Champaign School Board approves softball renovations, house demolition
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign School Board approved the design and estimate plans for renovations to Centennial High School's softball field.
The approval comes after Title IX advocates shined a light on the difference between Centennial's softball and baseball fields. WCIA reported that the differences in the baseball and softball fields were brought up last March.
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During Monday night's board meeting, district officials said the softball field was outdated and needed improvements. The board approved the over $1 million project with four members voting yes, one voting no and one abstaining from the vote.
The improvements to the field will include elevated score boxes, a concessions area, a public address system, enclosed dugouts with storage and field lighting.
The money will come from referendum funding and the county school facility tax funding.
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District officials said that the next step in the process is going out to bid. Then, the bids will be reviewed in March. Officials also said they are hopeful that construction will begin this summer.
After the softball renovations were approved, the board turned to their next agenda item. They discussed whether to approve the demolition of a house next to Franklin STEAM Academy, located at 714 W Harvard St.
The district bought the house in 2015, where it has been used for storage and staff use. Now however, staff are being moved out because it has become, 'not suitable for use as a staff workplace.' The roof needs to be replaced, the basement floods and the house has become a drain on the district.
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District officials proposed demolishing the house and using the space for staff parking. They estimate it will cost $95,000 and will use funds from the county school facility tax.
The board unanimously approved the project. Next steps include seeking proposals for asbestos abatement, which they hope to start by the end of February. Then, the plan is to demolish the house as soon as the ground thaws.
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Fox Sports
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As the leader of this new enforcement arm, Seeley is tasked with building out "the organization's investigative and enforcement teams and [overseeing] all of its ongoing operations and stakeholder relationships." This includes the enforcement of new rules surrounding revenue sharing and third-party NIL deals, the ramifications of which are certain to make Seeley one of the most powerful figures in collegiate athletics. Greg Sankey, SEC: "We did want an individual — whoever that may be — with significant experience working in the areas that would be on the agenda from Day 1. So you think about rules implementation, rules development, adjustments, issues around arbitration that are built into the settlement terms. ... We had a broad search effort, engaged a search firm, and that process went through a round of Zoom interviews and then a set of in-person interviews, and Bryan rose to the top. 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Jim Phillips, ACC: "We're in the process of developing some of those rules and structure, overall implementation of that. Now that we have Bryan [Seeley] on board, I think we'll be able to move a little bit quicker. But we want to get this right. And it's one of the areas that, again, until you have somebody leading the College Sports Commission, it's difficult to get together with that individual and to start some of that framework that may be in place. But nothing to date, right now, that we're ready to come forward with [as far as punishments]. I think all of us right now have some ideas. We've had numerous conversations about that. But this ultimately will be under Bryan's purview and he needs to be an active participant, and will be, in the creation of what these new rules and boundaries are." 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Building on that premise, there are scores of coaches, administrators, agents, lawyers and legal experts who harbor reservations about what the College Sports Commission can reasonably accomplish in an environment that, to some, is beginning to resemble the plugging of a large-scale dam with ever-weakening pieces of duct tape. The conference commissioners were asked how they're selling the importance of following these new rules to their constituents. Brett Yormark, Big 12: "I addressed that with our coaches last week, and I often say it's 'progress over perfection.' There will be challenges that we'll deal with. But over time, we'll meet those challenges and we'll address them appropriately. But I am very confident in Bryan, Deloitte, LBi Software, the new model that's in place, that we have a bright future in collegiate athletics. I'll also say that our schools want rules, and we're providing rules, and we'll be governed by those rules. And if you break those rules, the ramifications will be punitive." Jim Phillips, ACC: "What's not debatable is that this new model does bring stability and fairness to student-athletes and college sports. And we've been in an unregulated environment with no rules and no enforcement. It has paralyzed the NCAA in Indianapolis, and we're responsible for certainly some of that. We're now going to have a foundation and structure of laying out those rules. The new structure provides our student-athletes with more opportunities and benefits than ever before. And it isn't going to be perfect. But we're committed to progress: learning, adapting, strengthening the model to support and protect college sports, [which is] like nothing else as an American tradition. There's no question for any of us, the five of us, that we're in a much better place than we were 48 hours ago, and certainly over the last several years." Greg Sankey, SEC: "I've asked at every level — and I listed those in my opening presentation: our university presidents and chancellors, our athletics directors, our head coaches — 'If you want an unregulated, open system, just raise your hand and let me know.' And universally, the answer is, 'No. We want guardrails. We want structure.' Those individuals don't have the luxury to just say that in meeting rooms. Period. They don't have the luxury to just be anonymous sources. They have a responsibility to make what they've sought and what they've asked for, to make it work." On the role Congress might play in stabilizing college athletics: Context: Hovering over the widespread enforcement difficulties endured by the NCAA — many of which might now be transferred to the College Sports Commission — is the lingering desire for assistance from Congress that, in the form of a bill, would finally usher in the uniformity many across the business are craving. Ever since the advent of NIL, the proliferation of new and contrasting state laws pertaining to governance, implementation and legality have pockmarked a playing field misconstrued as even. It was only last month when Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed into law a piece of athlete-friendly NIL legislation that undercut provisions outlined in the forthcoming House settlement by declaring such limitations on athlete compensation invalid, clearing the way for institutions in his state to ignore things like the salary cap and third-party NIL rules. With each state comes the possibility of another interpretation, the sheer volume of which could unspool a web of complications, confusion and legal challenges. The commissioners were equal parts unanimous and optimistic surrounding potential Congressional oversight in the near future that would create a single set of rules by which all schools must abide. Greg Sankey, SEC: "I think we've been clear over time: We need an effort to preempt state laws. Congress exists to set national standards, and we're not going to have Final Fours and College Football Playoffs and College World Series with 50 different standards. So that's the starting point. I think with what's been introduced here, the benefits to student-athletes, the codification of at least the settlement terms, will be enormously healthy. I'll add [another] piece: There are a lot of people running around representing themselves as NIL this or representatives for that or agents with air quotes. There's not a lot of protection for young people. Our universities do a good job providing the services I listed earlier in providing support and protections for young people. But you don't have those more broadly. "I think this is a non-partisan issue, candidly. I don't think this is about drawing lines between Democrats and Republicans or the House and Senate. I think this is an opportunity for our governmental leaders, our political leaders, to come together around solutions to support or Olympic development program, to support college football and every one of our sports that flows off of that — including those that are labeled as non-revenue sports — to provide additional support for women's sports like they've been doing through scholarship and other economic opportunities. I think those can be really healthy and can benefit from Congressional engagement." Tony Petitti, Big Ten: "Over a year ago, when the conferences all voted to approve the settlement and go through the process to take it to the judge, that was a big moment. And I think that's changed the tone down in [Congress] because we've shown that we're willing to make significant change and modernize our system. We're not just asking for something, we're actually showing that we are willing to have significant change." Brett Yormark, Big 12: "I don't know if there's an exact timeline [for Congressional assistance], but there's a sense of urgency, for sure, so that Congress helps to support the settlement. One thing that I have realized based on my trips to The Hill is that everyone there is passionate about collegiate athletics. They have a vested interest. And they want to do the right thing to help us move this forward. I don't think we have to sell them on the topic. We just have to land in the right place that works for both parties on The Hill. And I think we're getting closer." Michael Cohen covers college football and college basketball for FOX Sports. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! 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Yahoo
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Penn State, UCLA Take Private Equity Funding Deal With Elevate
Penn State and UCLA have become the inaugural partners in Elevate's newly unveiled $500 million College Investment Initiative, according to three individuals familiar with the situation. Accordingly, the two Big Ten institutions have emerged as the first known universities to formally embrace private capital as a means of funding their athletic departments—signaling a significant milestone in the growing convergence of institutional capital and intercollegiate athletics. More from Elevate Opens $500M College Sports Fund With Texas PSF, Velocity College Sports Commission Gives off Nonprofit Web Impression Colleges Prep for Athlete Title IX Lawsuits of the Revenue-Share Era Elevate formally introduced its college sports fund on Monday, revealing that two universities had already committed, but withholding their names. 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How the House Settlement will reshape Texas A&M athletics
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