Florida university equips athletes with MacBook Pros
updated 03:15 pm EST, Wed December 9, 2009
Program limited to the Athletic Department
The University of South Florida on Wednesday announced a new educational program that will provide a 13-inch MacBook Pro to all of its student athletes. The school claims the notebook provisions will allow the athletes to work on course assignments and access academic materials at any time, even while traveling away from the campus.
"Our traveling teams will now be connected to classes, academic advisors and tutors anywhere in America, or for that matter the entire world," said USF Director of Athletics Doug Woolard.
NCAA rules require the computers to remain property of USF. Students will sign-out the notebooks from the Athletics Department and return them at the beginning and end of each semester. The athletes are also prohibited from endorsing, recommending or promoting Apple products.
The cost of the computers allegedly ran into the "six figures," according to Fortune. SFU funded the project through the NCAA Academic Enhancement Fund, a Bulls Club auction, and a grant from the Verizon Foundation.
The student athletes will only receive a MacBook if they choose to participate in the program.
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Joined: Dec 2009
But what about everyone else?
It will be interesting to see the reaction of all the other students at the school who will not be getting free macbooks...