SEC votes to allow education-related benefits to student-athletes

The SEC voted on Thursday to allow all 14 of its members to provide education-related benefits, as well as academic-based rewards, to its student-athletes. The voted passed unanimously.

The vote comes after Alston v. NCAA, a case in which the NCAA lost, with the court stating that the schools could not bar educational-related benefits to student-athletes.

The SEC released a press release and here is part of it:

“The Alston decision granted universities the opportunity to provide student-athletes with additional education-related benefits such as computers, science equipment and musical instruments, along with direct financial support in the form of academic achievement awards, up to the legally established maximum of $5,980 per year,”

SEC presidents and chancellors decided not to set a limit or constraints on how to provide the support to student-athletes.

According to The Athletic, the University of Arkansas and University of Florida are already taking advantage of the new rule, with Arkansas announcing that their athletes would receive laptops as well as other supplies and an “academic reward” at the end of each semester based on degree benchmarks met.

Florida AD Scott Stricklin has announced that the school plans to fund all athletes, not just revenue-generating sports, per The Athletic.