Student Stadium Fee

[Zeke]

I know we have a lot of new fans out there who just don't know of our struggles as recently as 6 years ago.

In recap: a stadium fee was proposed and narrowly rejected after a huge push by both sides.

Sooooooooooo.........is it time to try again? Does the Dodge hire give us the right climate to get this finally done?

I don't think it should have went to vote in the first place.

[Green Mean]

I would love for their to be a fee so the new stadium can be on its way....I want NT to be a "can do" university and not be like the city of Dallas a "cant do" city. Surely there can be a raise in tuition until the the stadium is fully paid off....this is what they are doing with Chestnut Hall (the new wellness center) and its looks fabulous next to the Pohl Rec Center. We need to make moves that will show potential future donors and corps and people that we are doing everything in our end to make this happen....if we can do that and really make a push then I think it will be much more expedited than we think.

[eppy4life]

I wonder if it would work. I can see how it would work but I worry about it failing. We have problems getting students to go to the free games now. I still run through my phone book on game day and "invite" everyone to the game and still hardly get anyone to come with me. And right now it costs them nothing. Do we really think students will pay even $50 at the start of the season for tickets to every home game?

[mwynn05]

I wonder if it would work. I can see how it would work but I worry about it failing. We have problems getting students to go to the free games now. I still run through my phone book on game day and "invite" everyone to the game and still hardly get anyone to come with me. And right now it costs them nothing. Do we really think students will pay even $50 at the start of the season for tickets to every home game?

I think they mean have it included in our fees

[Zeke]

I don't think it should be for tickets to games.......but a $30 flat fee for all 34k+ students. That amounts to roughly 1 million per year.

A student would have to start this......talking to RV first. The student would have to be a strong one.......and be ready for a political war.

[kj86]

It might take a season or two of successful "Dodgeball" before this would have the needed support from students. Really, though, it shouldn't go to a student vote. They should just implement it.

[MeanGreen61]

The BOR can raise/adjust student fees without student approval.

[the real grad88]

I don't think it should be for tickets to games.......but a $30 flat fee for all 34k+ students. That amounts to roughly 1 million per year.

A student would have to start this......talking to RV first. The student would have to be a strong one.......and be ready for a political war.

Yes, this is exactly what should be done and should have been done 6 years ago. Had it been, I have no doubt that we would be in CUSA right now! This is the only way we are getting a new stadium any time soon, IMHO. Unless the Goldfields have a much bigger donation on the way--say around 20 million, we will not see the new stadium for a long time.

Yes, do the student fee and build it. They don't even put things like that up for a student vote a places like Tech and UT.

[kj86]

I don't think it should be for tickets to games.......but a $30 flat fee for all 34k+ students. That amounts to roughly 1 million per year.

A student would have to start this......talking to RV first. The student would have to be a strong one.......and be ready for a political war.

Wouldn't this result in more like $2M/yr.? It would be charged in both the Fall and Spring.

[ADLER]

I don't think it should be for tickets to games.......but a $30 flat fee for all 34k+ students. That amounts to roughly 1 million per year.

A student would have to start this......talking to RV first. The student would have to be a strong one.......and be ready for a political war.

I would think that a facility fee of $25 per semester and $12.50 for each sumer term would work. It would generate $2 mil per year and should easily enable the university to sell bonds to cover the costs of construction.

Rick is great at this type of thing, and with the recent resurgence of support for football, there probably will not be much opposition.

All the pieces are now in place to make great things happen.

[jjpfootball]

Yes, do the student fee and build it. They don't even put things like that up for a student vote a places like Tech and UT.

At both of these schools the students are not supporting the atl. dept at about $4.5 mil per year.

[JayDub]

The campaign needs to be a quiet and well thought out one. I really believe that the reason it was shot down the first time was the fact that so many people were alienated and pissed off by the people who were "pro-athletics fee". I remember it got pretty nasty on campus.

I forget...so forgive my ignorance...but can't the university impose whatever fees they see necessary without a student vote? Why not just say..."Sorry" and impose the $30 a semester?

Edited January 29, 2007 by JayDub

[Cerebus]

I know this is going go against the grain, but it really isn't time for this right now.

Since the last time we tried to get a vote across, governor goodhair deregulated (for the lack of a better word) tuition rates. It costs alot more to attend all state schools, including North Texas, than it did at the time of the last vote. The students, as a whole, are shell shocked and unlikely to pass any proposal.

If the BOR were to just pass the fee, in the middle of the much feared cost cutting that Dr B. is spear heading, the Faculty would riot, plain and simple.

If this stadium is going to be built, the seed money is going to have to be raised by donations so that the school can bond out the rest.

[JayDub]

How about we set up a dunk tank with Dickey in it and charge $10 for three throws? We could have the money in a weekend.

Edited January 29, 2007 by JayDub

[Smitty]

Yes, do the student fee and build it. They don't even put things like that up for a student vote a places like Tech and UT.

Before we all agree that hitting-up teenagers for money for a stadium is a good idea, and before we take our cues from UT, remember this:

Places like UT charge a lot more for their tickets than does UNT (2006 season tickets were $365), and they have "patron priority levels" that I'm guessing are similar to the Mean Green Club but is probably more expensive than UNT is charging. Yet here we are griping and moaning about the increased Mean Green Club fee this year and the shortened payment schedule.

But we're ready to add fees to 18- and 19-year olds? So that we can watch football in a nicer stadium?

You want to be big-time, have a big-time stadium? Then you're going to have to pay. And the fees UNT is asking us to pay now will be a pleasant memory in five years if this program continues to grow. That's the cost of big-time football.

I want a new stadium as much as anyone, but adding fees to the students should be the last place to turn. The money should come from alums and corporate contributors. Sell the stadium naming rights. Increased costs and fees for tickets are appropriate, but let's ease up on adding fees to teenagers at a time when the cost of college is skyrocketing out of control.

Edited January 29, 2007 by Smitty

[greenminer]

I know this is going go against the grain, but it really isn't time for this right now.

Since the last time we tried to get a vote across, governor goodhair deregulated (for the lack of a better word) tuition rates. It costs alot more to attend all state schools, including North Texas, than it did at the time of the last vote. The students, as a whole, are shell shocked and unlikely to pass any proposal.

If the BOR were to just pass the fee, in the middle of the much feared cost cutting that Dr B. is spear heading, the Faculty would riot, plain and simple.

If this stadium is going to be built, the seed money is going to have to be raised by donations so that the school can bond out the rest.

Oh okay. I thought they were just trying to rob me blind.

[Go_UTA]

Short of your own version of T. Boone coming out of the woodwork, I think a student fee is probably going to have to be part of the funding package for getting this done.

The dollars for construction are so huge. I just don't see how it can all be raised with gifts and hoped-for sponsorships, etc.

In this environment of dramatically rising tuition and fees and with lots of competing needs, getting this approved by the students and Coordinating Board obviously isn't a cinch. But, it probably has a decent chance, too...especially if matching funds from donors can be shown.

[the real grad88]

Short of your own version of T. Boone coming out of the woodwork, I think a student fee is probably going to have to be part of the funding package for getting this done.

The dollars for construction are so huge. I just don't see how it can all be raised with gifts and hoped-for sponsorships, etc.

In this environment of dramatically rising tuition and fees and with lots of competing needs, getting this approved by the students and Coordinating Board obviously isn't a cinch. But, it probably has a decent chance, too...especially if matching funds from donors can be shown.

Excatly! We do a SMALL FEE to pay for a basic stadium and a fundraising campaign for all the enhancments. We could get several 1 million dollar gifts to build suies and club seating and pay for a sound system and all of that. If donors know that the stadium is going to be built, they will come out of the woodwork with the gifts needed to finish the project. Trying to get $60 million is donations is out of UNT's reach, I am afraid.

[Go_UTA]

Cerebus makes some good points.

However, when you talk about "bonding out the rest," those bonds have to be paid for. So, it comes back to gifts and/or athletic dept. generated revenues to pay those bonds OR, MUCH OR LIKELY paying back the principle and interest on the bonds from from university funds, which means tuition and/or fees....that's where the money is.

[Cerebus]

Instead of a small fee spread out to the students, why not a larger fee spread among the season ticket holders?

People are a little too willing to push the check in front of others.

From what I have been told the BOR is not going to pass this fee, the students are going to pass it either. Someone besides current students will have to pay for it. I am no expert, but again, from what I was told, if 8 - 12 million can be raised, the school is willing to bond the rest.

[eppy4life]

I know so many of my friends who will complain about even a $30 fee. Students complain about the Rec fee which is so small compared to other gyms.

[MeanGreengdub]

Before we all agree that hitting-up teenagers for money for a stadium is a good idea, and before we take our cues from UT, remember this:

Places like UT charge a lot more for their tickets than does UNT (2006 season tickets were $365), and they have "patron priority levels" that I'm guessing are similar to the Mean Green Club but is probably more expensive than UNT is charging. Yet here we are griping and moaning about the increased Mean Green Club fee this year and the shortened payment schedule.

But we're ready to add fees to 18- and 19-year olds? So that we can watch football in a nicer stadium?

You want to be big-time, have a big-time stadium? Then you're going to have to pay. And the fees UNT is asking us to pay now will be a pleasant memory in five years if this program continues to grow. That's the cost of big-time football.

I want a new stadium as much as anyone, but adding fees to the students should be the last place to turn. The money should come from alums and corporate contributors. Sell the stadium naming rights. Increased costs and fees for tickets are appropriate, but let's ease up on adding fees to teenagers at a time when the cost of college is skyrocketing out of control.

Well although the only "teen-agers" in college would be freshmen, I am a student and I couldn't agree more. No disrespect to the older members on the board here but I do believe things were a little cheaper when you were in college. I think right now, the students would not be for that at all seeing as how not too many people support the football team or athletics in general, me NOT being one of them. So, to ask students to give an extra 25-30 bucks to a program they don't support at the moment because it sucks to be quite honest, won't happen.

BUT...maybe after this next year, Dodgeball will catch fire with the student body and people will support the team and want to watch games in a nice stadium and not a dump.

[UNTLifer]

I know so many of my friends who will complain about even a $30 fee.

Paying $5 or $6 to attend a D1A football game is awfully cheap, cheaper if you add in 12-15 basketball games.

[eeally]

I don't think it should be for tickets to games.......but a $30 flat fee for all 34k+ students. That amounts to roughly 1 million per year.

A student would have to start this......talking to RV first. The student would have to be a strong one.......and be ready for a political war.

I say we charge a one time $588 fee for 1 semester x 34000 students and who...la 20 mil.

[MeanMag]

I don't know how many people know this, but it seems like not many do...

EVERY student already pays for season tickets to both the football and basketball games and it is included in their fees....

Most people just don't take the time to look at the itemized bill.