By Stephen George
The U of L Board of Trustees tabled the controversial $125 student athletic fee bill at yesterday’s meeting. The proposed bill, which was passed Friday in a 3-1 vote by the university finance committee, would have added the fee to students’ tuition in order to help rescue the athletic department from its 2000-2001 debt of $3.2 million.
After a backlash from students and some faculty, Dr. Shumaker proposed to table the bill at yesterday’s meeting, saying: “I think everyone’s best interests are served if we step back, review other possibilities, and consider bringing an alternative motion to the board in May.” Dr. Shumaker also said that he was confident a solution could be determined that would minimize the students’ burden.
“We are pleased to see that the administration is listening to concerns of students,” said Student Government Association President-elect Chris Marlin. “We will continue to work to see that students are well represented.”
Marlin said that SGA would persist in finding a solution to the budget issue. “We will continue to work with the administration to determine reasons for the shortcomings in the budget, and see that remedies to these issues do not adversely affect students,” he said.
According to Dr. Shumaker’s recommendation to the Board, the fee would result in an additional $4,310,180 in revenues, of which $3,378,312 would go to the athletic department, while the remaining $931,868 would go to student scholarship increases. “The reputation of the university is enhanced, the excitement of campus life is increased, and nearly 500 students have the opportunity to compete at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics while attending the university,” he stated in the recommendation. “The national exposure for the university created by the athletics program has a direct, positive impact on the perceived value of the degree in the eyes of potential employers.”
Other student incentives stated in the recommendation include 2,300 student-only seats for football games at reduced prices, 2,000 student-only seats for basketball games at reduced prices, parking during school sessions at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium (built and maintained by the athletics department), and 100 priority and free seats for intercollegiate volleyball.
On the whole, students have been opposed to the fee. Junior biology major Drew Wilson dismissed increased athletic department spending as a distraction to improving education. “I have a feeling that the athletic departments have paid way too much in all colleges and all higher-order education,” he said. “If they (increase) tuition, I hope it goes towards paying actual collegiate professors that know what they’re doing.”
“I am a student who is angry that the athletic department wants to take advantage of U of L’s students more than they already do,” said Josh Dugan, senior biology major. “Students get screwed on seats at athletic events, they get to pay the bill for mistakes made in the grass at Papa John’s Stadium, and the past student ticket campout was the most unorganized, non-managed, biggest mistake of U of L athletics as a whole. The Athletic Department should be running the ticket campout to provide a fair way to distribute the few tickets you give the students.”
“I’m glad it didn’t pass because I’m not in the athletic department and I don’t think any of my money should go there,” said undeclared freshman Jessica Blake.
“[Athletics] should find other ways to effectively manage the budget,” said Dugan. “Reaching in the student’s pockets is not the answer. You must realize that this is theft, taking our money and giving nothing in return.”
Students who feel strongly about this should voice their concerns to any or all of the following administrators:
Tom Jurich Athletic, Director Jurich@louisville.edu
John Shumaker, President shumaker@louisville.edu
Carol Garrison, Provost provost@louisville.edu
Chris Marlin, SGA President Elect cjmarl01@louisville.edu
