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| Volume 11, Number 2 | September 5, 2003 |
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U of S a player in scholarship sweepstakesBy Michelle Boulton Athletic scholarships are a relatively new phenomenon for the U of S, but it is quickly becoming one of the most generous universities in the country, says Ross Wilson, Director of Huskie Athletics. In fact, its athletic scholarship money more than doubled in the past year. In 2002-03, Huskie Athletics awarded $275,000 in scholarships to student athletes, but Wilson calls this "a very new trend." Five years ago, the U of S gave out less than $5,000. Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) is the country's governing body for university sports. When it changed its regulations three years ago on how much a university is allowed to give out in scholarships, Wilson says "our competitors began to give more, and we, in order to stay competitive, gave more also." Wilson estimated that, among the 49 members of CIS, "we're easily in the top 20 per cent in terms of the amount of money we give out each year." He says, "there are universities that don't give any scholarships or awards, and there are others who give away more than we do." According to CIS data collected in 2001-02 (see table at right), the U of S was 17th among the 49 CIS members in terms of the total amount given - and the U of S only gave out just $130,618 in scholarships that year. Huskie Athletics represents 15 teams and about 340 student athletes. Wilson says about 93 per cent of those athletes are from Saskatchewan. Last year, more than 200 students received athletic scholarships, ranging from as little as $100 to as much as the cost of tuition. CIS regulations stipulate that no athlete may receive more than the cost of tuition plus compulsory fees. Eligible athletes must be full-time students (enrolled in at least 18 credit units from September to May) and they must be successful in at least 18 credit units in order to return the following year. Students can compete for a maximum of five years, which need not be consecutive. Wilson says some scholarships are purely athletic, but others have a combination of athletic and academic requirements. Many athletes also receive both athletic and academic scholarships, so, in addition to the CIS regulations, the U of S has a policy whereby no single student can receive more than two times tuition plus 10 per cent. CIS determines the maximum amount of money that a university can give, but Wilson says it's up to each institution to decide where the money comes from and what the terms of reference attached to each scholarship will be. The Chief Executive Officer of CIS, Marg McGregor, points out that athletic awards represent only a small portion of the support Canadian universities contribute to student-athletes. "Universities in Canada make a staggering contribution to the sport system and to student athletes through facility development, coach employment, running competitive leagues and programs and hosting high performance events and camps," she says.
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