Recently, major Division 1 schools have started investing more in providing a “cost of attendance” stipend for student-athletes.
The cost of attendance (COA) includes estimates for tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, miscellaneous expenses, child care, disability-related costs, and study-abroad programs for students attending school at least half-time.
Deion Sanders, the head coach of Jackson State, is drawing attention to the need for HBCUs to be a part of the cost of attendance conversation.
Sanders took to Twitter to share his concern after witnessing one of his players preparing for work post a challenging morning routine of workout, strength training, and classes. The player was heading to work for six hours after this demanding schedule, which moved Sanders emotionally. He emphasized the necessity for HBCUs to receive the support of the cost of attendance, using the hashtag #CoachPrime.
Sanders has been vocal about his desire to enhance the college football bowl system by incorporating more HBCU programs since taking on the role of head coach. He questioned the current structure that often neglects teams with strong records from bowl opportunities. Sanders expressed his frustration with the limited opportunities for teams with successful seasons to participate in bowl games, highlighting the inequality in the current system.
He insisted on the need for fairness and inclusivity in providing bowl opportunities to deserving teams, recalling his own experiences of participating in bowl games during his time at Florida State. Sanders emphasized the impact that such experiences had on him, advocating for a more equitable and inclusive bowl system for HBCU programs.
