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(DAILY_WILDCAT)

pacing the void

By Andrew Carrol
Arizona Daily Wildcat
May 7, 1997

Club sports face tough financial times

Arizona men's club lacrosse coach Mickey-Miles Felton sent a letter to Arizona President Manuel T. Pacheco asking for much needed funds for his team to travel to last week's national club lacrosse championships in St. Louis. The letter that he received back was not favorable.

No 'good luck', no 'thank you,' just a simple letter saying that there was no way the university could support this venture because of "the universities financial situation that has developed over recent years, simply makes it impossible to support many admirable activities like this," the letter dated April 3 said.

Club sports funding from the Associated Students will not be cut this fall, but a new process will have to be weeded through in order to obtain monies.

Under last year's procedure, a one-time lump sum of $10,000 was allocated to a Student Recreation Center account by ASUA to be used proportionally for all sports clubs based on their - activity level, fund-raising efforts and team budgets - from the previous year, said Mary O'Mahoney, coordinator for intramurals and sports clubs.

The 30 sports clubs received funds on their individual need, meaning clubs such as soccer, volleyball and lacrosse that travel were granted more.

Next year's process requires sports clubs to compete with the other 300 clubs on campus for ASUA funding by submitting individual requests to the seven-member Appropriations Board, said Casey Cuny, ASUA executive vice president.

"All funding requests will be made on a case-by-case issue to ensure all clubs have an equal chance at receiving money," Cuny said.

Requests, however, are limited in what they can ask for.

ASUA will pay for league and organization membership dues, event registration fees, one-time consumable purchases under $500 - for items such as tape and ice - and to fees related to sponsoring a campus event.

"For some clubs, they can handle the waiting period (anywhere from 2-3 weeks) of the Appropriations Board for that money," O'Mahoney said. "Others have to be able to know how much money will be available for them."

ASUA will not cover expenses associated with personal equipment (sweat suits, warm-up jerseys, etc.) or any equipment valued at more than $500. Academic materials, mailing costs and awards and trophies are not covered either.

In addition to the new set of rules, a March 27 ASUA decision eliminated funding for travel-related expenses.

An America West representative said it would cost $326 round-trip from Tucson to St. Louis with a two-week advance notice, then add lodging, food for multiple days and the total could reach in excess of $500 per person for one weekend.

"We still have to raise money reguardless of how much money we are given by ASUA," said Felton, who estimated his yearly expense budget at $30,000.

Erin Russel, former ASUA vice president for clubs and organizations, said that evening that the liability was too much of a risk to finance traveling.

"To not help out for travel is wrong," Cuny said. "Asking clubs to represent the UA, bring all the glory back for the school, but not being able to support them is wrong."

Cuny, who began his term May 1, said he would look into allocating travel funding, but said it would take some time.

Other schools' club sports around the west receive a student activities fee. At Southern Cal and Oregon, the recreation center for club sports receives $60,000 in student fees. The most one club receives is $10,000 and the least is $300.

UC-Santa Barbara has 17 sports clubs and receives $170,000, each sport handed an equal portion. Whereas, the highest amount a UA club could have receive under this year's rules was $1,000.

"We are lacking in comparison to schools' sports club programs across the country," O'Mahoney said.


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