The heads of each university in the SEC will vote May 22 on whether or not schools should keep their athletic facilities shuttered beyond June 1, according to an ESPN report.
Currently, SEC facilities are scheduled to reopen on June 1, and the question of whether it should be extended has become a hot topic of discussion around the southeast.
All SEC athletic activities have been canceled since the middle of March.
The May 22 vote will take place via the weekly conference call between every SEC president, according to ESPN.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey told ESPN that his league’s decision making will take the realities of certain states reopening into account when discussing the issue.
Sankey did not confirm the vote, but the cable network cited comments from multiple SEC athletic administrators speaking directly about the upcoming vote.
The commissioner admitted to ESPN that “[a]t some point prior to May 31, we’re going to have to make a decision.”
Many student-athletes take advantage of voluntary workouts in school gyms during the summer months before official team training begins in August.
Alabama’s in-state university presidents of SEC schools have been relatively aggressive in committing to bringing students back to campus compared to schools across the nation.
Auburn University President Jay Gogue said this week that his university will “have football this fall.”
University of Alabama System Chancellor Finis St. John has committed to having students on campus in the fall.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95