Lots of interesting tidbits.\
http://www.kstatecollegian.com/2015/09/15/sga-privilege-fee-committee-k-state-athletics-discuss-future-funding/SGA privilege fee committee, K-State Athletics discuss future funding
By Jason Tidd -
Sep 15, 2015
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John Currie, director of K-State Athletics, during the presentation of the Ring of Honor Inductees at the K-State vs. South Dakota Football game on Sept. 5, 2015 at LHC Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats dominated the game against the Coyotes 34-0. (File Photo by Cassandra Nguyen | The Collegian)
K-State athletic director John Currie spoke with members of the Student Governing Association’s privilege fee committee about the future of more than $500,000 of funding to the athletic department on Monday.
The athletic department is requesting a three-year extension at the current funding rate. The $500,000 of SGA funding comes from student privilege fees and is 0.71 percent of the athletic department’s $71 million budget.
According to budget data for fiscal year 2015, K-State Athletics recorded a $5 million profit. Revenues were $71 million and expenses were $66 million.
Senators discussed continuing, gradually reducing or eliminating the funding. Privilege fees are awarded on a three-year cycle, there would be an opportunity to reassess the situation later.
Jordan DeLoach, senior in computer science, suggested “meeting at the middle” before making any decisions.
“I think it would be best if we didn’t just arbitrarily decide something here without the other half of this agreement at the table,” DeLoach said. “So, I would almost like to see some more negotiations.”
No actions were taken, but Garrett Kays, committee chairman and senior in agricultural economics, said he would discuss options with the athletics department and university officials before the next committee meeting.
Prior to fiscal year 2014, the athletics department used a three-year process to eliminate all funding from the general K-State budget. K-State is now one of fewer than 20 universities that provides no financial aid to its athletic department, according to a K-State Athletics powerpoint presentation.
Some senators suggested maintaining a smaller amount of funding, but others said the funding could be used better elsewhere, such as tutoring and other student services.
One concern of the senators was a loss of student seating at LHC Bill Snyder Family Stadium due to the northeast corner expansion. Estimates provided by Currie project a net loss of 630 student seats. The expansion will connect the Vanier Complex with Section 28 and is estimated to cost $16 million.
Currie said the K-State marching band may relocate to the new corner, once completed. Construction plans include both a design where the band moves and one where it does not.
Data provided by Currie showed that the stadium currently has 7,546 student seats. Only twice has that number been met or exceed since 2010. The 2014 Auburn game had 8,116 students and the 2013 North Dakota State game had 7,846 students.
“If we lose a revenue stream we just have to make it up somewhere else,” Currie said.
One possibility would be an increase in student ticket prices.
Currie said he has no intention of reducing student seating to increase public seating, which would increase ticket revenue. Some senators voiced concerns that future athletics personnel may disagree.
Several senators and Currie expressed interest in avoiding the public relations nightmare that the University of Kansas faced a year ago.
The situation involved the re-allocation of 120 prime seats in Allen Fieldhouse from students to donors. The action was rumored to have been a response by the athletic department to the student government’s cut of $1.1 million in student fee funding.
Currie also provided financial information on several potential projects, in addition to the northeast corner expansion. Plans include a $5 million restroom and concession expansion and $7 million video board and sound system upgrade to LHC Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
The temporary soccer stadium and field will cost $1.5 million and the proposed soccer stadium will cost $3 million to $4 million. A roof replacement at Bramlage Coliseum will cost $1 million to $2 million.
Proposed soccer and baseball clubhouse facilities and upgrades to Tointon Family Stadium do not have financial estimates.
The parking lots need $5 million to $6 million in upgrades, including upgrades to the east parking lot related to use for campus parking.
Currie discussed additional financial pressures on the athletic department.
Deregulation of nutrition rules will cost an estimated $1.2 million for fiscal year 2015, an NCAA board reorganization will cost an estimated $1 million for fiscal year 2016 and the O’Bannon Court Case potentially could cost $1 million for fiscal year 2017.
Currie also said that a Westar utility rate increase will cost an extra $80,000 next year.
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