Core curriculum, academic entrance requirements and local transportation by sports personnel for student-athletes were some of the topics debated at the 89th annual NCAA convention last week in San Diego.

Penn State NCAA Compliance Coordinator John Bove, who attended the convention, said academic eligibility requirements for first-year athletes, previously known as Proposition 48, was the biggest issue discussed at the convention.

A debated bylaw that will increase the number of core classes a first-year athlete must take before entering college was passed.

Previously, the 11 core high school classes an athlete had to take included three years of English, two years each of a math, a social science and a natural or physical science, and two additional years in English, math or science.

But starting Aug. 1, a potential student-athlete must also have two years of any additional academic courses, making the total number of core classes 13.

Bove said the NCAA will eventually vote to increase the English requirement to four years. Also, it plans to specify which math classes are required.

Currently, student-athletes need a 2.0 grade point average and a 700 SAT (17 ACT) score out of high school in order to be eligible for competition. But starting Aug. 1, 1996, the NCAA will implement a sliding scale that will admit an athlete with a 900 SAT score, for example, so long as the athlete has a 2.0 GPA. If the athlete's SAT score is 700, he or she will need a 2.5 GPA.

The new index was supposed to go into effect August 1995, but has been delayed for one year so the NCAA could give more time for universities to adjust to the new requirements, said Ellen Perry, Penn State associate athletic director.

"A number of institutions needed to go back and look at specific cases in their recruiting classes," Perry said, explaining the delay.

Another new change concerns partial qualifiers. Partial qualifiers are students who do not meet the NCAA academic requirements at the time of high school graduation, but are admitted to universities so long as they don't compete. As of this upcoming August, the academic requirements for partial qualifiers will be more stringent.

The biggest change is that a partial qualifier will be eligible for an athletic scholarship and can participate in practices, even though he or she still can't compete.

"Under Prop. 48, partial qualifiers couldn't practice or get aid," said John Coyle, Penn State's NCAA and Big Ten faculty representative.

The University's representatives at the convention voted against allowing a fourth year of eligibility for partial qualifiers, who currently have only three, Coyle said.

"To give a fourth year of eligibility is to encourage them to graduate. (We need) to ensure that they have to have higher regulations so (students) are closer to attaining their graduation requirements their fifth (year)," he said.

Also, the NCAA decided to make the rule concerning local transportation of student-athletes less stringent. According to the rule, athletes are currently not allowed to take rides from coaches, athletic department officials or any other sports personnel.

Bove said the reconsideration of this rule was overwhelmingly passed at the convention, making local transportation within reason and allowed on an occasional basis.

Another important proposition which was voted down had to do with student-athletes earning up to $1500 during the academic year, Bove said.

"I think that (the members) were really concerned about how the student-athlete gets the job," Bove said, adding that the members were worried that an athlete might get a job through athletics department members or any representatives of athletic interests.

Because of NCAA rules, student-athletes on a full athletic grant-in-aid are not permitted to work during the school year. All Penn State athletes must report employment earnings to the Financial Aid Office so the Office can check to ensure their earnings do not go over their allotted limit.