Students will wrap up voting on a $2 per credit hour fee for athletics today.
The increase will go toward the funding of tier two and tier three sports at Fort Hays State University. Senators from the Student Government Association will be going from classroom to classroom to inform students of the election.
Among those speaking to classes is freshman Legislative Affairs Director Haley Wilkison.
“Basically, what we’re trying to do is let people know that this vote is going out, because a lot of the student body doesn’t know about that. We are also showing them how to set up the elections channel on their TigerTracks account so they are able to vote,” Wilkison said.
There will also be a table with senators in Memorial Union to help students set up their channels and cast their votes.
Wilkison said the vote may have a surprising outcome.
“I think it could pretty much go either way. I’ve heard from students on both sides. I think the student population is really split on the issue,” Wilkison said.
Wilkinson said this vote should be something students will respond to.
“I think that this is an issue that students are really going to care about, because it’s athletics – which is a big deal to a lot of students – as well as money, which is equally as big a deal to students. I think we should see a big turnout,” Wilkison said
Students on campus have varying opinions on how the vote should go. Sophomore Kate Wary is against the increase.
“I understand that athletics cost money and they bring students to the school. I just don’t think that it should be a burden on all students to provide their funding. I don’t think that we should have a fee increase on everyone just to benefit a few,” Wary said.
Wary believes that all students should be treated equally, regardless of the fame of their activity.
“I think the students who play sports will vote ‘yes’ and the students who don’t will vote ‘no,’ because they don’t want to pay for other people’s stuff. You don’t see people asking for funding for other specific things. We don’t have chunks of our tuition that goes towards any drama, any music or any Spanish club. Just because they’re involved in something extracurricular doesn’t mean the student body should have to pay for that,” Wary said.
Freshman Alex McMillian – who plays for FHSU’s football team – voted “yes,” and believes the money will benefit the smaller sports vastly.
“I think the tier two and three sports need a lot of money. They’re having trouble finding scholarship money for students. Like wrestling, for instance, only had enough money for them to have two scholarship athletes, and they can have up to 40 on a team,” McMillian said.
McMillian says bringing in more money will help bring students to the school.
“I hope that bringing in more money will bring in some more fans. The money will give us more of our scholarships to bring in better athletes, therefore bringing in some more fans and students to the school,” McMillian said. “People can argue each way. There are lots of rumors about where the money is going. Whether it will go to the sports or not, but we just have to trust that they’re going to do what they say with it.”
A university should be a place where people come to learn. Athletics are a distraction and a waste of student money. Every dollar that is spent on sports is one less dollar for academics. No more money for athletics!