The Campus Fee Advisory Committee at California State University, Fresno has approved a ballot initiative for students to vote on that proposes an increase to the Instructionally Related Activity fee benefiting both academics and athletics.
The referendum, which will go to a student vote April 8-10, would mean a $70 per semester increase, dedicating $20 to Instructionally Related Activity (IRA) project funding and $50 to support the campus intercollegiate athletics program.
Currently, the IRA fee is $10 a semester, which funds educational activities, field trips and other learning experiences sponsored by an academic program, discipline or department related to instructional offerings.
The $20 fee increase for more instructionally related activities would allow more students to experience more outside of class activities such as field trips, art exhibits, professional conferences and international study tours.
The Student Senate voted Thursday to endorse the initiative.
In a memo to the Campus Fee Advisory Committee, Athletics Director Thomas Boeh explained that the revenue derived from the proposed $50 increase for athletics would directly support student-athlete services, academic resource allocations, equipment, recruiting, supplies, information technology and team travel. The additional revenue -estimated at $2 million per year – would help the athletics program initiate women’s lacrosse and reinstate women’s swimming and diving in the 2008-09 academic year.
In a notice to students about the referendum, it was noted that the cost of operating a Division I athletics program has increased significantly over the past decade, exceeding revenue available to support it. Boeh has stated that maintaining the competitive, equitable and quality programs that Fresno State expects requires an additional investment in all athletic funding sources through increased ticket revenue, fundraising and student fees.
At Fresno State’s peer institutions average student fees for athletics are considerably higher than at Fresno State. A report earlier this year from the President’s Commission on Athletics Finances found the average at the comparison institutions is $59 per semester compared to the $7 per semester at Fresno State that is part of the Student Body Fee.
At Fresno State, student fees account for 1 percent of the athletics budget. By comparison, student fees at some of the comparable schools are: Boise State, 13 percent; San Diego State, 21 percent; San Jose State, 35 percent; Sacramento State, 45 percent; and Cal Poly, 55 percent.
Also, Fresno State has the fourth-lowest campus fees in the California State University system ($527 per year vs. an average of $749 in CSU).
Campus fee proposals are sent to the Campus Fee Advisory Committee, which weighs the results from a referendum and forwards a recommendation to President Dr. John D. Welty for a final decision.
Related link:
Report of the President’s Commission on Athletics Finances
-https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2008/01/AthleticsFinance/AthleticsFinanc
eReport.pdf
