NCAA finally comes through for its athletes

Darren Ivy is a sophomore news-editorial major, Daily Nebraskan copy editor and sports assignment reporter.

I didn't know it was possible, but the NCAA (No Concern About its Athletes) finally did something to benefit athletes.

With the NCAA Division I Board of Director's passing of Proposition 62 April 21, athletes who are on scholarship can now work during the school year and earn up to $2,000 more than the value of a full scholarship.

The athletes can work at jobs lined up by the athlete, boosters and athletic department.

As a nonscholarship athlete, this rule doesn't affect me, but it will have a big impact on many of my teammates and friends who are athletes.

Before the passing of this bill, athletes on scholarship couldn't get paid for doing work during the school year.

So they were basically slaves to their athletic departments and the NCAA.

Sure athletes earned full-ride scholarships, but they weren't given the same opportunities as normal students. They were basically signing away four years of being a regular human being so they could play a sport they loved.

This doesn't seem fair.

People need to realize athletes are the ones who bring in millions of dollars to the university.

Playing in national championship games on television before millions of people is a better selling tool for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln than any other method.

Because of these athletes, many students can take pride in Cornhusker athletic teams.

So don't we owe these athletes the opportunity to work?

I think so.

Granted, most athletes don't have time to work, but why should the ones who have time be punished?

Isn't college supposed to prepare students, including athletes, for the real world? It's hard to build resumes if you can't work for nine months of the year.

Working for free to gain experience is not feasible for athletes because their time is very valuable.

By allowing them to work, the NCAA is saying it cares about its athletes' futures.

The downside of the rule change is that it will be hard to enforce. Many athletes are already taking advantage of the current system.

I am hopeful the rule can be enforced and won't be abused.

In the meantime, athletes can celebrate this victory and wait for the next round.

The number of athletes who will take advantage of the rule change will probably be small, but at least they now will have the same opportunity as every other student in college.