Athletics fee renewal up for debate

With less than a year since the battle between the students and the administration over the controversial implementation of the $30 student athletics fee, the process to renew the fee is about to begin.\nOpposed by many student groups, the fee brought $1,134,630 to the athletics department riddled by a deficit amounting to more than $5 million. \nWhether or not the fee will be renewed is not the only question during the renewal process. There is a possibility the athletics department will ask for an increase in the fee.\n"The fact that athletics is still in financial difficulty leads me to believe the trustees will not only keep the fee, but might increase it," IU Interim Chancellor Ken Gros Louis told the Indiana Daily Student Friday.\nIU Trustees President Fred Eichhorn said he would accept an increase if the proper areas benefitted.\n"I don't know (if the fee will be increased), if it means the success of the athletic department," Eichhorn said. "I think athletics is central to our University operation, and I think we have to support it."\nEven if the price comes from the students' pockets, Eichhorn said the fee might be needed.\n"Overall, we have state funds provided by the legislature, we have grant funds provided by outside people and we have tuition, and that's the end of the story," Eichhorn said. "That seem's to be the only place we could find it."\nLast year's process for the mandatory fee didn't take the conventional path most, if not all, mandatory student fees take.\n"What was most distressing (about last year) was the lack of process," Gros Louis said. "For years here, fees have not been increased. Mandatory fees have not been increased, unless it goes through a committee made up solely of students. And the fee did not go through that committee at all."\nInstead of being reviewed by the Committee for Fee Review, the fee went from idea straight to the trustees for a vote without the students' voice being considered.\nIU Student Association President Tyson Chastain said the students have two options to consider when combating the fee.\n"(The students) can either fight the fee or actually do the right thing and take it through the process," Chastain said. "The way it went last year took all student input out of it."\nThe process allows the Committee for Fee Review to review the submitted fee, either approving it or rejecting it. If the CFR approves the fee, it makes a request to Dean of Students Richard McKaig who then reviews the approval and passes it along to Gros Louis who would then submit it to the Trustees for a final vote.\nChastain stressed the need for the fee to go through the proper channels any other mandatory student fee does.\n"We are trying to make sure (the administration goes) through the right processes," he said.\nLast year, the fee was a revolving door between the trustees, IU President Adam Herbert and the athletics department bypassing the normally required fee review committee.\nThis year, Athletics Director Rick Greenspan will make presentations to IUSA and the CFR, Eichhorn said.\nEichhorn said he did not know why last year's process skipped the traditional means, but said this year he expects everything to go as planned.\n"We've talked with Rick Greenspan, and I think he's going to talk to IUSA and give further definition to what's going on," Eichhorn said.\nChastain said IUSA is already beginning to form a strategy to inform the students about the fee.\n"Our game plan is to make sure they know where their money is going," he said. "First of all, why is this there? Where is the money going? Secondly, if that is not given to students, IUSA and its congress needs to address the facts of whether they support or reject the fee."\nWith other mandatory student fees at IU, the students receive something in return. The athletics fee is the only fee that does not give back, which is a concern for IUSA and IU students, Chastain said.\n"There are some other fee increases and fee requests that show student services changing," Chastain said. "A lot of other fees that are on the board, supported by students and IUSA, show direct change in student services. The question is, where is the change in service for students with this mandatory fee?"\nEichhorn had no answer for that question, but said the answer could come in Greenspan's presentation to IUSA. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Josh \nWeinfuss at jweinfus@indiana.edu.