By Sam MacGilpin
@sam_macgilpin
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is undergoing massive changes and facing decisions on highly covered and controversial topics. Still, few people realize who is behind the scenes of these decisions.
On Jan. 12, at the NCAA Convention in Phoenix, Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper was named the Vice Chair of the NCAA Board of Governors. The position has a significant role in voting and making decisions for the betterment of the NCAA, so Cooper jumped at the opportunity.
“It was an easy move to slide into, because the board asked if I would be willing to serve, and I said yes,” Cooper said. “I attend all the Board of Governors meetings and serve on committees for the Board of Governors, and have an opportunity to have a very exciting seat at the table at an interesting time.”
Among the issues that make this an interesting time for the NCAA include the debate over amateurism and whether college athletes should be considered employees, as well as rules about Name Image and Likeness (NIL). The NCAA is facing several lawsuits over athlete employment.
Cooper was named to the NCAA Board of Governors in 2022 and currently is the only voting member of the Board who is a Division III president. That allows her to provide perspective that most of the rest of the Board doesn’t have.
“When I am at the Board of Governors meeting, I always remind them about Division III athletes. [I ask]; ‘So how do you think Division III athletes will feel about that?’” Cooper said. “For example, there was a proposal about health care, [offering] two years of post-graduation [coverage] for student-athletes. It was initially suggested that Division I student-athletes have two-year coverage after graduation. I raised my hand and said, ‘What about the [Division III] athletes? Can they be afforded the same benefit?’ And the answer was, ‘Let’s look into it.’ Then the answer became yes, that all three divisions will get that benefit.”
In December, NCAA president Charlie Baker visited Springfield College to meet with Cooper and faculty members. Cooper invited Baker, the former Governor of Massachusetts, to visit campus to discuss the state of athletic training within intercollegiate athletics.
“[It’s] a big issue,” Cooper said. “We’re losing a lot of our athletic trainers to healthcare and private industries. [Baker] came and spent about an hour and a half with them and listened to their concerns. They felt heard, and he can make policy decisions based on information.”
Baker even talked with some of the student-athletes, including members of the Pride women’s basketball team..
“He’s very student-centered and talked to The Posse about coming and seeing them play. He asked them all what positions they played,” Cooper said. “He’s really down to earth. He is exactly the right leader at the right time.”
When Cooper joined the Board of Governors, she was forced to deal with the world of NIL, which has quickly grown into a multi-million dollar industry, as several Division I student-athletes have signed deals valued at over a million dollars. While Cooper appreciates the opportunities that NIL offers for student-athletes, she wishes it came sooner and was more inclusive.
“Jake Ross was a very good basketball player for our men’s basketball program, and he always had a little jar of pickle juice that sat right underneath his seat,” Cooper said. “Before he started warming up, he would consume this little pickle juice. I’m not sure the reason behind it, but it was unique. If NIL was in effect, that company could have put an ad out saying ‘fueled by Jake Ross.’ That could have got a lot of young kids buying that pickle juice because then you can shoot like Ross.”
Cooper also noted that she believes NIL will spread more amongst divisions shortly and that there could even be an NIL-based major at colleges and universities.
“You’ll see more and more of that develop in the next 18 months,” Cooper said. “Keep an eye on that. [NIL] would be an interesting major.”
As for Cooper’s future contributions as vice chair, she wants to ensure that the Student in Student-Athlete remains first.
“Our student-athletes are students first,” Cooper said. “They may be traveling to Smith, or playing their Wednesday night at a local regional institution — but they’re not getting on a plane and going to Nevada to play women’s soccer every other week. For me, the number one perspective is ensuring that student-athletes are not seen as employees.”
Photo courtesy of Springfield College