Time to raise tuition

[jessejames02]

...

[ragtimejoe1]

I'm not sure of amounts, but, perhaps this is something that should be looked at. Students to have the opportunity to attend games for free; at other Universities, students have to buy season tickets for a lot more than $100. The justification of students not attending games, as Cali pointed out, could be extended to just about everything at a University. Does every student use the rec center, library, union, etc?

Now, I also understand the concern about charging students to subsidize athletics. This is where the job of the AD comes in, which is why this will never happen. How much return to the University can we expect for each dollar invested into athletics? Are there other things the money can be used for which benefits all students?

I truly believe that if we have sustained success in football, play in NY6 bowl, etc. that we can average approximately 10K more in attendance than we are now (with strategic scheduling). Yes, I said it, with success, I think the War will be nearly sold out most games. 6 games x 10K people x $50/person = $3mill.

I know we can average 11K+ in bball which is approximately 3 or 4 K more per game than now. I didn't do that math, but that isn't chicken scratch.

Each game we get on major TV is $500K.

NCAA tourney credits are worth a lot of money and getting that illustrious NY6 bid is a windfall in dollars and exposure.

Some of that money could be used to invest in the best streaming equipment in the country that will be used in all athletics. You can watch your son or daughter play soccer, wrestle, whatever for every home event. Guess what, we'll also utilize this to broadcast graduations, seminars, Masters or Ph.D. defenses, and interact with classrooms around the country and the globe.

No sir! This is not a subsidy! This is an INVESTMENT that will pay dividends; this can actually reduce University costs long-term. When it does, we will drop the fee. (you also need to back it up down the road)

Alas, we lack leadership that can form a vision, sell a vision, and execute on that vision.

[ragtimejoe1]

On a separate note, has anyone ever asked the students?
Would you support a fee increase to support athletics...

Yes
No
Yes, if I knew our teams would get better
Yes, if...?

You would have to get appropriate polling people to phrase the question and responses properly, but it would be interesting to see.

[cali2wyo]

I'm fairly certain we are one of the few schools that allows students free admission to all athletic events. There may be extra fees compared to other schools to help generate some revenue but in the end we are one of few schools that doesn't require students to purchase a ticket to get in to football/basketball. The only instance where I had to get in line to get a ticket (although it was still free) was Texas in 2009. I think allowing students the options of purchasing single game, season, or year long athletic passes in addition to regular student fees would be a great way to get extra revenue from those who are more supportive of UW athletics while not creating a financial burden on students with no interest in sports. For me personally, I would've had no problem paying $10 to get into a single football game or $50 for football season tickets (or any reasonable price). I also wouldn't mind paying for the basketball games I was able to attend when school/work allowed and some years when I wasn't working I totally would've been supportive of an all-inclusive athletic pass. Increasing fees/tuition to make all students become UW athletics donors would be unfair to those who simply want their money going to academic improvements in my opinion.

[LanderPoke]

Hell yeah, raise fees for athletics. I would have paid an extra $100 a semester for better teams while was there(aka the dark ages). I would sure feel better about paying an athletics fee than some b.s. science lab fee. As has been mentioned $100 a year is a small drop in the bucket of the cost of higher education.

[OrediggerPoke]

On a separate note, has anyone ever asked the students?
Would you support a fee increase to support athletics...

Yes
No
Yes, if I knew our teams would get better
Yes, if...?

You would have to get appropriate polling people to phrase the question and responses properly, but it would be interesting to see.

It would be a landslide no. Don't fool yourselves, most students are there for an education and have little concern for athletics and little extra money to dole out. Now if the fee increase was for more and improved gym facilities for all students to use, then the ballot may pass.

[PokeOLoco]

Students are like adults and taxes... all they need to see or hear is "raise" and the answer is always no regardless of the question.

[Asmodeanreborn]

On a separate note, has anyone ever asked the students?
Would you support a fee increase to support athletics...

Yes
No
Yes, if I knew our teams would get better
Yes, if...?

You would have to get appropriate polling people to phrase the question and responses properly, but it would be interesting to see.

It would be a landslide no. Don't fool yourselves, most students are there for an education and have little concern for athletics and little extra money to dole out. Now if the fee increase was for more and improved gym facilities for all students to use, then the ballot may pass.

Completely agree. Even as a college football fan I'd be annoyed if my tuition and fees got more expensive to subsidize the football program. I went to college to get a degree, not to pay for somebody else playing sports.

[laxwyo]

Students are like adults and taxes... all they need to see or hear is "raise" and the answer is always no regardless of the question.

Sweetwater county had a big events complex on a ballot initiative for 1% in sales tax. Something like casper's but bigger and better. It was soundly defeated and the same people I knew rejoicing were complaining when a big gun show or national trapping convention came to town.

Nobody wants to pay, until THEY need it.

[LanderPoke]

Students are like adults and taxes... all they need to see or hear is "raise" and the answer is always no regardless of the question.

Sweetwater county had a big events complex on a ballot initiative for 1% in sales tax. Something like casper's but bigger and better. It was soundly defeated and the same people I knew rejoicing were complaining when a big gun show or national trapping convention came to town.

Nobody wants to pay, until THEY need it.

I didn't know that. That sucks for sweetwater county. It would be neat to see some state high school events there.

[OrediggerPoke]

Students are like adults and taxes... all they need to see or hear is "raise" and the answer is always no regardless of the question.

When I was in undergrad our student body voted for an increase in fees of about $150 per student per semester to fund a new gym facility for the benefit of all students. So I would say this premise is not accurate.

The catch to an increase in an 'athletics fee' is that the students will not be seeing a direct benefit but will rather be directly subsidizing other students' sports careers and education. If I were a student I would absoutely vote No to an increase in fees aimed solely to support the football and basetball teams.

[PokeOLoco]

Okay the premise isn't entirely accurate, but it's waaay more accurate than not. I would have voted for an increase in fees for athletics, but I feel like 90% of students I knew would not. I wouldn't blame them for that. I'm glad they voted that through, that's a good thing.

[ragtimejoe1]

I definitely understand why students wouldn't want to subsidize, and, from that perspective, maybe it shouldn't be done. IMO, if the AD can provide tangible evidence of how increasing the athletic budget via student fees will benefit all students regardless of attendance, then raising student fees should be considered. i.e. competitive athletics is equivalent to x dollars of advertisement, recruitment, etc. which ultimately provides more revenue for the University thereby driving costs down for everyone.

If there are no benefits for the students, then, yeah, hard to argue that we should gouge them because some people want to watch sports.

I like Cali's idea of charging students to attend games but would alter that slightly. I would make part of an elective tuition package where they can select various levels of "sports fees" which gets them tickets to games. Reason being, if it is somehow included in their tuition/fee package, they can use scholarship money, grants, or whatever if they so choose (stress on choose).

[Wyovanian]

The knee-jerk, we-can't-possibly-raise-tuition-on-the-poor-students nonsense is just that. No one's proposing so much as a 10% increase in tuition. The fact is, the world is not getting cheaper to live or do business in, and Wyoming, despite the POV of some of our more backwater Luddites, is no different. In fact, the cost of living in Wyoming is above the national median. Too many enterprises in Wyoming are underfunded, in part, due to market resistance. UW being the sole four-year institution in the state, it is uniquely insulated from most market resistance. That being said, a $100-150 hike in tuition (or any other fee requisite to attendance) is not a deal-killer, nor would it be an insurmountable obstacle to education. It's what any full-time student could earn part-time in tips on a Friday night. So enough with this particular molehill being Kilimanjaro...

Now, as far as beer sales go- the Mo-mos say no-no and stick their collective heads in the sand pretending their way of thinking is the mainstream. It's not. UW (and the State in general) need to push back on this religious agenda and its pernicious effect on our economy and opportunities. There's plenty of seating at the War and AA to carve out "family" sections where beer is not permitted, but the impact of prohibition at public events all over Wyoming is very plain and well-observed. Best practices generally dictate a mid-third quarter curfew, a limit of two beers per person per sale, ID'ing and wristbanding prior to sales, and close observation of individuals attempting to purchase beer with discontinuation of service as necessary. Beer sales at both football and basketball games would have an immediate positive effect on revenues and attendance. It will not result in wholesale carnage on our roadways or little old ladies getting pushed down the steps of the stadium.

[ragtimejoe1]

I'm very much pro-beer sales along with offering exclusive advertising and selling rights to the highest bidding beer company.

With that said, I'm sure UW has to carry a pretty hefty liability insurance policy for sporting events. Does the insurance go up substantially if beer sales are offered? Just a question and not insinuating anything.

[Wyovanian]

I'm very much pro-beer sales along with offering exclusive advertising and selling rights to the highest bidding beer company.

With that said, I'm sure UW has to carry a pretty hefty liability insurance policy for sporting events. Does the insurance go up substantially if beer sales are offered? Just a question and not insinuating anything.

The risk liability is built into the price model. It generally amounts to tenths of a percent of operating costs.

Fortunately, Wyoming is one of the states that believes people are responsible for their choices and actions, so alcohol-related liability costs are far lower than those with dram shop laws.

[ragtimejoe1]

I'm very much pro-beer sales along with offering exclusive advertising and selling rights to the highest bidding beer company.

With that said, I'm sure UW has to carry a pretty hefty liability insurance policy for sporting events. Does the insurance go up substantially if beer sales are offered? Just a question and not insinuating anything.

The risk liability is built into the price model. It generally amounts to tenths of a percent of operating costs.

Fortunately, Wyoming is one of the states that believes people are responsible for their choices and actions, so alcohol-related liability costs are far lower than those with dram shop laws.

Gotcha. That was one of the only "reasonable" things I could speculate that would hold up beer sales at the War and AA. It seems like such a no brainer. We still have a bar in the Union, right? So the logic is, we can serve beer to students between classes but not on a Saturday?

As a side note and relative to the discussion: Pete's Game room semester memberships are $60. Doesn't seem like a stretch to ask for $100 a semester for football and then bball packages. Hell, host some special student pre-game events that only members get into. Get businesses (read Ag College here) to donate food items. Make it not just game attendance but a fun pre-game atmosphere.

[calpoke25]

This is the part where leadership and vision come into play. You don't propose a student athletic fee as a fee to "pay for football and basketball players." You have to have leadership that looks at these kinds of things and sells them to the public as an "investment." It's the same deal as any other project on campus. I am not a fine arts person, nor am I an Ag person. I have literally zero use or interest in those buildings or areas of study and many other on campus. I didn't throw a fit at UW building new buildings for those programs, even though I have nothing to do with them because I understand it as an investment in the greater good of the university. A simple student athletic fee would be an easy way to increase revenue, that doesn't really amount to much per student. But it can't be sold as the standard "we need some money to pay for something because we're poor and dependent on the state.... The typical mediocre line of acceptance." It has to be sold as an investment in the greater good of the university, which it is.

[WestWYOPoke]

Hell, just do it and blame it on inflation. We can't sit pat with our current fees for the next 20 years and not expect our budget to get worse; inflation happens, students will deal with it.

[RedRiverPoke4]

This is the part where leadership and vision come into play. You don't propose a student athletic fee as a fee to "pay for football and basketball players." You have to have leadership that looks at these kinds of things and sells them to the public as an "investment." It's the same deal as any other project on campus. I am not a fine arts person, nor am I an Ag person. I have literally zero use or interest in those buildings or areas of study and many other on campus. I didn't throw a fit at UW building new buildings for those programs, even though I have nothing to do with them because I understand it as an investment in the greater good of the university. A simple student athletic fee would be an easy way to increase revenue, that doesn't really amount to much per student. But it can't be sold as the standard "we need some money to pay for something because we're poor and dependent on the state.... The typical mediocre line of acceptance." It has to be sold as an investment in the greater good of the university, which it is.

I agree 1000%.... To raise the bar of the entire University requires funding in all areas of the college.. With increased revenues from sports it will draw more attention from sponsors, etc... So yes, raise the costs.. It's part of the authentic College experience. Go Pokes!