|
Press Releases |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
| DATE: | March 3, 2006 |
| CONTACT: | Dr. Eliot Chenaux, Vice President, Student Affairs, (361) 825-2612; Or Steve Paschal, Public Affairs, (361) 825-2336 |
Islander Athletic Fund Increase Overwhelmingly Approved in Referendum of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Students |
|
| In a two-day referendum on Wednesday and Thursday, March 1-2 the students approved the proposal by a margin of 760 to 168. Beginning in fall 2006 the fee will go up from $8 per semester hour with a cap of $100 to $12 with a cap of $156. Currently, the Islander athletic budget is $4.1 million but the department must draw approximately $800,000 a year from the University’s auxiliary fund to cover its annual operating budget. State law requires that a referendum be held whenever fees are increased by more than 5 percent. The University also plans to address the shortage of funds with more aggressive sports marketing and additional contributions from donors. A&M-Corpus Christi President Flavius Killebrew characterized the increase as truth in advertising. “With the athletic fee students know exactly where their money is going.” said Killebrew. “When you don’t generate money from ticket sales and donations you have to draw the money from wherever you can. Approval of the referendum will make the athletic department more self-sufficient.” According to Eliot Chenaux, vice president for Student Affairs, the turnout was almost double that that for any previous campus referendum. He credited the wide margin of victory to a pre-vote informational campaign to make sure that the students understood the purpose and benefits of the increase. The funds, he pointed out, will help pay for scholarships, salaries and the cost of team travel. “We talked with many of the student groups on campus and explained that the increase in the athletic fee would also help keep down the cost of designated tuition,” said Chenaux. The fees will go directly toward funding the athletic programs and free up money that was being taken from the general fund.” The fee increase will allow the University to continue its policy of free student admission to Islander games. Currently, the Islander athletic program consists of 14 men’s and women’s sports. |
|