On Sept. 21, UTSA athletics unveiled their proposal for an increase to the athletics fee at the SGA general assembly. According to The Paisano, “If the initiative passes, the fee will increase each academic year until 2027-28, reaching a total fee of $27.50 per credit hour and a maximum fee of $330.” This would be a $90 increase for students taking twelve credit hours or more and would add an estimated $1 million to UTSA athletics’ yearly budget.
Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and Athletics Director Dr. Lisa Campos spoke on the fee increase, emphasizing that the extra funds would not only be allocated to football but to other sports programs as well as spirit organizations. The fee would also help promote the UTSA brand as it transitions into the American Athletic Conference and help improve students’ experiences during athletic events.
This fee increase comes at a time when Roadrunners are faced with issues concerning essential campus services. Many students have reported having trouble connecting to AirRowdy while on campus, a problem that has persisted since 2018 according to The Paisano.
Additionally, while announcing their proposed budget for the 2023-2024 school year, SGA noted that they would purchase menstrual product vending machines for on-campus bathrooms due to a lack of existing funding for the service.
While the importance of athletics to UTSA cannot be ignored, why should students be asked to pay more towards the program’s funding when campus services essential to students’ academic success and well-being are lacking? UTSA is first and foremost a university, and it has a responsibility to ensure that students are provided with the tools and resources necessary to learn successfully. As Roadrunners, we must ensure that we voice our concerns and vote consciously to promote the academic success of every student at UTSA.
Students can access the ballot measure for the Athletics Fee Increase from 8 a.m. Oct. 25 to 11:50 p.m. Oct. 26 on rowdylink.utsa.edu.
