Show us responsibility

In reading the article on the athletic fee in yesterday's IDS, I was struck by Trustee Peter Obremskey's comments regarding our need as students to recognize the role that sports play in our college experience and his admonition to "take some responsibility for it." Perhaps the administrators of the athletics department, rather than the student body, should be given that advice. I am an avid fan of collegiate sports, from basketball to water polo (a terrific sport to watch, by the way), but I am constantly surprised by the way those in charge of this part of our "college experience" run their program. Mr. Obremskey is correct in pointing out all students pay a transportation fee, yet not all take advantage of the buses. Last time I checked, however, the transportation department wasn't struggling financially because they have had to pay off the contracts of coaches and administrators who they fired while paying the exorbitant salaries of the new personnel. They hadn't spent over a million dollars refurbishing posh seats toward the "front of the bus" to try and entice big spenders to ride more often. They haven't hired a new driver who spends more money on his bus than all the other drivers combined, including replacing a field that was just put in 5 years ago. (I know, the new field was paid for by a generous donations -- but perhaps that $750,000 could have gone toward reducing this "deficit"). What it comes down to is the transportation department is not demanding money from students in order to bail them out because they have been fiscally irresponsible. I don't mind paying to go see fellow students engage in competitive sports, but I resent the idea that I am being assessed a fee to offset the consequences of someone else's poor decisions, or that I have become an "easy out" for the athletic department's poor judgment when it comes to coaches and administrators. I am quite aware of the "role" collegiate sports play in my university life, Mr. Obremskey, and that role is the minimal one of entertainment. I don't want to assume too much here, but I think that most of us didn't come to college primarily to play or watch sports. Do I enjoy it? Sure (immensely, in fact). Do I need it? No. The things I do "need" in college include quality faculty members, extensive research facilities, current technological tools, adequate medical facilities, places to eat and work out and yes, transportation. The current tuition and mandatory fees speak to these needs -- the proposed athletic fee does not. As far as students having "to take some responsibility" for the financial expense of collegiate sports at IU, might I suggest those actually in charge of the athletics department model that for us first. If I thought they were being responsible, I could stomach pitching in if that need arose, but I doubt the need would be there if the former was the case. Of course, I could be wrong. Perhaps the current and past athletics administrations have been nothing but responsible, frugal and wise, the resulting deficit a product of bad economic times … but I doubt it. Rod Taylor
Graduate student