04-14-2009, 01:16 AM
UNO to ask students to nearly double athletic fee
Posted by Pierce Huff, The Times-Picayune April 09, 2009 4:24PM
Categories: UNO
Michael DeMocker / The Times-Picayune
UNO Athletic Director Jim MIller, flanked by basketball coaches Joe Pasternack and Amy Champion, said he is confident the proposal to increase students' athletic fees will pass. The UNO athletic department will ask the school's student body to almost double its athletic fee to help make up for losing $1.4 million from the university for the 2009-10 school year, UNO Athletic Director Jim Miller said Thursday.
The athletic department likely will receive no money from the university next school year because of looming state budget cuts, necessitating the increase in student fees for athletics. The university contributed $1.4 million to UNO's $4 million athletic budget this school year.
Students will be asked to vote for an increase of, on average, $96 per student per semester. UNO students currently pay approximately $8.33 per credit hour in athletic fees, which averages to about $100 per student per semester based on an average of 12 credit hours. The increase will charge students $16.33 per credit hour in athletic fees, which averages to about $196 per student per semester based on 12 credit hours.
Miller said he is confident the proposal will pass and wouldn't say what his plan of action is if it fails.
"This increase is something that I think will ensure that UNO athletics is here as long as its students are here," Miller said. "I intend for this to be successful and I'm not going to what-if it. At that point (if the proposal fails), you have to leave it up to the legislature to do what they're going to do the governor's proposals (on budget cuts) but we chose to be proactive."
If students approve the increase, Miller projects $4 million of the $4.6 million athletic budget for 2009-10 will come from student fees. Student fees contributed $1.9 million to the $4 million athletic budget this school year, $1.4 million came from the university and the remaining $700,000 was covered by ticket sales and marketing. Miller said the athletic department is expected to lose approximately $600,000 this school year.
Even if the students approve the increase, the LSU Board of Supervisors must sign off on the vote.
Facing a possible 12.3 percent cut to its budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year, UNO Chancellor Tim Ryan said the university no longer will be able to supplement athletics. If all goes as planned, the students will vote on the increase April 29.
"In the small picture it seems fine," UNO student government president Justin Cottrell. "In the larger picture students are looking at increases to tuition and other larger fees. I've talked to one student (who) said they haven't even gone to the games."
Ryan said he will honor the student body vote, although he could petition the LSU Board of Supervisors and ask them to make a decision on increasing student athletic fees.
"I think we have to support the student's decision," he said. "This is one of the biggest decisions I have faced."
Ryan said there is a small chance that the athletic department won't need the increase in student athletic fees, but all indications point to it being a necessity based on the proposed budget cuts from Gov. Bobby Jindal for 2009-2010.
Tags: Jim Miller, LSU, UNO
Posted by Pierce Huff, The Times-Picayune April 09, 2009 4:24PM
Categories: UNO
Michael DeMocker / The Times-Picayune
UNO Athletic Director Jim MIller, flanked by basketball coaches Joe Pasternack and Amy Champion, said he is confident the proposal to increase students' athletic fees will pass. The UNO athletic department will ask the school's student body to almost double its athletic fee to help make up for losing $1.4 million from the university for the 2009-10 school year, UNO Athletic Director Jim Miller said Thursday.
The athletic department likely will receive no money from the university next school year because of looming state budget cuts, necessitating the increase in student fees for athletics. The university contributed $1.4 million to UNO's $4 million athletic budget this school year.
Students will be asked to vote for an increase of, on average, $96 per student per semester. UNO students currently pay approximately $8.33 per credit hour in athletic fees, which averages to about $100 per student per semester based on an average of 12 credit hours. The increase will charge students $16.33 per credit hour in athletic fees, which averages to about $196 per student per semester based on 12 credit hours.
Miller said he is confident the proposal will pass and wouldn't say what his plan of action is if it fails.
"This increase is something that I think will ensure that UNO athletics is here as long as its students are here," Miller said. "I intend for this to be successful and I'm not going to what-if it. At that point (if the proposal fails), you have to leave it up to the legislature to do what they're going to do the governor's proposals (on budget cuts) but we chose to be proactive."
If students approve the increase, Miller projects $4 million of the $4.6 million athletic budget for 2009-10 will come from student fees. Student fees contributed $1.9 million to the $4 million athletic budget this school year, $1.4 million came from the university and the remaining $700,000 was covered by ticket sales and marketing. Miller said the athletic department is expected to lose approximately $600,000 this school year.
Even if the students approve the increase, the LSU Board of Supervisors must sign off on the vote.
Facing a possible 12.3 percent cut to its budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year, UNO Chancellor Tim Ryan said the university no longer will be able to supplement athletics. If all goes as planned, the students will vote on the increase April 29.
"In the small picture it seems fine," UNO student government president Justin Cottrell. "In the larger picture students are looking at increases to tuition and other larger fees. I've talked to one student (who) said they haven't even gone to the games."
Ryan said he will honor the student body vote, although he could petition the LSU Board of Supervisors and ask them to make a decision on increasing student athletic fees.
"I think we have to support the student's decision," he said. "This is one of the biggest decisions I have faced."
Ryan said there is a small chance that the athletic department won't need the increase in student athletic fees, but all indications point to it being a necessity based on the proposed budget cuts from Gov. Bobby Jindal for 2009-2010.
Tags: Jim Miller, LSU, UNO