After three days of meetings, the SEC's executive committee will vote on a number of proposals, one of which could have a significant impact on the swimming landscape.

Though voted down the past two years, the executive committee will consider a proposal that would count state-supported scholarships like Georgia's HOPE Scholarship against the NCAA scholarship limits. Institutions that don't have state-supported scholarships claim they are at a disadvantage because of the legislation.

Such programs include Georgia's HOPE Scholarship program which provides qualifying Georgia high school students up to a full tuition grant to an in-state school. Florida, with its Academic Scholars Award, also provides qualifying students 100% of tuition and fees plus $300 per semester. Both states have regularly been a source of swimming prowess.

Not suprisingly, the Universities of Georgia and Florida are loaded with in-state talent. Georgia currently lists 22 Peach-state students on its roster (eleven each of men and women) while thirty two Florida swimmers dot the Gator roster. This doesn't mean every swimmer stays in state. Auburn lists five Georgians and three Floridians on its roster.

Another prospect that is up for consideration (though expected to fail) is a conference-wide class attendance policy. Included in the proposal would be sanctions, including missed competition for missed classes. Last semester two SEC teams - Auburn and Tennessee - earned Academic All-American team honors and in the recently released Academic Progress Reports no SEC swimming programs were identified as underperforming.