The winds of change are blowing in the NCAA, but LSU Chancellor Michael Martin doesn’t agree with all the moves.
NCAA President and former LSU Chancellor Mark Emmert said Monday during a conference with the Knight Commission that he plans to bring a proposal to the board of directors that would grant student-athletes an extra $2,000 on top of scholarships to cover the full cost of attendance at the University.
The Knight Commission is a group formed in 1989 by university presidents and chancellors to combat the growing scandals in college sports. The group, of which Martin is a member, met in Washington, D.C., on Monday to present several recommendations to Emmert.
Martin expressed his disapproval with Emmert’s proposal, which each conference will vote on. Martin said when the vote comes to the Southeastern Conference, he will reject it.
“Mark knows I disagree,” Martin said. “I’m not sure what $2,000 does. I’m not sure it’s going to stop any cheating. I’m not sure that it’s fair. I’m not sure that there aren’t some programs out there, for which an additional $2,000 per student-athlete wouldn’t break their me.”
Martin said conference realignment dominated the discussion during Emmert’s meeting with the Knight Commission.
Martin believes conference realignment has become chaotic and irrational. Martin said Emmert tried to address concerns about the issue, but admitted the NCAA president has little control over the issue.
“Conference realignment and the BCS are two of the major things over which the NCAA has almost no control,” Martin said. “So while he can express his opinion as part of the NCAA, the ability of the NCAA right now to do much about it is pretty money.”
 
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