USFSA has some pdfs on their website that allude to talks to make Synchronized Skating recognized as an NCAA sport.
I think that, like gymnastics, it will be difficult for elite women to ever be college athletes (there are exceptions- Courtney Kupets maintained her eligibility, though I don't know how, since she toured...). Rachel Flatt could NOT be an NCAA athlete, because she has accepted money in relation to skating (prize money, paid for shows, sponsorship). Men's gymnasts often don't peak until after college, so they are able to be NCAA and Olympic athletes, women's gymnasts at the Olympics are almost never eligible to be NCAA athletes at the point they reach college.
So while I'd love to see the NCAA recognize figure skating, it's going to be the lower level (but still junior/senior) skaters who are able to benefit from scholarship and training opportunities, not the elites. This, like the example above, might be different for men, although many on the JGP are still in high school, I think.
Do many schools have ice rinks? The place I went to college the hockey team drove about 100 miles to practice, but now the city has a rink. The club team at the university in my town now plays their games at the mall rink. Lack of facilities will hurt making ice sports "varsity" at most schools.