At Tuesday’s Academic Senate meeting, many student athletes came to support the “Resolution in support of early registration for student athletes” proposed by Associated Students, Inc. (ASI). The meeting began with the Speaker of the Faculty/Chair of the Academic Senate Dr. Mark Thompson approving the Agenda for the meeting.
ASI President Nicole Larson motioned to amend the agenda to add Student Athlete Early Registration as the first reading item, but was ruled out of order because the topic was up for discussion on the Senate Executive Committee (SEC) agenda, as stated by Thompson.
Larson then voted to not approve the agenda for the meeting and went on to explain why the topic of student athlete early registration is urgent.
In her argument Larson stated that new National Collegiate Athlete Association (NCAA) legislation makes it difficult for student athletes to take the required classes and be able to participate in sports teams.
The new NCAA regulations mandate that student athletes pass 12 units in one semester instead of 24 over the span of an academic year, also now 9 of those units must be degree applicable instead of six per semester.
With the current two-pass enrollment system that California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State) utilizes, athletes will find it difficult to register for degree applicable courses.
Larson pointed out that Stan State is the only college in the California Collegiate Athletic Association that does not offer early or priority registration to student athletes.
Student athletes are required to commit to a minimum of 20 hours to their university sanction to maintain student athlete status.
Faculty are accommodating students athletes so that that can make up class activities that they may miss due their athletic schedules.
The change in the registration will benefit the general population of students because there will be more enrollment space since athletes are currently registering for classes they don’t need, only to be enrolled in the 12 unit requirement. Student athletes make up less than three percent of the Stan State population, Larson said.
She proposed to request support from the academic senators to not approve the agenda because it did not address the time sensitive issue of priority registration for student athletes.
Her objection to the agenda was not granted and the Academic Senate meeting went on to discuss the items that were calendered for the meeting.
During the Open Forum portion of the meeting, athletic department staff and student athletes spoke up about the topic of early registration for student athletes before the meeting was adjourned.
Early Registration for student athletes will be discussed by the SEC before it is discussed by the Academic Senate Committee.
The full minutes of the April 26 meeting will be posted online on the Academic Senate website. The next Academic Senate meeting will be held May 10 in the John Stuart Rogers Faculty Development Center. The Academic Senate meetings are open meetings for anyone to attend.
