Post by elon_phan on Apr 11, 2007 21:22:48 GMT -5
I found this interesting...
Students vote down referendum regarding new football fee
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 11, 2007) – East Tennessee State University officials announced Wednesday evening that students have voted down a ballot referendum regarding an increase in student athletic fees that would have helped pay for a new football program.
“This was an opportunity for our students to be heard,” said ETSU President Dr. Paul E. Stanton, Jr. “This vote did not parallel the positive numbers seen in our previous survey of students last December. While that is surprising, our students have let us know where they stand on the return of a football program at ETSU.”
The April 10-11 referendum called for a $50 increase during the Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 semesters. Fees would increase by another $50 per semester during the 2009-2010 school year. Along with the current $75 athletic fee, students would be paying a total of $350 a year in athletic fees beginning in 2009-2010. Plans were for the new football team to play its first game in 2010.
With 3,229 ballots cast, 1,907 students were opposed to the fee, and 1,322 were in favor. Over 59 percent of the students who participated voted against the fee, with 27 percent of the student body participating in the vote. The ETSU Student Government Association certified the vote at approximately 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.
Student approval was the first of several steps needed for the return of football. Even with a vote in favor of the fee, ETSU would have still needed approval to proceed with the increase from the Tennessee Board of Regents during its June meeting, and funding for a new outdoor stadium would have needed to be in hand by the summer of 2008 to begin construction. An estimated $15 million would need to be raised through private giving and sponsorships to begin the stadium project.
Students vote down referendum regarding new football fee
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 11, 2007) – East Tennessee State University officials announced Wednesday evening that students have voted down a ballot referendum regarding an increase in student athletic fees that would have helped pay for a new football program.
“This was an opportunity for our students to be heard,” said ETSU President Dr. Paul E. Stanton, Jr. “This vote did not parallel the positive numbers seen in our previous survey of students last December. While that is surprising, our students have let us know where they stand on the return of a football program at ETSU.”
The April 10-11 referendum called for a $50 increase during the Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 semesters. Fees would increase by another $50 per semester during the 2009-2010 school year. Along with the current $75 athletic fee, students would be paying a total of $350 a year in athletic fees beginning in 2009-2010. Plans were for the new football team to play its first game in 2010.
With 3,229 ballots cast, 1,907 students were opposed to the fee, and 1,322 were in favor. Over 59 percent of the students who participated voted against the fee, with 27 percent of the student body participating in the vote. The ETSU Student Government Association certified the vote at approximately 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.
Student approval was the first of several steps needed for the return of football. Even with a vote in favor of the fee, ETSU would have still needed approval to proceed with the increase from the Tennessee Board of Regents during its June meeting, and funding for a new outdoor stadium would have needed to be in hand by the summer of 2008 to begin construction. An estimated $15 million would need to be raised through private giving and sponsorships to begin the stadium project.