On April 24, the NCAA Division I Legislative Council approved a rule allowing Division I colleges and universities to grant all of their student athletes unlimited meals and snacks that will be going into effect August 1.

Conversation about this rule has been circling the legislative council since 2012 but when s star player from the University of Connecticut, Shabazz Napier, made the comment about going to bed hungry because he could not afford meals, the voting process quickly went into effect just eight days after the comment was made.

Napier’s words quickly spread and people began to shift their focus away from the recent controversy of paying college athletes to realizing that there is a possibility that students basic needs are not being met by the universities.

Now that the council has voted the choice is now left in the hands of the universities to stuff the mouths of their athletes if they can afford and choose to do so.

Senior Brian Shaffer will be attending University of Maryland in the fall for baseball. He thinks that it is a good idea but believes that all the money the universities will be putting forth towards the idea could be used elsewhere.

“Student athletes already carry around the reputation of receiving special treatment and this is just going to make it worse. I am going to be eating all of this free food next year and I am going to be feeling guilty the entire time,” said Shaffer.

Senior Nicole Latgis is attending Temple University in the fall for lacrosse. She believes that the idea will be really beneficial, and she is really happy about it. Latgis thinks this change is being implemented because of the underprivileged student athletes that can not afford the meal plans.

“The colleges should have the extra cash needed to make this happen, and student athletes really need this because they burn extra calories that normal students don’t and it is imperative for them to replace the calories so that they can perform at their best,” said Latgis.

Athletic director Mr. Tim Larrimore is excited about the new plan being implemented because he has a daughter who will be receiving a free meal plan next year.

“It will be a huge help to us financially,” said Larrimore.

He really believes that the universities will benefit from giving student athletes the free meal plan because it will only benefit them in the long run when the athletes are playing at their best.

“The financial gains from athletics have been beneficial to U.S. universities and help make them the best in the world,” said Larrimore.