Women's sports funding kicked up a notch
Published on Thu., April 13th, 2006
Non revenue and women’s sports got the budget boost they were hoping for after University of Kansas voters passed referendum no. 2, a $20 per semester fee raise from full-time University students. The referendum passed with a 61 percent vote.
There is also a $10 fee raise for the summer semester. According to the Athletics Department, the fee increase would mean an extra $1 million, which would be devoted solely to non-revenue and women’s sports.
The big winner with the referendum is the women’s rowing team. Currently, the team houses its equipment in a fenced area, nicknamed “The Cage.” One of the first things this new money will go to is a boat house for the rowers.
“We’re ecstatic,” team captain Paige Phillips, Plano, Texas, senior said. “Everyone just jumped in the air. It is a relief that we did it. We worked so hard to do this.”
Phillips said the new facility would house the boats and equipment. It also will have a locker room and be home to club crew.
“We get to leave ‘The Cage’ and get our boat house,” Phillips said. “We’re going to get a locker room rather than a couple Porta Potties.”
Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, said this was a big victory for non revenue and women’s sports. He said this was a long time in the making.
“It was a well-thought-out vote,” Marchiony said. “It was a vote of confidence for the non revenue sports and athletics department.”
Kristin Buehler, Kansas City, Mo. sophomore and volleyball player, said there was a lot of support and work done by revenue and non revenue athletes.
“We really had to bond together,” Buehler said. “I think it’s going to be a good deal. It’s going to help out a ton.”
Both Phillips and Marchiony said it was good to see student support for non-revenue and women’s sports. Buehler and Marchiony said the vote showed there was support for athletes not often in the limelight.
— Edited by Meghan Miller
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