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Special Report: Unions for College AthletesThe jury is still out – so to speak – when it comes to whether college athletes should be able to join a union and “change the landscape of American amateur sports.” The debate started grabbing national news headlines when the National Labor Relations Board ruled last March that Northwestern University athletes should be able to form a union because they are legally considered employees. Northwestern is in the midst of appealing that decision, but the ruling still allowed the school’s 76 football players to cast ballots last April. It is unknown how many people voted since the results are sealed and under heavy security until the appeal is either upheld or denied.Contrary to popular belief, the College Athletes Professional Association (CAPA) is not advocating for universities to start issuing paychecks. The organization is fighting for medical coverage for current/former players, a trust fund for players graduating on time, increasing athletic scholarships and allowing compensation for commercial sponsorships, and ensuring due process rights on potential rules violations. Kain Colter, the Northwestern quarterback who helped lead the effort, says, “It is important that players have a seat at the table when it comes to issues that affect their well-being” (Tarm, 2014). Peter Ohr, NLRB regional director, referenced several examples to support his conclusion, according to Ben Strauss & Steve Eder with The New York Times. Ohr pointed out athletes spend 40 to 50 hours a week on football duties during the season. He explained, “Not only is this more hours than many undisputed full-time employees work at their jobs, it is also many more hours than the players spend on their studies.” He also said players are recruited for their athletic abilities, not their academics. The athletes were required to follow guidelines: drug testing, accepting Facebook friend requests from coaches, live in designated residential halls, eat certain meals at specific times, and whether they could buy a vehicle (Tarm, 2014). The National Collegiate Athletic Association was quick to issue a disagreement with the ruling. The NCAA’s chief legal officer, Donald Remy, told ESPN’s Lester Munson, “Whatever concerns or issues one may have with college athletics, turning student-athletes into employees and changing the relationship between students and their universities is certainly not the answer.”The expenses associated with letting athletes unionize are a big concern. Jeremy Fowler with CBS Sports found an athletic department must cover unemployment insurance, workers compensation, disability insurance, and FICA with all standard employees. Three athletic directors told him those costs are at least 20% of a worker’s salary. He cited the U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Colleges” rankings for determining the average FBS private school scholarship is $40,152. “Twenty percent of that is $8,030. That number times 85 scholarship players equals $682,550 per year during eligibility, with the promise of post-career insurance at $510,000 annually,” he explained.Who is going to fork over all that extra money? As Patrick Harker, a former University of Pennsylvania football player, wrote in an opinion piece in The New York Times, “Only about 10 percent of Division I college sports programs turn a profit, and most of them, like our $28 million athletic program at the University of Delaware, lose money.” He explained institutions would be under constant pressure to make cuts as costs increase, like eliminating certain programs, delaying orders for new equipment, and scheduling less away games. Governor Rick Synder signed a bill into law in December banning athletes at private universities in Michigan from unionizing (Neff, 2014). Snyder’s office says the measure emphasizes students should be focused on their academics. Neff found other supporters say the law will protect regular students from paying higher tuition rates to finance players’ salaries.While the case is undecided, the conversation continues to dominate the national media. The Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, Southeastern Conference, and Atlantic Coast Conference passed reforms in the last year guaranteeing four-year scholarships to student athletes. Harker suggested young athletes wanting paychecks should go after the National Football League and National Basketball Association. The governing bodies currently ban high school players from turning pro. President Barack Obama voiced his support for full-ride scholarships and better health coverage in a Huffington Post interview in March. He said, “You’ve got to make sure that if they get injured while they’re playing that they’re covered.”Either way you look at it, the current system is ineffective. Universities across the country should take advantage of the time they have while waiting for a decision. They should be utilizing their time right now to become prepared to allow students to unionize or find new, more effective ways to satisfy athletes. Compromises will have to be made to ensure future success in the highly demanding market of collegiate athletics.ReferencesFowler, J. (2014, April 21). Players as employees? High costs of college football union is in millions. Retrieved May 2, 2015, from , P. (2014, April 1). Student athletes shouldn’t unionize. Retrieved May 2, 2015, from , D. (2015, March 21). Obama calls on NCAA to rethink the way it protects and punishes athletes. Retrieved May 2, 2015, from , L. (2014, April 26). NU players cast secret ballots. Retrieved May 2, 2015, from , B. (2014, December 31). Michigan bans student athlete unions. Retrieved May 2, 2015, from , B., & Eder, S. (2014, March 26). College players granted right to form union. Retrieved May 2, 2015, from , M. (2014, March 27). NLRB rules college athletes are employees, can form unions. Retrieved May 2, 2015, from ................
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