IUSA executives say 'no' to bringing back athletics fee

The IU Student Association executive branch stated in a press release issued Thursday it would not advocate to keep the mandatory athletics fee. \n"We aren't going to continue looking for an athletic fee or discussing the matter," IUSA President Alex Shortle said Sunday. "It's a dead issue at this point."\nAt the IUSA Congress' last meeting Tuesday, representatives split into nine groups to discuss the results of a survey regarding student opinion on the mandatory athletics fee. The survey asked students to choose whether they favored keeping the athletics fee or losing student basketball seats and increasing ticket prices. \nFour surveyed groups were fairly split on whether or not to keep the fee, four said they favored keeping the fee rather than losing student seating and one group said students did not want to pay the fee. \nDespite of these discussions, Shortle said after he reviewed the surveys, he found results were evenly split between keeping and rejecting the $30 annual fee. The split indicates there is not enough "strong" support to justify lobbying to keep the fee, he said. \n"On this issue there just wasn't the support and I had to make this decision," he said. "But I'd like to see what the athletic department can do in terms of looking for alternate ways to raise revenue." \nThe athletics department recently unveiled a plan to eliminate its deficit without charging a mandatory student fee. In order to make up the revenue, the plan proposed increasing student basketball ticket prices by $4 per game, charging $5 for soccer and Olympic sports and reducing student seats in Assembly Hall by 500. The release said IUSA executives could tolerate an increase in student ticket prices if non-student ticket prices rose as well. But the executives expressed dissatisfaction with charging for currently free events, such as soccer, and removing 500 student seats from Assembly Hall.\n"IUSA will not allow the University to treat students in such a manner," the release said, quoting Shortle. "We will not allow them to concede these seats under the basis that we said no to a fee that was implemented against our wishes. There are other ways to generate revenue ... With its breadth of options, cultural opportunities and beautiful campus, why should we compromise this based on the lack of creative solutions to a small, financial problem?"\nThe release said increasing non-student ticket prices at the same rate of student ticket price increases would generate $1.1 million in revenue. IUSA also recommended applying to faculty seats in Assembly Hall the point-based system used by alumni, which lead to better seats for those who donate to IU.\nIUSA Vice President Will Leckey said students should not be forced to pay a fee or lose student seating.\n"It's really sad that all students would be hit with a fee even if some don't support it because of the negligence of fiscal responsibility," he said. "Taking 500 seats away from the student body is an absolute slap in our face. It's the last option to do this. With a lack of creative alternatives from the University, I personally, on behalf of the students as well as Alex, will not let this happen. And we're not going to go down without a fight."\nLeckey said the statement was sent to many University officials, including the athletics department, IU President Adam Herbert and the IU-Bloomington chancellor's office. \nIU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said the athletics department has been working to remove the mandatory fee. \n"At this point, it seems to me that the athletics department and director is doing exactly what the president has directed him to do, which is come up with a plan that does eliminate the athletics fee and, yes, that does involve some changes in student seating," he said. \nMacIntyre also said the IU board of trustees and Herbert are always interested in hearing IUSA's opinions on issues. \n"IUSA provides us with input and we appreciate the information," he said.