There was heated discussion at Thursday’s standing-room-only SGA Senate meeting regarding the $40 Athletic Fee Proposal, and while most agreed that there is a need for a new Football Press Box, not everyone agreed that a fee was the best way to obtain it.
SGA failed the motion to support the $40 Athletic Fee with nine ayes, seven nays, and three abstains. It failed due to not having the required majority, or 51%, of the vote in favor of the motion.
“With one out of every 15 students on this campus being a student athlete, I think they represent a large constituency,” Phil Dane, UTM Athletic Director, said. Dane gave the presentation asking for SGA to support the idea of a $40 fee increase per student per semester.
Dane’s presentation included the plans of what the $3 million Football Press Box is expected to look like, which includes two levels with elevators, an enclosed area for WUTM, an open reception area, and even two small private rooms that could be reserved by student organizations and academic departments during the games.
Also, Dane explained that only about $25 of the $40 fee would be used for the press box. The other $15 would be used on other athletic facility maintenance on a rotating basis.
Several athletes and coaches were in attendance, including Coach Jason Simpson, UTM’s Head Football Coach.
“When recruits come to visit for 24-36 hours, we give them as much information as we can. When they see the press box, they ask about the commitment that the school has to the program- that’s what I have to answer,” Simpson said.
“I’m a researcher so I think about this from a research perspective, and I feel like the whole premise behind this is that this new press box will bring more athletic recruits, more student recruits, and more donations to the university. Where is the support for that premise?” Kelsey Laxton, a senior Psychology major, said.
“I don’t think it’s the facility that does it, I think it’s the winning that the facility helps with,” Dane replied.
Some students felt that there were other issues that were more important than obtaining a new press box.
“The press box is not what attracts students to UTM. It’s the Quad, the student-teacher ratio, the cost, and other things like that. If you are so concerned about making UTM a better place, then how come we see you just this once? Where were you when we needed you earlier?” Justin Warren, SGA Procedures Chair, said.
Other students argued that a new press box could possibly help UTM gain more students
“UTM had several new students come just because we are getting a new Fine Arts Building. We’ve gained many amazing students, and the Music Department enrollment has risen by 20 percent,” Richard Drewry, sophomore Music major, said.
“I don’t see where a new press box could hurt us, and I’d love to see more athletes come to our meetings- that’s why you elect us. Shame on us for not representing you better,” Brittany Sturgill, SGA Communications Chair, said.
Many students changed their opinion during the presentation after seeing how the student body could benefit from the new press box, including Sturgill.
“This would be yet another great tool to represent our university,” Jonathan Whitaker, SGA Multicultural Affairs Chair, said.
After the vote, SGA Committee Chairs presented other legislation, including the “Safe Sex Awareness Day Resolution” by the Multicultural Affairs Committee, which upon passage, stated that the SGA would sponsor a Safe Sex Awareness Day on April 10 along with Student Health and other campus organizations.
Although SGA voted on the $40 Athletic Fee proposal at the meeting, the UTM Student Body will still have the opportunity to vote on the issue in the SGA Elections on Tuesday, April 3.
