Increased funding for USD athletics

[azsod73]

From the Volante:

(This is great news for our athletics department. It has been in the works for some time and I give credit to the students who recognized the need and voted to increase their fees. The fee increase is phased in over three years and I have heard the first year's total will be about $500,000. This will grow to $1.7 million per year at full implementation and go on from there.)

The University of South Dakota student population voted ‘yes’ to a three-year increase in General Activity Fees, and elected a new Student Government Association president and vice president Wednesday.

The GAF fund increase would go into effect in the upcoming fall semester and is expected to generate more than $700,000. The increase would start at $4.50 per credit hour and be raised for the next three years until it caps at $13.50 per credit hour.

The GAF increase especially targets a need for funding in the university’s athletic department, which was rated last in the Summit League and Missouri Valley conference’s for funding.

[yote14]

Agreed. Good for our students starting to buy into growing the atheltics department. And good for the university for making it happen. These are the changes I love to see and I guess just take time in the transition.

I read somewhere that there was a huge gap between how much USD's students fund the athletic programs compared to other MVFC teams. I want to say it was like 28% but I could be wrong on that number.

does anyone know when this plan is in full swing how we will compare to other confernece teams as far as student funding to the athletic department?

hopefully if students are paying more in fees they will be more likely to go to events and support the university. probably not though as it is a huge problem with every school.

[ctc2010]

I believe I read somewhere that it has to go through Abbott first, then the SDBOR. Abbott has come out in support of it though, so certainly on the right track!

[Yotes]

The GAF hadn't risen in a few years if I'm remembering the article in The Volante correctly, and this is something I believe should be set to increase on an annual basis (just like tuition). What's an extra $4.50 per credit hour anyways? Kudos to the students for approving this increase.