The ASUO Student Senate passed a $27,512 special request by the Athletic Department Finance Committee on Wednesday night by a vote of 10-7.
The Senate also voted to reallocate the ADFC budget so that 5.5 percent, rather than 2.88 percent, of the 7 percent increase approved by the Senate will go toward student tickets for in-season games. The remaining 1.5 percent will go toward tickets for pre-season games.
Senators who voted for and against the reallocation and the special request voiced their dismay at what they perceived as the ADFC’s lack of concern for students.
“This whole situation, for lack of a better word, simply sucks,” Sen. Mary Elizabeth Madden said. “It feels like blackmail.”
The ADFC asked for a reallocation of its budget because the value of basketball and football tickets will be higher next year because of increased ticket prices and more home games. Under a good faith agreement the ADFC has with the Senate, the ASUO is supposed to be moving toward paying 50 percent of the fair market value of students tickets with incidental fee money.
If the Senate had not passed the reallocation of the ADFC budget, the ADFC would have cut 959 football seats and 690 men’s basketball seats.
ADFC asked for $27,512 of surplus money to replace pre-season ticket funds lost in the reallocation. If the request was not granted, ADFC would cut all student tickets for pre-season games. Having already approved a 1.5 percent increase to pay for pre-season tickets, senators were faced with the choice of passing the request or putting money towards pre-season tickets without getting anything in exchange for students.
The Athletic Department will contribute some money from fundraising and advertising to pay for pre-season tickets as well. The Senate approved a transfer of $540 from athletics’ advertising budget to go toward pre-season tickets.
Some senators said athletics was taking advantage of the agreement it has with students to pay 50 percent of the ticket value by raising prices.
“I think this is bunk,” Sen. Katie Howard said. “We do not have control over how much they increase ticket prices.”
ADFC member Sen. Kate Kranzush said students on the committee had done the best they could to work out an arrangement benefiting students that the Athletic Department would accept.
“I have to swallow my pride and say, my morals aside, we have to do this,” she said.
Other senators expressed misgivings but said they didn’t see what choice they had without sacrificing student tickets.
“The bottom line is, if we want students to have tickets at the same (level) next year, we have to do this,” Sen. Eric Bailey said.
In other special requests, the Senate denied a $2,120 request by KWVA to send two employees to a conference. The Senate approved a $454 conference request by LGBT Educational and Support Services director Chicora Martin.
Senators Arlie Adkins and Susie Shauger announced their resignations.