Since the uptick of student-athletes inking name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, there has been debate about whether or not they’re capable of maintaining five to seven-figure payouts. Now, a new proposal is looking to offset the scrutiny by ensuring schools are looking out for the best interest of the young athletes’ finances.

It can be a bittersweet feeling when students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are proud to rep their school while also facing the challenges that may come with attending one. According to a 2022 report by the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice (Temple University), out of a surveyed 5,000 students from 14 private and public HBCUs in the fall of 2020, 46% shared that they “ lacked sufficient food a month prior to when the survey was taken.”