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In the past, legislators have been offered tickets for Cardinal sporting events at face value, with the university waiving the premium seating fee. This enabled the lawmakers to enjoy basketball games from fantastic seats in Freedom Hall for a low price. When the KFC Yum! Center seats were made available for season ticket buyers for the upcoming Cardinal basketball season, many were informed of a premium seating fee that would put them out anywhere from $500 to $1,000. Allegedly, this information did not come to legislators in a timely manner, and complaints were then lodged with the University of Louisville. In response to said complaints, U of L President James Ramsey offered to pay the fee for legislators. U of L spokesman Mark Hebert has adamantly claimed that the money used to pay for the legislators’ phantom fees would, according to Ramsey, not come from “tuition, fees or state taxes.”
The premium seating fee is not a minimal sum. So from where would the funding for this venture be pulled? According to Hebert, the money would come from an independent source, the University of Louisville Foundation. Headed by Ramsey, the U of L Foundation money comes from alumni and other donation sources. The foundation money assists students in programs such as the Hallmark Scholars and Overseers Scholars, among other uses.
How does this not affect students? Regardless of the fact that legislators were apparently ill-informed of the fees involved, the fee still exists for all other season ticket holders. Dipping into the U of L Foundation for funds, giving legislators a free ride past the premium seating fees, looks pretty bad. And apparently the lawmakers themselves believe that as well.
According to Hebert, 27 legislators were offered to have their fees paid for, and all declined. One can assume that the ramifications of cutting into potential scholarship money would damage the reputation of anyone, politician or university president.
“In this economy, any funds we use to pay premium seating costs will be funds we cannot use to support scholarships and other enrichment for our students,” Ramsey stated in a letter to legislators regarding the seating fees.
It is essential in any situation for our university officials to keep student welfare the top priority. Legislators recognized that taking potential scholarship money to pay for great seats for basketball games is bad news. When faced with a situation where the customer must be pleased to ensure future business, taking money that could potentially assist students who attend U of L is unwanted by everyone.
