Big Ten's big move: More money for student-athletes

The Big Ten Conference has proposed to the NCAA that student-athletes receive full-cost scholarships — covering the full cost of attending a given university — and that the scholarships are nonexpiring once offered, regardless of a student-athlete's ability to participate in sports.

It was an expected move by the conference, which has been supporting the full-cost movement and the recently approved "Power 5 conference" structure for some time.

In a statement Tuesday, the conference wrote:

The Big Ten will work to implement the following proposals through individual institutional action, conference-wide action or under the NCAA autonomy governance structure:

• Cost of Education: Redefine full grant-in-aid to meet a student-athlete's cost of education, as determined by the federal government.

• Multi-Year Scholarships: Guarantee all scholarships. If a student-athlete is no longer able to compete, for whatever reason, there should be no impact on institutions' commitment to deliver an undergraduate education.

• Lifetime Educational Commitment: Ensure that scholarships are available for life. If a student-athlete leaves a university for a professional career before graduating, whether the career materializes, and regardless of its length, the scholarship will be honored after his or her playing days are complete.

The Big Ten wrote that it will also move to address the health and safety of student-athletes, time demands and improved academic support.

"We look forward to working with the ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC through the NCAA autonomy governance structure toward adoption and implementation of these proposals," the statement said.

The University of Minnesota has been in step with the Big Ten since the Power 5 autonomy vote took place.