he opted out of Cal football due to COVID concerns. Received a $24K tuition bill

[Demovictory9]

Henry Bazakas, a University of California football team walk-on five years ago who opted out of this season - his final year - because of coronavirus concerns, at the campus in Berkeley, Calif., Nov. 13, 2020. Bazakas found his scholarship cut off, and he was then billed more than $24,000 halfway through his summer term because the athletic department revoked the financial aid that it had already paid.

https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/A-Cal-Football-Player-Opted-Out-Because-of-the-15743432.php

A third-generation Cal student who grew up in Berkeley, Bazakas arrived on campus five years ago as a walk-on offensive lineman. Three times he earned an award for having the team’s highest grade-point average. He and a teammate spearheaded a summer reading program at local elementary schools. He won another award, for his commitment to strength and conditioning while recovering from a torn knee ligament. And last season, after he finally earned an athletic scholarship, he started three games at left tackle.


But none of that counted for much in June, when Bazakas called the Cal football coach, Justin Wilcox, to say that he was opting out of his final season because of health concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Nine days later, Bazakas found his scholarship had been cut off, and he was then billed more than $24,000 halfway through his summer term because the athletic department had revoked the financial aid that it had already paid.

The summer school aid was ultimately reinstated by a university appeals committee, which said the school had violated NCAA rules by abruptly pulling Bazakas’ aid before giving him an opportunity for a hearing.


Bazakas also asked for his scholarship back for the fall semester, but the appeals panel sided with the athletic department’s decision to not renew it. While most of his teammates arrived at Cal with scholarships pledged for four years, walk-ons like Bazakas, who eventually earn scholarships, may not get them in subsequent years, and Cal had met an NCAA deadline in July not to renew his.

“It feels like the second I was done playing football, the program was done with me,” said Bazakas, who waited nearly three months for his summer aid to be restored through appeal.

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. While this never should have happened, I am sure it was a administration mistake.

Not sure why they thought this was a story.

[jimfields33]

4. He was given the scholarship and aide to play football

When he didn’t play, that goes away. It happens to scholarships all the time, not just sports but academic. I’m sure work study also won’t pay if you don’t fulfill the requirements.

[Ferrets are Cool]

5. They restored his scholarship once they found the mistake.

NCAA made the rules for this year only because of covid.

[jimfields33]

6. Thanks.

[Chainfire]

2. That is going to buy a bunch of good will.

[Towlie]

3. The first sentence is a fragment because it's the label below an omitted photo.

 
?

(This is just to help people trying to parse that first sentence.)



[This is] Henry Bazakas, a University of California football team walk-on five years ago who opted out of this season — his final year — because of coronavirus concerns, at the campus in Berkeley, Calif., Nov. 13, 2020. Bazakas found his scholarship cut off, and he was then billed more than $24,000 halfway through his summer term because the athletic department revoked the financial aid that it had already paid.