50 per semester charge for students enrolled in 12 or more credits.
An increase in the Intercollegiate Fee is not something that is on the table.
“Anything we look at would be within the resources we already have. If there is an ability within our own budget to provide nutrition bars or juice, we will try to look if that is possible,” Coe said.
Some student-athletes say they don’t feel they aren’t adequately fed and would welcome any additional meal benefits.
“Personally speaking, we only get pocket change to eat when we go away, which is in the spring semester. Throughout fall [semester] we get close to no [additional] food at all, unless we find voluntary opportunities and they serve food there. Besides that we are on our own,” said Andy Nicolas, a member of the men’s track and field team. “I would like them to provide a special meal plan for athletes, if not provide athletes with special benefits when it comes to getting meals.”
Peter Hooley, a member of the men’s basketball team and Australian native, said international students receive even less than non-international students. “Unfortunately all my refunded money for food gets lost in international tax and insurance so I don’t get any back. It is different for non-international players as they get plenty of money back from the school for food.”
Some wonder why it seems the NCAA is in the business of giving unfunded mandates. The answer may lie in a recent NCAA decision that gave the Power Five Conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) in NCAA Division I Athletics autonomy.
In Coe’s opinion, not all NCAA Division I decisions affect schools equally. “The Power Five has greater funds to handle snacks for student-athletes. They [NCAA] make decisions for the big-schools, and leave it up to the schools with smaller resources to decide if they have the funds to do it,” Coe said.
