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Username Post: Ivy League To Allow Grad Students to Play in '21-'22        (Topic#25075)
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
02-11-21 05:10 PM - Post#320653    

Ivy League allowing one-time waiver for grad students to play in 2021-22 due to COVID-19 pandemic

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketba ll/story...

- The Ivy League Council of Presidents has approved the opportunity for current senior student-athletes to play an additional season as graduate students next season, according to a statement sent to student-athletes on Thursday.

The statement, obtained by ESPN, makes it clear that the rule change is a one-time waiver because of the Ivy League canceling its fall and winter seasons. It won't be a permanent change.

"This change is a direct result of the pandemic and will not be available in future years," the memo states. "The waiver provides current 4th-year students the opportunity to complete their athletics experience at their current institution in 2021-22 after staying on track to graduate in four years." -

 
bradley 
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Age: 74
Reg: 01-15-16
Re: Ivy League To Allow Grad Students to Play in '21-'22
02-11-21 05:35 PM - Post#320655    
    In response to rbg

At least, albeit very late, it is a good decision and a small step forward. Players like Atkinson, Schweiger and others should have known weeks ago.

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
02-11-21 06:02 PM - Post#320656    
    In response to bradley

When the season was cancelled, Paul Atkinson tweeted his understanding of the decision and his displeasure at the communication from the school and league.

It would certainly been better for the players if the Presidents had considered this decision as they were making their decision in the fall and kept players in the loop.

 
SomeGuy 
Professor
Posts: 6391

Reg: 11-22-04
Re: Ivy League To Allow Grad Students to Play in '21-'22
02-11-21 07:07 PM - Post#320659    
    In response to bradley

I wonder if this is more about the kids that don’t have a place to play next year. Yes, I suppose some of the kids who already committed as grad transfers might have stuck around (is it possible they still could change their minds?). But it could be that, as I mentioned in my earlier post, the grad transfer market doesn’t have nearly as many opportunities as usual. That may be leaving some of the seniors without a chance to play their fourth season as a result of the league’s decision not to play. Seems like good news for the seniors and the league’s level of play overall. We’ll see how many players take advantage.

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
02-11-21 07:27 PM - Post#320660    
    In response to SomeGuy

https://www.thedp.com/article/2021/02/ivy-l eague-c...

https://cornellsun.com/2021/02/11/ivy-league -grant...

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2021/2/12/ivy -l...

https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/02/11/ivy-l eag...

- It remains unclear how many graduating seniors will be able to take advantage of the waiver. According to the admissions page for Yale’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, deadlines for more than 50 programs — from chemistry and nursing to architecture and global affairs — passed in either December or January. Yale Law School, which has rolling admissions, lists Feb. 15 as its final application deadline.

“I think it’s great that they’re reevaluating their rules/policies given the circumstances,” senior men’s basketball forward Wyatt Yess ’21 told the News. “But it does seem a bit unfair to student athletes that either took the year off, made alternative plans or missed Yale graduate school application deadlines given how late this decision has been made.” -

 
DCAJedi 
Masters Student
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Age: 40
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Reg: 11-21-04
02-11-21 08:57 PM - Post#320661    
    In response to rbg

To paraphrase a famous admiral, this might just be a trap. The Associated Press report on the news puts it bluntly. In addition to deadlines that have passed, it looks like anyone who tries to do it will be on the hook to pay full freight:

https://www.inquirer.com/college-sports/penn/c oron...
"Here will be an old abusing of God's patience, and the king's English."


 
bradley 
PhD Student
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Age: 74
Reg: 01-15-16
02-11-21 09:10 PM - Post#320662    
    In response to rbg

Wyatt deserves credit as to speaking up and stating the obvious. The notion that IL student athletes are on board regarding the decisions made by IL Presidents over the past year might well be wishful thinking by some although I am sure that there is a variety of views on the COVID subject by student athletes.

Many of us have commented as to how some existing NCAA policies need to be amended regarding student athletes but one could easily include IL Presidents into the pot depending on one's perspective.

 
westcoast 
Senior
Posts: 302

Reg: 03-08-16
02-12-21 02:13 PM - Post#320690    
    In response to bradley

I wonder if Ivy League teams told their senior athletes to apply to their university's grad programs a few months ago, just in case this ruling did take place.

 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21082

Reg: 12-02-04
02-12-21 02:23 PM - Post#320693    
    In response to westcoast

Penn should have a clear advantage here given its plethora of grad programs.

Surely there’s a stud from the Penn Med intramural league that can be plucked.

 
SRP 
Postdoc
Posts: 4894

Reg: 02-04-06
02-12-21 02:33 PM - Post#320695    
    In response to penn nation

Oh to be a fly on the wall when a grad application from a basketball player arrives at the economics department from a current undergrad.

 
palestra38 
Professor
Posts: 32683

Reg: 11-21-04
02-12-21 02:36 PM - Post#320696    
    In response to penn nation

Penn's real advantage is that it had no impact seniors. Virtually all of the numbers came from rising juniors and sophs. Assuming everyone gets an extra year of eligibility, Penn will be very tough in the next 2 years.

 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21082

Reg: 12-02-04
Ivy League To Allow Grad Students to Play in '21-'22
02-12-21 03:31 PM - Post#320702    
    In response to palestra38

Sounds like Jelani Williams might have a chance to break the Frankie Brown record for program endurance. Hopefully he'll actually get to play a game at some point before leaving Penn.

Edited by penn nation on 02-12-21 03:31 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
mrjames 
Professor
Posts: 6062

Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
02-12-21 05:03 PM - Post#320710    
    In response to westcoast

There may be a couple of these cases. Unclear yet. But there will certainly be more that would have taken advantage and either will have to move FAST or will not be able to at all.

Across the league, though, this was a pretty light senior class... the key question is whether this opens the door to a change in policy moving forward.

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
Ivy League To Allow Grad Students to Play in '21-'22
02-15-21 11:50 PM - Post#320790    
    In response to westcoast

  • Quote:
I wonder if Ivy League teams told their senior athletes to apply to their university's grad programs a few months ago, just in case this ruling did take place.



Between the comments from Wyatt Yess and this article featuring comments from Riley Voss, it would appear that the school's did not alert the athletes about any possible change.

https://cornellsun.com/2021/02/14/ivy-league -grant...

- For a few athletes, the late nature of the Ivy League’s update in policy has complicated their plans. According to Voss, several players around the league have already made decisions about where they are going to graduate school next year. Had these players known about the policy change or even the potential for such an option, they might’ve made a different decision.

Voss and the rest of the team were shocked by the Ivy League’s sudden shift in policy.

“I’d say we’re all a little surprised, just because we didn’t know that it was an option … [or] that it was even a conversation that was being had,” Voss said. -

- In addition to Voss, senior guards Bryan Knapp and Terrance McBride, as well as the 2019-2020 season’s leading scorer for the Red, senior forward Jimmy Boeheim, could potentially return for the 2021-2022 season.

As a next step, Voss mentioned that the athletes will meet with the administration to learn more about the policy. Many logistical questions must be discussed, including application due dates and procedural steps in order to qualify for the waiver.

“I think there’s still a lot of questions that a lot of us have regarding this new policy,” Voss said. -

Edited by rbg on 02-15-21 11:52 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
bradley 
PhD Student
Posts: 1842

Age: 74
Reg: 01-15-16
Re: Ivy League To Allow Grad Students to Play in '21-'22
02-16-21 09:02 AM - Post#320794    
    In response to rbg

If true, simply inexcusable decisions are being made by IL Administrators regarding their student athletes. It almost seems that they simply do not care or are indifferent or even worse. Hopefully, IL Presidents will begin to feel some pressure and take corrective actions if at all possible at this late date.

Regarding sports and student athletes over the past several years, IL Presidents decision making leaves something to be desired with the exception of the early cancellation of the IL Tournament. last Spring. Perhaps, ADs and some coaches will step up as it is highly unlikely that Robin will.

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
02-16-21 12:44 PM - Post#320819    
    In response to bradley

https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/02/15/grad- rul...

- Upperclassmen athletes shared a range of emotions with the News in response to the change, yet one question appeared ubiquitous: Why was the decision announced after most graduate application deadlines had passed? According to the admissions page for Yale’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, deadlines for more than 50 University programs passed in either December or January.

“I think it’s a good thing that the Ivy League is reevaluating some of their rules due to COVID-19 and they’re trying to support the student athletes,” cross country runner Will Laird ’22 said. “From talking with other athletes at Yale, I think there is some confusion and disappointment with the timing of the announcement since most deadlines for grad school have passed … But all things considered, the rule still will allow more student athletes to participate in the Ivy League which is always good.”

When asked for comment on the timing of the policy change and the reasoning that led to the rule switch, Ivy League Associate Executive Director Matt Panto wrote in an email to the News that the Ancient Eight does not comment on the Council of Presidents’ discussions. -

- The website for Yale’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences lists deadlines for more than 50 different programs in a variety of fields from applied physics to history, all of which have already passed in either December or January. The one exception was the Yale Law School application, which is reviewed on a rolling basis, although the last deadline was Feb. 15. -

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
02-16-21 12:49 PM - Post#320820    
    In response to rbg

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2021/2/16/stu de...

- Harvard College student athletes reacted with surprise, gratitude, and skepticism to the Ivy League’s decision Thursday to allow current senior student athletes to compete as graduate students next year, in a reversal of a longstanding League policy barring graduate students from competition. -

- Student Athlete Advisory Committee Co-President Matthew R. Thomas ’21 said he welcomed the news Thursday afternoon. Thomas said the League’s policy change was the upshot of student-athlete advocacy across the Ivy League.

“This was actually almost entirely Ivy League SAAC-driven,” he said. “We actually wrote a letter that we sent to the Ivy League administration saying, ‘Hey, can you please consider allowing graduate students to play?’”

Thomas, a member of Harvard’s baseball team, said he is excited about the opportunity to continue his Harvard athletics career. For the 2021-2022 academic year, he will attend the Harvard Graduate School of Education. -

- Still, Harvard football player Eric J. Wilson ’21 said he believes the Ivy League’s decision is “great,” but “too little, too late.”

“Either people have already taken a semester off or are currently taking a semester off, or have already made their plans set for next year about what they’re doing, like myself,” Wilson said. “It’s not even on the table as an option for anyone that I know.”

Wilson — who will compete for Pennsylvania State University after graduating this year — is among some of Harvard seniors who have opted to use their remaining eligibility at a non-League institution as a graduate student. Had the League approved the waiver earlier, he said, remaining on the Harvard team while pursuing graduate studies in Cambridge may have been an option. -

- Harvard squash player Samuel B. Scherl ’21-’22 said the waiver is a “nice gesture” from the Ivy League, but one he said comes “a little too late” for many enrolled seniors.

Scherl, who is taking a gap year, said he would have declared his leave even if the waiver for seniors had been offered before last fall.

“It wouldn’t have affected my enrollment plans,” he said. “It’s pretty hard to make an enrollment decision hoping that you’ll get into Harvard grad school.”

Amelia F. “Mimi” Tarrant ’21, who plays on the field hockey team and took a leave of absence last fall to preserve her eligibility, also said the League’s decision was “too little, too late.”

“I think that this could have been effective if they had announced this decision to allow grad students to play back in, let’s say, September, whilst people were deciding about whether to take a leave or not — so for example, with me,” she said. “This now doesn’t really apply to me because I’ve already taken my leave from Harvard.”

Tarrant also said she believes the Ivy League’s regular policy barring graduate students from competition puts it at a disadvantage.

“I do feel quite strongly that the Ivy League does compromise itself quite significantly by not allowing grad students to play,” she said. “This just seems like another bureaucratic thing that hinders the quality of sport played within the Ivy League.” -

 
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