2008 Woodie Awards
Faculty senate votes in favor of football
Anna Chapman
Associate Editor
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The faculty senate is in support of a NCAA football team at the University of South Alabama.
The senate chair, Vicki Tate, conducted a straw vote at the group's most recent meeting on Oct. 17, and 27 senate members voted in favor of having a football team, four members were against the idea and two were indifferent. The names of the four people that voted against football were unavailable.
There are some conditions that the faculty senate expects to be met before a football team can be achieved. The senate's main goal is that football be created in a reasonable manner, with the majority of the funding coming from sources other than the University itself.
Faculty members realize that some funds will inevitably come from the University's general operating budget, but they do not want this money to be the primary funding source. The University's general operating budget is money from the state and tuition.
According to Tate, the faculty senate wants to see the bulk of the money needed for football acquired through alumni donations, ticket sales and increased student activity fees.
The possibility that students might have to bear a good portion of the cost for football is not a secret. A $100 to $150 increase in student fees has already been discussed among administrators and students alike.
Football taking funding away from academics has been a big concern since the idea of USA having a NCAA team was first introduced. This fear could be the main reason that some faculty members have not supported the possibility of football in the past.
Tate believes that the mood has changed because the situation has changed. According to Tate, there was no extra money for the University to allocate in 2000. The budget was tight, therefore many people shunned the idea of spending money on football rather than academics.
"Things have changed in seven years," Tate said.
Although USA is in a better financial position now, faculty members still have some reservations about the effect football could have on academics. The senate feels confident that if the majority of funding comes from sources other than the University's general operating budget, the academic departments would be unaffected by the addition of football.
"For the most part, the faculty believes that if students want football and other forces, such as the community, alumni, the Board of Trustees, want it then we are not opposed to that," Tate said. "We just want to make sure that academics don't suffer."
Improved financial circumstances and students' willingness to pay for football have convinced some faculty members to jump on the pro-football bandwagon.
The senate chair, Vicki Tate, conducted a straw vote at the group's most recent meeting on Oct. 17, and 27 senate members voted in favor of having a football team, four members were against the idea and two were indifferent. The names of the four people that voted against football were unavailable.
There are some conditions that the faculty senate expects to be met before a football team can be achieved. The senate's main goal is that football be created in a reasonable manner, with the majority of the funding coming from sources other than the University itself.
Faculty members realize that some funds will inevitably come from the University's general operating budget, but they do not want this money to be the primary funding source. The University's general operating budget is money from the state and tuition.
According to Tate, the faculty senate wants to see the bulk of the money needed for football acquired through alumni donations, ticket sales and increased student activity fees.
The possibility that students might have to bear a good portion of the cost for football is not a secret. A $100 to $150 increase in student fees has already been discussed among administrators and students alike.
Football taking funding away from academics has been a big concern since the idea of USA having a NCAA team was first introduced. This fear could be the main reason that some faculty members have not supported the possibility of football in the past.
Tate believes that the mood has changed because the situation has changed. According to Tate, there was no extra money for the University to allocate in 2000. The budget was tight, therefore many people shunned the idea of spending money on football rather than academics.
"Things have changed in seven years," Tate said.
Although USA is in a better financial position now, faculty members still have some reservations about the effect football could have on academics. The senate feels confident that if the majority of funding comes from sources other than the University's general operating budget, the academic departments would be unaffected by the addition of football.
"For the most part, the faculty believes that if students want football and other forces, such as the community, alumni, the Board of Trustees, want it then we are not opposed to that," Tate said. "We just want to make sure that academics don't suffer."
Improved financial circumstances and students' willingness to pay for football have convinced some faculty members to jump on the pro-football bandwagon.
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