"I just think it opens up a can of worms," NMSU Athletics Director McKinley Boston said.

Boston said that universities already provide athletes with generous scholarships and the additional money would only cause a financial burden on the schools.

At NMSU, an out-of-state student athlete can get more than $25,000 a year.

Eric Weary is a freshman on the school's basketball team and is originally from Louisiana.

"If it's going to affect the school then maybe they shouldn't do it," Weary said. "We get a good amount of money."

Tyron Watson also plays on the basketball team and said that the players could definitely use the extra cash.

"I think it'd benefit the athletes just because we're already on a tight budget with our money, spending-wise," Watson said.

Boston said NMSU is also on a tight budget, and would have to come up with around $300,000 more a year if the school implemented the increase.

Boston said the concept of paying students to play is flawed.

"It's going to border on redefining what is an amateur athlete," Boston said. "The day that you start paying athletes, which is really what this is, I think the next question for me is, 'how much?'"

Boston worries that BCS schools, which are top conference schools, will have an unfair competitive advantage over mid-major schools like NMSU when it comes to recruitment.

Each school has the option of whether or not to implement the increase.

If the legislation is passed, the changes could take effect as early as July 2012.

NMSU has not officially decided on its position, though Boston said he will likely advise against implementing any increase.