NCAA to Allow Student Athletes to Profit From Names and Likenesses
The NCAA Board of Governors on Tuesday voted unanimously to allow student athletes to profit from the use of their name, image and likeness while in college, according to an NCAA press release.
The board directed all three divisions to “immediately consider updates to relevant bylaws and policies for the 21st century.” The board has laid out several guidelines for the “modernization” of policies, including ensuring transparent, enforceable rules and a clear “distinction between collegiate and professional opportunities.”
In September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Fair Pay to Play Act, which will allow college athletes in California to profit from their talents and is scheduled to go into effect in 2023. Georgia state Rep. Billy Mitchell (D-Ga.) plans to introduce a similar bill to the state’s 2020 legislative session.
The NCAA had previously written a letter to Newsom in September, arguing that the bill was unconstitutional and would impact the competitive balance in college athletics. In May, the NCAA formed a working group to discuss the possibilities of allowing students to be compensated for their talent.
Education Secretary Held in Contempt of Court
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was held in contempt of court for violating an order to stop collecting student loan payments from former students of a now-bankrupt for-profit organization called Corinthian Colleges, according to the Associated Press.
Former Corinthian Colleges students filed a lawsuit in 2015 claiming they were defrauded by the company and were owed full forgiveness for their loans. A 2017 Department of Education policy change only provided partial relief based on the incomes of borrowers. In a 2018 court order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim ruled that the 2017 policy was unlawful and ordered the Department to stop collecting loan payments from the students.
In a September 2019 filing, the Department of Education said that it had sent bills to over 16,000 former Corinthians students and received 3,000 payments.
Kim said that she would impose further sanctions on the Department of Education if it fails to comply with the order.
National Academy of Medicine Elects Emory Neurosurgeon to 2019 Class
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) elected Sanjay Gupta, CNN correspondent and associate professor at the Emory University School of Medicine, to its 2019 class, according to a University press release.
NAM members are elected by peers for their contributions to the medical sciences. Emory currently has 32 members in the NAM. The NAM “recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievements and commitment to service,” according to the press release.
Gupta is the Emmy Award-winning chief medical correspondent for CNN and hosts CNN original series “Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta.” Gupta is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, serves as an honorary member of the American Academy of Neurological Surgery and is a certified medical investigator through the American College of Forensic Examiners.
Gupta received his doctorate in medicine from the University of Michigan Medical School and his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. He was also a White House fellow during his medical residency.
Judge Temporarily Blocks Alabama Abortion Ban
A U.S. District Court Judge in Alabama prevented a recent law that would have banned abortions at any stage of pregnancy that was set to take effect in November 2019, according to the New York Times. The legal case was filed by Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Dr. Yashica Robinson, an Alabama gynecologist who provides abortions.
Judge Myron H. Thompson of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama called the law “unconstitutional.” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said that the state hopes to take the case to the Supreme Court.
The law, which was signed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey in May, would impose a ban on all abortions including in cases of rape and incest but has an exception for cases when a mother’s health is at risk. Doctors who performed the procedure would be charged with a felony and be sentenced to up to 99 years in prison. Federal courts in six other states have blocked laws that ban abortions after a hearbeat can be detected.
Wildfires Spread Across California
Residents of Northern California have received wildfire evacuation warnings after firefighters continue to battle the Kincade Fire, which started a week ago. As of Tuesday at 7 p.m. EST, the Kincade Fire and the Getty fire in Southern California were both 15 percent contained, according to CBS News. Firefighters are concerned about the possibility of strong winds up to 80 mph in Southern California that could fan the fire. The San Francisco International Airport could potentially be impacted by smoke on Friday morning, according to the Oakland Center Weather Service Unit.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has been preemptively cutting power to areas potentially impacted by wildfires, which has prompted an investigation by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) over their power shutdown practices, according to the Los Angeles Times. In a filing to the CPUC, PG&E said that it had not informed 23,000 customers of the planned power outages. Newsom said that he wants a review of all power shutoff regulations by the CPUC in order to “aggressively penalize” utility companies for over usage of power cutoffs.
Ninad Kulkarni (he/him) (22C) is from Hyderabad, India, majoring in economics and mathematics. You can catch him cheering for Bayern Munich and making poor attempts at playing sports.
