On Feb. 17, 2025, commissioners from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and Southwestern Athletic Conference sent a united, pressing appeal to the Congressional Black Caucus for legislative support. The letter details critical challenges HBCUs face in the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics.
In their letter, the commissioners expressed concerns that recent judicial rulings and regulatory changes could jeopardize opportunities for HBCU athletic programs. They highlighted that these programs often rely more heavily on institutional funding and donations rather than generating significant revenue. This makes them particularly vulnerable to uncertainties arising from debates over student-athletes’ classification as employees.
“There continues to be a growing patchwork of state laws impacting college sports and creating disparities and confusion among our prospective and current student-athletes. The disparate laws and increasing court decisions have made it difficult for conferences like ours to continue to provide developmental and competition opportunities for member institutions and student-athletes,” the letter reads. “Retention is also a challenge within our HBCU student-athlete population due to increasing differences in state laws and legal activity that have all but eliminated a level playing field.”
Along with diminishing retention rates and future participation in HBCU sports, the commissioners warn that recognizing student-athletes as employees could severely disrupt HBCU athletic programs and even eliminate intercollegiate competitions.
The letter highlights recent initiatives to enhance the student-athlete experience, such as scholarship protections, financial literacy training, mental health assistance, and health coverage. “Amid these looming outside threats, there has also been significant internal transformation during President Charlie Baker’s first two years leading the NCAA,” the letter reads. Although these initiatives are praiseworthy, the commissioners emphasize that congressional backing is crucial to sustaining advancements and defending HBCU interests.
The commissioners’ request begs for federal legislation that creates uniform rules and regulations for HBCU athletic programs and aims to guarantee that student-athletes are not categorized as employees.
The commissioners have requested meetings with CBC members in February or March about these issues.