The University of Hawaii projects to fully fund Cost of Attendance stipends for its scholarship athletes by 2019 and include travel by 2020 under a blueprint announced Wednesday.
Athletic director David Matlin said the plan is to go from the current $256,100 per year to $1,040,000 in four years and $1.3 million in five years.
The projected fully funded cost per scholarship athlete currently is $3,925, exclusive of travel but UH is currently offering about $1,000 as a first step.
Matlin laid out the schedule in a speech to the UH Association of Emeritus Regents at Oahu Country Club a day before today’s Board of Regents joint committee meeting where Manoa is seeking $3 million in supplemental funds "to help pay" for cost of attendance, student meals, recruiting costs, team travel and guarantees, according to the proposal.
UH-Hilo is requesting $560,000 for travel costs and "to improve student-athletes’ academy success," according to the proposal.
If approved in committee and later by the full board, the $3 million would be included in UH’s supplemental budget request sent to the Governor later this year.
The NCAA began allowing COA — to cover costs such as travel, cell phone charges and misc. expenses not contained in traditional athletic scholarships — as of Aug. 1. Manoa has said it will offer COA to all its 246 scholarship athletes this year at an average of $1,000 per athlete but is looking for funding for next year and beyond.
Matlin said COA is necessary for "student-athlete welfare" and to keep UH competitive with schools it competes against.
Matlin said he secured $60,000 in pledges toward 2016-17 COA stipends for Rainbow Wahine athletes from emeritus regents at Wednesday’s meeting.
For the current academic year the stipends are being underwritten by a gift from the Waterhouse Charitable Trust, an NCAA grant and donated and department funds.
Athletes are scheduled to receive the money in two checks, one by early December and the other in the spring semester, Matlin said.
Cost of Attendance projections
| Year |
COA cost |
| 2016 |
$256,100 |
| 2017 |
$520,000 |
| 2018 |
$780,000 |
| 2019 |
$1,040,000 |
| 2020 |
$1,300,000 |
| Source: UH |
