Athletic dept. requests cost of living increase

For the second year in a row, the athletic department is not asking to increase the intercollegiate athletics fee.

At a recent President’s Fee Study Committee meeting, Vice President for Finance and Planning Eddie Williams, representing the athletic department, said their only request was an increase to cover necessary cost of living increases to maintain the current level of athletic scholarship support.

All other funding demands will be met by self-generated income, Williams said. “Money in the future will come from self-generated funds, such as gate receipts and donations,” he said.

Patricia Perkins, assistant vice president for Finance and Planning, said the cost of living increase would be only to cover any increases in tuition, fees and room and board for athletic scholarship recipients.

Without the cost of living increase to the athletic fee, athletic scholarships would be seriously affected by any increases in tuition, fees and room and board, Williams said.

Mike Starzec, SA senate speaker, said he believes NIU to be primarily an academic institution, not an athletic institution. “To me, athletics is the fat to be cut off to make the academic meat leaner,” he said.

Student Association President Preston Came said he does not feel the athletic department needs a cost of living increase for their grant-in-aid scholarship program.

“At this time, with all the budget problems, I don’t see why they need to increase the athletic grant-in-aid fee when they are cutting athletics in general,” he said.