College Athletes Should Be Paid

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For some, the age old debate about whether or not college athletes deserve to be paid is a familiar one. Regardless of what side one takes in this matter, the question that needs to be asked here is “why?”. Why do some athletes at the collegiate level believe that they deserve to be paid for their efforts? They are already receiving an athletic scholarship that covers their tuition, so what more could the athlete need? Well, the answer is, despite what you may think you know, there are no athletic scholarships that cover the true full cost of attending college. Going to college to get a degree has become an outstandingly expensive process in America today. Because of this, athletic departments at Division I universities are allow to give …show more content…

To put it most simply, it is the cost of living and being a student. There are much more expenses, when it comes to being a student, than just room and board, books, and tuition. An example of some of the expenses that are not covered in an athletic scholarship include: travel expenses, haircuts, clothes, entertainment, and social gatherings. All of these costs, along with several more, are vital aspects of being a college student. In some instances, the degree that a student athlete has decided to pursue will call for the student to make purchases not covered by their scholarship. When discussing what could be included in a potential yearly stipend for college athletes, Oklahoma athletics director Joe Castiglione is quoted saying, “‘It's not tuition, room and board or books, but maybe it's a musical instrument. Maybe it's access to pay for some of their laboratory experience’” (Wolken). Castiglione hits the nail right on the head. The cost of attending college is much than tuition, books, and housing. Because collegiate athletes put so much time into preparing for and playing in games, they do not have the opportunity to look for a job like the vast majority of students attending a university. Ray Glier, an Atlanta based journalist, once interviewed an offensive lineman from the University of Alabama Birmingham, Dominic Sylvester, about his experiences with affording college. In Glier’s article he has Sylvester quoted explaining, “‘Even getting the Pell Grant, there is not a lot of money left over, say, if you need a new pair of shoes, or a suit for special occasions, or even to go bowling’” (Glier). Even with a scholarship, and access to the Pell Grant, Dominic Sylvester still had difficulties affording the cost of living as a college student. He is not alone in this struggle, as many other student athletes continue to be at a disadvantage financially, because their

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