All U of MD athletes get free iPads

[LarryN]

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/blo...9bb30f31a.html

The university distributed free iPads to several athletic teams Monday night and plans to deliver the new technology to all remaining athletes on Tuesday, according to Jonathan Morgan, the Terrapins women's soccer coach.

The iPads are meant to help with studying and quicker communication between the Athletic Department and each athlete, he said.

"It’s a tool for them to study, to have internet access, for emailing, paperwork, and forms," the first-year coach said. "My girls are pretty pumped about it, to be honest."

Doesn't pretty much EVERY student at College Park need to study, have internet access, email and fill out paperwork and forms?

They cut athletic programs (Men’s cross country, men’s indoor track, men’s tennis, men’s swimming and diving, women’s swimming and diving, women’s water polo and women’s acrobatics and tumbling) for lack of funds, but they have enough to buy iPads for every athlete? I assume this will be an ongoing program, too.

What an absolute boondoggle.

[The Eternal White Belt]

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/blo...9bb30f31a.html



Doesn't pretty much EVERY student at College Park need to study, have internet access, email and fill out paperwork and forms?

They cut athletic programs (Men’s cross country, men’s indoor track, men’s tennis, men’s swimming and diving, women’s swimming and diving, women’s water polo and women’s acrobatics and tumbling) for lack of funds, but they have enough to buy iPads for every athlete? I assume this will be an ongoing program, too.

What an absolute boondoggle.

The difference is that athletes often have to be away from campus for days at a time during the semester, unlike the vast majority of undergrads. Ipads are cheaper than laptops, but I guess there are cheaper tablets available.

I will agree that the timing is poor. I'm assuming the school got a major deal on these though.

[jessup270]

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/blo...9bb30f31a.html



Doesn't pretty much EVERY student at College Park need to study, have internet access, email and fill out paperwork and forms?

They cut athletic programs (Men’s cross country, men’s indoor track, men’s tennis, men’s swimming and diving, women’s swimming and diving, women’s water polo and women’s acrobatics and tumbling) for lack of funds, but they have enough to buy iPads for every athlete? I assume this will be an ongoing program, too.

What an absolute boondoggle.

The next time your kids (students) come to you ask for money for an IPAD and your financially unable to provide one, just look at your pay stub and see that your MD income taxes paid for some needy UM athlete to have one.

[ivanbalt]

Big 10 money kicking in?

[ybnormal]

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/blo...9bb30f31a.html



Doesn't pretty much EVERY student at College Park need to study, have internet access, email and fill out paperwork and forms?

They cut athletic programs (Men’s cross country, men’s indoor track, men’s tennis, men’s swimming and diving, women’s swimming and diving, women’s water polo and women’s acrobatics and tumbling) for lack of funds, but they have enough to buy iPads for every athlete? I assume this will be an ongoing program, too.

What an absolute boondoggle.

Almost as bad a boondoggle as everyone that pays for a cell phone and its use gets to pay for those that "claim" they're poor and can't afford one each and every month of the year. Scam #32.

[bmore_ken]

Big 10 money kicking in?

Seems kind of soon for that doesn't it?

[Brohan]

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/blo...9bb30f31a.html



Doesn't pretty much EVERY student at College Park need to study, have internet access, email and fill out paperwork and forms?

They cut athletic programs (Men’s cross country, men’s indoor track, men’s tennis, men’s swimming and diving, women’s swimming and diving, women’s water polo and women’s acrobatics and tumbling) for lack of funds, but they have enough to buy iPads for every athlete? I assume this will be an ongoing program, too.

What an absolute boondoggle.

Are you the guy that decided everyone should get a trophy for participating?

Those athletes make money for the school....welcome to the real world.

[Brohan]

The next time your kids (students) come to you ask for money for an IPAD and your financially unable to provide one, just look at your pay stub and see that your MD income taxes paid for some needy UM athlete to have one.

More like some family from new jersey bought those iPads. Maryland has the fewest seats reserved for in state students of any flagship univ. in the country.

[LarryN]

Are you the guy that decided everyone should get a trophy for participating?

That's exactly what's happening.

[ivanbalt]

Seems kind of soon for that doesn't it?

Maybe they got a huge loan with that as collateral.

[BiggSeth]

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/blo...9bb30f31a.html



Doesn't pretty much EVERY student at College Park need to study, have internet access, email and fill out paperwork and forms?

They cut athletic programs (Men’s cross country, men’s indoor track, men’s tennis, men’s swimming and diving, women’s swimming and diving, women’s water polo and women’s acrobatics and tumbling) for lack of funds, but they have enough to buy iPads for every athlete? I assume this will be an ongoing program, too.

What an absolute boondoggle.

....and how many of these athletic programs (especially the "womens" variety had a positive revenue stream over the past decade?

[musicmd]

The next time your kids (students) come to you ask for money for an IPAD and your financially unable to provide one, just look at your pay stub and see that your MD income taxes paid for some needy UM athlete to have one.

How are your taxes involved.

[LarryN]

Although this explains the program and the funding more clearly, I'd still be curious to know what those funds were used for in the past or how other schools use the funds:

http://www.umterps.com/genrel/021213aaa.html

The University of Maryland athletics department recently distributed iPads that it purchased for student-athletes using the NCAA Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund.

The NCAA Student-Athlete Opportunity fund is specific in its purpose and intended to provide direct benefits to student-athletes. This funding is primarily utilized for educational expenses and fees, institutional academic enhancements, and medical expenses.

These funds provided by the NCAA are to be used only as a direct benefit to student-athletes and can not be used for other purposes. Often times the fund is used for educational purposes, as it was in this case. It cannot be applied to a general fund or in the case of the University of Maryland to reinstate athletic programs.

Also, it isn't clear if a student-athlete must return the iPad upon graduation.

[Wes]

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/blo...9bb30f31a.html



Doesn't pretty much EVERY student at College Park need to study, have internet access, email and fill out paperwork and forms?

They cut athletic programs (Men’s cross country, men’s indoor track, men’s tennis, men’s swimming and diving, women’s swimming and diving, women’s water polo and women’s acrobatics and tumbling) for lack of funds, but they have enough to buy iPads for every athlete? I assume this will be an ongoing program, too.

What an absolute boondoggle.

Did you know that scholarship athletes are not able to have jobs?

[bmorepunk]

Although this explains the program and the funding more clearly, I'd still be curious to know what those funds were used for in the past or how other schools use the funds:

http://www.umterps.com/genrel/021213aaa.html


Also, it isn't clear if a student-athlete must return the iPad upon graduation.

From the guidelines for the fund:

Examples of permissible uses of the fund (list is not exhaustive):
Educational Expenses and Fees
ƒ Summer School.
ƒ Fifth or Sixth Year Aid.
ƒ Postgraduate Scholarship.
ƒ Postgraduate or Internship Fees.
ƒ International Student Fees and Taxes.
ƒ Graduate School Exam Fees.
ƒ Professional Program Testing.
ƒ Expendable Supplies.
ƒ Educational Supplies (e.g. laptop computers, cameras).
ƒ Other Educational expenses OR Additional SASAF Funding for Academic Course
Supplies.
Health and Safety Expenses
ƒ Insurance Premiums for Student
Page No. 3 -Athletes.
ƒ Supplemental Insurance.
ƒ Medical Expenses for Student-Athletes (not covered by another insurance program for
student-athletes not eligible for SAF). SAOF Guidelines
________
ƒ Dental/Vision Expenses for Student-Athletes (not covered by another insurance program
for student-athletes not eligible for SAF).
ƒ Medical Expenses for Student-Athletes’ Spouses/Dependents.
ƒ Other Health and Safety Expenses OR Supplemental SASAF Funding for Medical and
Dental Expenses.
Personal or Family Expenses
ƒ Clothing Allowance or Enhancement of Clothing Allowance from Special Assistance
Fund.
ƒ Additional Student-Athlete Travel Home.
ƒ Emergency Travel for Student-Athletes, Spouses and/or Dependents.
ƒ Emergency Expenses for Student-Athletes, Spouses and/or Dependents.
ƒ Travel Expenses for Family Members to be present as a Student-Athlete is honored.
ƒ Travel Expenses for Team Members being honored by Governmental Body.
ƒ Other Personal/Family Expenses OR Supplemental SASAF Funding for Clothing and
Essential Expenses or Student-Athlete & Family Emergency Expenditures.
Institutional Academic or Programming Enhancements
ƒ Academic Achievement or Graduation Awards.
ƒ Academic Support Services.
ƒ Other Academic or Programming Expenses.

This fund was set up out of a lawsuit against the NCAA five years ago to take care of student athletes, including ones who got injured and couldn't play (lost scholarship) or needed an extra year to finish school. The fund itself is good because it makes the NCAA and schools spend some of their massive amount of income on athletes instead of economically benefiting from them and giving them so little in return.

[ivanbalt]

Did you know that scholarship athletes are not able to have jobs?

Really? Seems pretty stupid.

[LarryN]

Really? Seems pretty stupid.

It's probably so a wealthy booster can't give an athlete a "job" (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). It's a case of a few potentially bad apples ruining it for everybody.