It's not every day that a college student gets an all-expenses paid tour of Europe, but that's exactly what members of the Penn men's basketball team got this summer when the squad traveled to Spain.
"Not only is it great in terms of what it lends to your basketball program talent-wise, it's also a great learning experience," Penn men's basketball coach Fran Dunphy said.
However, this might have been the last time that the Quakers take their game overseas.
Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen doubts the academic value of these trips. Along with the Big Ten, Hansen's conference has proposed that current NCAA regulations, which allow teams to travel abroad once every four years, be overturned.
"I wonder how many of those basketball tours really are designed to promote educational experiences," the Pac-10 commissioner said.
If the Pac-10 and Big Ten get their way, overseas travel by NCAA schools will be prohibited in all sports.
Hansen gives two reasons behind his proposal.
"First is the cost to the institution," he said. "It goes back to recruiting. Everyone thinks they need a foreign tour as often as the rules permit so to be like the next guy."
Dunphy, while noting the extreme cost of the trip, rejects this rationale.
"It's not a reason a young man would go to your school, just because he can go to Spain or Italy his junior or senior year," he said.
Hansen also suggests that students are not given the option of going, but rather, are required to spend part of their summer traveling with the team.
"This is a student-athlete welfare issue," Hansen said. "There are probably times when a student would rather spend his summer doing something else."
The proposal (No. 2003-67) also cites that the ban "reduces potential for missed summer school terms."
Dunphy argues, however, that students can still go on these trips and attend summer school.
"I would hope that everyone has the same opportunity," Dunphy said. "But I don't know anyone who can't do it one way or another."
He cites Ivy League rival Dartmouth -- a school which has a summer session -- as an example of a school that balances summer classes with a trip. Dartmouth sent its men's basketball team to Spain in 1992 and Portugal in 1996 and 2000.
Most schools run these trips either between the second and summer semesters or, as Penn does, in late August -- after summer school.
Last year, Duke's men's basketball squad made its trip to London in October over fall break.
Nevertheless, according to Hansen, travel will be banned unless during the "prescribed playing season."
According to the proposal, "opportunities for student athletes to participate on foreign tours sponsored by an outside organization would still be permissible."
Two examples of these "outside organizations" are USA Basketball and the National Invitational Tournament, each of which sponsors a summer tour.
Hansen said that his conference teamed with the Big Ten after a long discussion with Big Ten Commissioner James Delaney.
The proposal was approved by the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet in its Sept. 16-18 meetings, with 31 votes for and 14 against.
In November, it will be included in a book listing all NCAA proposals for this year. Hansen noted, however, the proposal that was voted on is being revised for the publication.
The NCAA Management Council will discuss the proposal in January and will then vote in April. If the Management Council and then the Board of Directors approve, the rule will go into effect starting next season.
Schools that have already made plans to travel will be allowed to fulfill their contracts.
Other men's basketball teams that traveled abroad this summer were Texas A&M; (Italy), Vanderbilt (Spain) and Illinois (Scandinavia).
The Penn women's basketball team traveled to England and Italy this summer.
Dunphy feels that the trip was a great educational experience for his athletes.
"Culturally, it was phenomenal for us to see cities like Madrid and Barcelona," Dunphy said. "Those [cities] are so old and filled with history and tradition."
And he noted that it also "gets your team together and your chemistry can be formed."
The Penn coach hopes that in four years, he will be able to take a new group of players abroad.
"It's a great opportunity that the NCAA has allowed us," Dunphy said, "and I hope that it continues."
