Church subsidies of tuition

[MountainTroll]

A church subsidizes the tuition of ALL church members who attend a certain school.

 

If an athlete receives a subsidy of his/her tuition, because he/she attends that church, does that violate the T$$AA's financial aide rules?

[RedRobin1]

From the TSSAA Handbook (available online):

 

Tuition and Financial Aid

Section 16. If tuition is charged, it must be paid by parent, bona fide guardian or other family member. If a parent, guardian or other family member secures a loan for payment of tuition, it must remain an obligation of the parents, guardian or other family member to repay the principle and interest in full with no exceptions. Financial aid will be allowed under the following conditions:

1. Children of full-time faculty members may be given financial aid, but such students, if transfers, shall be ineligible for 12 months in any sport in which they have an athletic record for the previous or current year.

2. Financial aid may be awarded on the basis of need, but proof of such need must be filed in the TSSAA office on forms approved by the Executive Director. In order to determine the basis for need, all schools awarding financial aid shall use one of the following services in order to determine the basis for need: FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment (FACTS), Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST), School and Student Scholastic Service for Financial Aid (SSS), Family Financial Needs Assessment (FFNA), Private School Aid Services, or Smart Tuition Aid. Schools must choose one of the companies for all student-athletes. A

Page 15 July 18, 2012

2013-14 TSSAA Handbook

committee consisting of School Heads from Division II schools and one ex-officio, non-voting member from the Board of Control and Legislative Council will meet and make recommendations to the Board of Control on each student submitted. In addition, this committee will collect information from schools regarding financial aid statistics, grant procedures, and the overall financial aid program within the school. The Board of Control will then rule on all cases at the August meeting. The Board of Control shall have authority to reject the basis of need for students when in its opinion, or in the opinion of the school committee, the amount of need stated by the financial service cannot be justified.

3. Any loan program, grant program, educational foundation or similar program that is established and/or administered, in whole or in part, by a school or official of a school is considered financial aid.

Schools shall remove any student from athletic eligibility whose accounts with the school are 60 days overdue.

All records pertaining to financial aid or tuition assistance shall be open to TSSAA upon its request. Each school shall be responsible for securing necessary authorization to allow TSSAA to review or audit such records.

[MountainTroll]

Seems pretty clear cut to me, but I guess it ain't.

[gettozero]

I tried to explain this to a Columbia Academy poster 1 day.. It was like trying to use common sense with a liberal..

[MountainTroll]

I tried to explain this to a Columbia Academy poster 1 day.. It was like trying to use common sense with a liberal..

 

I don't see how this is any different than any other non-profit organization subsidizing an athlete's tuition to a private school.

 

And here are the FAQ's regarding tuition and financial aide from the T$$AA's By-Laws.

 

Tuition and Financial Aid

1.

Q. Is it permissible for a school to employ a student for summer work who has not attended the school the

previous year?

A. No. In order for a student, who will be participating in athletics, to be employed by a school during the summer

the student must have attended the school the previous school year.

2.

Q. Can a school employ student-athletes to “work off†tuition?

A. No. Article II, Section 16 of the TSSAA Bylaws sets forth the only means for reduction of tuition. A school may

employ student-athletes as long as the remuneration or consideration for work is not in excess of the amount

regularly paid for such service.

3.

Q. Must all financial aid to student-athletes be need-based?

A. Yes

4.

Q. Who is allowed to pay an student-athlete’s tuition?

A. If tuition is charged, it must be paid by a parent, bona fide guardian, or other family member.

[gettozero]

A coworker was asking me about the private school I coached at and any financial aid we offered.. I told him it is need based and only up to 50%.. He said we would probably send him to Columbia Academy bc his church had offered to foot the whole bill..

[MountainTroll]

Even if the T$$AA considers this to be a legitimate form of financial aide, I would think that these schools should be forced to go into Division II.

[MountainTroll]

Can somebody explain why Notre Dame is not Division II?

 

Section 3.

For tournament competition there shall be two categories. Division I shall be schools whose student-athletes competing at the varsity level do not receive need–based financial aid. Division II shall be those schools whose student-athletes competing at the varsity level may be the recipients of need-based financial aid.

 

 

[RedRobin1]

Can somebody explain why Notre Dame is not Division II?

I have no knowledge of this school, but clearly anyone who receives such aid is not eligible to play athletics in a TSSAA sport. That would seem counter to the school's mission (to penalize a kid whose family needs a financial boost to support a Catholic education for their child), but assuming that this school is in compliance with TSSAA rules, this must be the case.

 

Before you get too high and mighty, remember that the parents from this and all other private schools pay taxes which pay for public schools such as Signal Mountain.

Edited October 1, 2013 by RedRobin1

[MountainTroll]

I have no knowledge of this school, but clearly anyone who receives such aid is not eligible to play athletics in a TSSAA sport. That would seem counter to the school's mission (to penalize a kid whose family needs a financial boost to support a Catholic education for their child), but assuming that this school is in compliance with TSSAA rules, this must be the case.

 

Before you get too high and mighty, remember that the parents from this and all other private schools pay taxes which pay for public schools such as Signal Mountain.

I'm not getting high and mighty.  I fully understand the debate regarding taxes, the funding of public schools, and school vouchers.  My kids attended private school before Signal Mountain opened.

 

This school is not in compliance with T$$AA rules, and I expect the T$$AA to enforce it's rules uniformly and equitably.  This is the reason Friendship Christian School changed to Division II.  I would hope that any school that gives need-based financial aide would do the same.

[slimshady]

I am convinced that all the BOC members sent their children to a private school or attended one themselves...

[MountainTroll]

I am convinced that all the BOC members sent their children to a private school or attended one themselves...

I am convince that they are all devoid of the two structures from whence children are produced. 

Edited October 2, 2013 by MountainTroll