The NCAA agreed to create a $70 million fund to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by former college athletes who are calling for reforms related to the association's head-injury policies.

According to reports, the $70 million fund will be used to determine if a current or former collegiate football, hockey, soccer, and other contact sports athletes suffered head trauma that could lead to serious injuries.

Lead plaintiff's lawyer Steve Berman was elated with NCAA's decision to address concerns about their head-injury policies, saying that such reforms are needed not only by professional athletes, but also by student athletes.

"This offers college athletes another level of protection, which is vitally important to their health," said Berman, who represented for former Eastern Illinois standout Adrian Arrington. "Student-athletes -- not just football players -- have dropped out of school and suffered huge long-term symptoms because of brain injuries. Anything we can do to enhance concussion management is a very important day for student-athletes."

However, the proposed settlement did not sit well with the National College Players Association (NCPA) because it was just designed for research purposes and monitoring programs. Under the settlement, it is up to the athlete to sue NCAA for damages and then the fund will be used to determine if there are enough grounds for the case.

"There's also no support for players actually suffering from those conditions, from effects of TBI [traumatic brain injury] from that sport," said NCPA president Ramogi Huma via ESPN. "They should have gotten support for players as part of the settlement rather than forcing players to fend for themselves."

Huma also blasted the NCAA for failing to give protection to athletes, saying that the association should have included a new return-to-play protocol, while also calling for reduced contacts during team practices.

"The settlement represents yet another refusal of the NCAA to protect players from unnecessary brain trauma," Huma said. "Instead of agreeing to rules that protect players' brains by reducing contact in practices and mandatory return-to-play protocols, such protections would remain optional."