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BY JEFF WHITE T HE NCAA RECENTLY PASSED legis- lation allowing members of the "Power Five" conferences to increase student- athlete scholarships to include the full cost of attendance, starting with the 2015-16 academic year. In August 2014, members of these conferences — the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC — were granted autonomy by the NCAA to create their own legislation. At the first meeting of the autonomy group, on Jan. 17, several new measures were passed, including the addition of full cost of attendance, and UVa was among the schools voting in favor of the new benefit programs. The cost-of-attendance stipend helps student-ath- letes cover travel expenses, personal expenses and school supplies. "Our primary focus is providing student-athletes with the best possible experience while they're here," said Craig Littlepage, UVa's director of athletics. "These new legislative measures, including the full cost of attendance, help us do just that, but they also come with a price." "Adding this expense is a financial challenge for many schools as I talk to my colleagues across the country. It's important for Virginia athletics to pro- vide the maximum benefits allowed by the NCAA and enable us to attract the top student-athletes in the country." The implementation of full cost of attendance was one of the reasons Virginia athletics launched, on Feb. 17, the first phase of its All In For Excellence fundraising initiative. "UVa student-athletes could not compete for championships and we couldn't provide outstand- ing educational opportunities without the generous support of our donors and fans," Littlepage said. "They've stepped up time and again and they will continue to play a vital role in our success. That's why All In For Excellence is meaningful. We need everyone associated with Virginia athletics to con- tinue to invest in our programs and help us reach our goals." The University's 2015-16 figures for full cost of attendance, which will be determined using a federal formula, have yet to be finalized. For the 2014-15 academic year, however, each scholarship student-athlete from the state of Virginia would have received around $3,200 as a stipend for the full cost of attendance. Full scholarship student-athletes from outside the state would have received approximately $3,500 to $4,500 apiece, depending on how far from Charlot- ALL IN FOR EXCELLENCE Full Cost Of Attendance To Benefit UVa Student-Athletes