By Embele Awipi

Pacific Ten Conference commissioner Tom Hansen is a busy man. He has a huge autumn coming up as various issues are on the table. These issues not only effect the conference but the NCAA as a whole. Of primary concern is California Bill 193, which will be voted on in the California Legislature in January. Bill 193 could open up Pandora’s box as it relates to the state of California and the NCAA. The big point in the bill is student athletes would get an extra $500-$1000 monthly to defray their living expenses. Similar legislation has been proposed in Nebraska with other states possibly to follow. The NCAA’s current guidelines would make any California school who follows the rule ineligible. A point that is according to Commissioner Hansen “of grave concern to us right now.” 

There are 47 NCAA members (all divisions) in the state that could be busted for violating the NCAA’s financial aid rules. Hansen stated the conference is “vigorously opposed to (Bill 193). In order to talk with the legislators and have all the California colleges participate in discussing it, we are going to have a summit at Stanford on the 28^th of October.” 

“It’s a critical bill. I don’t think several of the sponsors of the bill truly understand the dire consequences that could come with the passing of that bill. We’re working very hard to educate members of the assembly about the potential dangers to California colleges. Add to the fact that none of our members could participate in the final four or the Rose Bowl. Eventually with those kinds of conditions, California High school graduates would leave California to participate in college athletics because the opportunity would be denied for them here.”  

NCAA President Myles Brand will also be in attendance on October 28^th at Stanford. It will be just another day in the busy fall season for the new NCAA president. Last week, he attended a congressional hearing regarding the unfairness in the Bowl Championship Series to the other half of Division 1-A schools not in the Big Six leagues. On Monday, the discussion continued as President Brand, Tulane President Scott Cowen, and the BCS oversight committee met in Chicago to further discuss the system. Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer is the Pacific 10’s representative at that meeting. Cowen has led the charge for an overhaul of the BCS, which last week’s congressional committee echoed in its comments. 

It will be a critical few months for Division 1-A and its members with these two big issues at the forefront of the reform movement. 

Embele Awipi is a host on ESPN Radio 540 and KNRY 1240AM. He can be reached at embo1240@yahoo.com

Originally published Monday, September 8, 2003