Student fees funding college athletics

[psyclone]

With recent talk on the boards about the need for Mason to build a basketball practice facility, I thought that some might propose some combination of seeking major donations plus raising student fees in order to fund such a project.

Today's Washington Post (print version) had the following article on student fees being used to fund college athletic programs at Power 5 conferences and some of the push back that has arisen at some of the schools:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...a47476-8d3e-11e5-ae1f-af46b7df8483_story.html

There is also an older article that focuses on student fees at Virginia colleges.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/24/AR2010102403002.html

I think that currently full-time students at Mason pay $272 per semester that goes to the athletic department.
http://studentaccounts.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/AuxiliaryStudentFee.pdf

I'm not sure what it is at vcu--there had been some talk that they had raised student fees over the years in order to keep Shaka Smart.

 

[gmu05]

Good.

 

[GiantKiller_Co]

I hope we can raise the funds through donations and state funds alone. Maybe adidas throws some money at us if they wanna establish a long-term partnership.

Most Mason students complain about us not having football, but are quick to cry when student fees go up $20. Building a facility w/student fees wouldn't go well.

 

[Masonman]

Does this mean we will have student organizations storming the court once more at the next home basketball game?

 

[GiantKiller_Co]

Does this mean we will have student organizations storming the court once more at the next home basketball game?

The law (Code of Virginia - Title 1 - Section 23.1.2) doesn't kick into July 2016. Mason only has to drop 3-5% of it's budget from student fees to comply and they have 4 years to adjust I believe.

(http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/23-1.2)

 

[Five Two]

Student fees, more sponsorships/donations/gifts, reallocating budgets.....I'm curious to know what vcu, Butler, Wichita St, Davidson, etc did immediately after their Final Four/Elite 8 runs to keep them relevant that we didn't do 10 years ago. I am sure its a mix of various things and sounds like a good business management 450 class project.....

 

[GMUgemini]

Student fees, more sponsorships/donations/gifts, reallocating budgets.....I'm curious to know what vcu, Butler, Wichita St, Davidson, etc did immediately after their Final Four/Elite 8 runs to keep them relevant that we didn't do 10 years ago. I am sure its a mix of various things and sounds like a good business management 450 class project.....

Davidson hasn't been all that relevant since their Elite 8 run.

But I'll tell you, following up a Final Four with another Final Four sure helps, or going undefeated and being a No. 1 seed.

All four of those schools had the infrastructure, support, and teams already in place to capitalize basically and we were still playing catch up (then we lost our coach and hired a bad one).

 

[GMUgemini]

The law (Code of Virginia - Title 1 - Section 23.1.2) doesn't kick into July 2016. Mason only has to drop 3-5% of it's budget from student fees to comply and they have 4 years to adjust I believe.

(http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/23-1.2)

GMU is a 1-AAA institution. Is our subsidy over 80%?

 

[Pablo]

GMU is a 1-AAA institution. Is our subsidy over 80%?

See our prior discussion - http://masonhoops.com/board/threads/va-to-limit-subsidies-to-ads-how-does-it-affect-mason.884/.

 

[GiantKiller_Co]

GMU is a 1-AAA institution. Is our subsidy over 80%?

81 I think.

 

[GMU92]

Davidson hasn't been all that relevant since their Elite 8 run.

3 trips to the NCAA second round and winning the regular season A-10 in their first year ain't too bad. Definitely better than He Who Lost To Fordham in the First Round.

 

[Vurbel]

Davidson hasn't been all that relevant since their Elite 8 run.

I'd take being as irrelevant as Davidson.

 

[GMUgemini]

I'd take being as irrelevant as Davidson.

So, would I, but would you rather be Davidson or Butler?

The difference between Davidson and Mason? Davidson didn't lose their coach.

 

[Vurbel]

So, would I, but would you rather be Davidson or Butler?

The difference between Davidson and Mason? Davidson didn't lose their coach.

I'd rather be Butler. They got to the championship. But I'm just saying I would settle for Davidson right now.

 

[Walter]

Davidson fans probably want to be us. You can never take that FF banner away from us.

 

[GMU92]

I'd rather be Butler. They got to the championship. But I'm just saying I would settle for Davidson right now.

I think we had the bad luck of the draw in getting Florida in the Final Four. As much as I hate the Gators, that team was crazy talented. I seriously think we could have reached the final if we played either LSU or UCLA.

 

[psyclone]

I think we had the bad luck of the draw in getting Florida in the Final Four. As much as I hate the Gators, that team was crazy talented. I seriously think we could have reached the final if we played either LSU or UCLA.

Indeed, our game with Florida was closer than the championship game result.

 

[TwoFootTackle]

I think we had the bad luck of the draw in getting Florida in the Final Four. As much as I hate the Gators, that team was crazy talented. I seriously think we could have reached the final if we played either LSU or UCLA.

Larranaga would have matched Hewitt's accomplishment.

 

[Vurbel]

Larranaga would have matched Hewitt's accomplishment.

Or head coach Jarrett Jack?