The NCAA is inching forward with plans to allow student athletes to sell third-party endorsements and receive compensation for other opportunities in business, social media and personal appearances.

The NCAA Board of Governors this week signaled support for rule changes that would allow players to identify themselves by school and sport for compensation from third parties, but would prohibit deals with universities “for name, image and likeness activities,” according to a news release.

MORE NEWS: From Classroom to Consulate Chef: Culinary Student Lands Dream Job at U.S. Embassy in Paris

“Throughout our efforts to enhance support for college athletes, the NCAA has relied upon considerable feedback from and the engagement of our members, including numerous student athletes, from all three divisions,” said Michael V. Drake, chairman of the board and president of Ohio State. “Allowing promotions and third-party endorsements is uncharged territory.”

The NCAA reports:

The board’s recommendations now will move to the rules-making structure in each of the NCAA’s three divisions for further consideration. The divisions are expected to adopt new name, image and likeness rules by January to take effect at the start of the 2021-22 academic year.

The board is requiring guardrails around any future name, image and likeness activities. These would include no name, image and likeness activities that would be considered pay for play; no school or conference involvement; no use of name, image and likeness for recruiting by schools or boosters; and the regulation of agents and advisors.

The board’s action is the latest step by the Association to support college athletes and modernize its rules regarding name, image and likeness. In October, the board identified guiding principles to ensure that any changes support college sports as a part of higher education.

Any changes to the rules must involve “transparent, focused and enforceable” rules, a clear distinction between collegiate and professional opportunities, and the “principles of diversity, inclusion and gender equity.” Changes by the divisions must make “clear that compensation for athletics performance or participation is impermissible” and reaffirm “that student athletes are students first and not employees of the university.

The board’s guiding principles were developed with the help of the NCAA’s Federal and State Legislation Working Group, which issued a report that suggests each division may need different rules, and regulations could change in the future.

Val Ackerman, Big East commissioner and co-chair of the working group, said the changes could help student athletes weather the coronavirus pandemic.

“As we evolve, the Association will continue to identify the guardrails to further support student athletes within the context of college sports and higher education,” Ackerman said. “In addition, we are mindful of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on higher education, college sports and students at large. We hope that modernized name, image and likeness rules will further assist college athletes during these unprecedented times.”

MORE NEWS: Know These Before Moving From Cyprus To The UK

The NCAA plans to work with Congress to maintain a line between college and professional athletes and to protect the NCAA against potential lawsuits that could result from the changes.

“The evolving legal and legislative landscape around these issues not only could undermine college sports as a part of higher education but also significantly limit the NCAA’s ability to meet the needs of college athletes moving forward,” Drake said. “We must continue to engage with Congress in order to secure the appropriate legal and legislative framework to modernize our rules around name, image and likeness. We will do so in a way that underscores the Association’s mission to oversee and protect college athletics and college athletes on a national scale.”