The University of Colorado has been hit with sanctions from the NCAA for undercharging walk-on student athletes for meals. From 2000-2005 133 different walk-ons for the University were allowed training table meals while only paying for standard residence hall meals. The difference in cost is about $6-$8 per meal. Over the 6 years the total bill came out to be $61,700.
Former women’s basketball coach, Ceal Barry, noticed the undercharging soon after taking on an administrative role in the athletic department. The University then did the right thing by self reporting the infractions to the NCAA. Officials stated that the infractions “were inadvertent, limited in nature and narrow in scope.” yet also called the infractions major. They hit CU with 2 years probation and fined the University $100,000. The fine can be paid $50,000 per year of the probation and must go to a homeless or food bank type charity. CU self imposed a loss of 1 football scholarship for each of the next three years. 86 of 133 violations occurred within the football program so they accepted the harsher penalty.
While other Universities get caught giving cash, cars and houses to players and families, without getting any penalty, CU self reports an oversight and gets hit. And when you look at the actual infractions it is even more frustrating. All CU did was feed its student athletes. But because the oversight went on for so long the total bill seems outrageous, but it is still small compared to Reggie Bush’s house. It is unfortunate that the NCAA has no common sense when it comes to handing out sanctions. Hopefully the new honesty from the athletic department will begin to change the NCAA’s perception of CU so that mistakes like these do not have to result in such ridiculous penalties.

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