University of Louisiana Rated Most Affordable in State

[Duggie35]

I agree completely. I am all for athletics but let the Athletic Department stand or fall on its own. To heck with subsidizing athletics too much and, we are not second rate because we have reasonable rates. We have good professors that are partially sponsored by endowments which make up for chronically poor legislative support. Athletics needs to put a financially successful product on the field and earn their way just like students in the classroom. Programs all need to pay their own way as much as possible. Look at Robe, an average Baseball Coach, but a financially successful program. Marlin need to step it up - Hudspeth showed him what is possible for a Coach that gets it! Don't say it can't be done - look at the Lotiefs' - Women's Softball is not a big draw at most NCAA programs. There are strength in numbers, more student - more alumni - more long term support, and I think Imperial Cajun hit the nail on the head - some want to force the students too pay more just for Athletics sake - Let the Athletic teams earn their way like everybody else. Its like forcing people to pay Union Dues whether they want too or not. Enough of this Liberal Democratic Nonsense. "FREEDOM" - Remember William Wallace!!!

In some ways I agree with you and in some ways I don't. If all athletic programs throughout the country were earning their own way I would completely agree. However, there are only a handful that "earn" their own way! MOST colleigate athletic programs are supported by a combination of STUDENT FEES, ticket sales, donations from supporters and broadcasting fees. All the schools in Louisiana (except LSU) are behind the "8 Ball" because the state does not currently allow student fees for athletics when everyone else around the country not only charges student fees, but in many cases those fees make up a large percentage of their budget. I agree that the athletic department here at UL needs to do all it can to "earn" its way, and is in complete control of three of the four items I listed above. But we can't expect to ever get to where we need to be if we can only go into battle with a BB gun when our peers are driving tanks (student fees)!!!

This is coming from someone who has had 4 children graduate from UL within the past 8 years!!! I am fully aware of the costs associated with getting an education at UL and I don't think it would be unreasonable to add $100 - $200 per semester in student fees for athletics. For most students, having a good athletic department (being a consistant winner in Football & Basketball) would make the educational experiance much more enjoyable.

[CajunAmos]

You do realize that only about 10% of sports playing schools in Division 1 actually break even. With the thought to "let athletics play for itself", you won't have athletics except for about 30 schools. Louisiana is the only, let me repeat ONLY, state in the country that doesn't have athletic fees for students. I wonder if that has anything to do with all of the public schools in Louisiana except for LSU being in the bottom 10 in the country in athletic funding.

In regards to keeping costs low but expect a highly rated academics, in today's economy we're talking about mutually exclusive items. We've gone through four straight years of cutting funding in higher education. We'll see reductions required again next year. We've closed the university at noon on Fridays to limit expenses. We've reduced teachers and cut departments and professors. Oh, but we have maintained one of the lowest costs for education in the country. That doesn't sound like a method to academic excellence to me.

[CajunEXPRESS]

nm

[ImperialCajun]

I have no children and I am only thinking of the wonderful friends that I knew at UL in the Eighties that didn't have the athletic or academic scholarship and were from poor families and thru loans and work paid their own way. Any child or family that is not conerned about cost is not the family for which I am pulling. So many people these days castigate the poor in society for not doing enough to take care of themselves. Here is an opportunity to keep something that can help them flourish within reach and will we choose to do so?

I try to be open minded and see things from all sides and I understand your arguments and I did a little math. Knowing that students get into UL sports for free can they vote themselves a fee for facilities creation? If they assessed themselves $40 per semester X 17000 students and $20 during summer school they would have 1.5 million dollars every year. That would be some nice facilities in which to enjoy watching their teams play. But this is only if THEY vote it. Better facilities, better recruiting, better teams, more student interest, more students, more loyalty after graduation, more support from more alumni in the future, more money for academics. Yes I see the connection, and I see educated people who only follow winners and deny science and facts for the dissodence it causes in the ignorant ideas that they refuse to let go, no matter the evidence to the contrary. I also see politicians that don't see the long term value of education as more important than roads if people apply the knowledge. Thomas

[CajunFan3406]

I have no children and I am only thinking of the wonderful friends that I knew at UL in the Eighties that didn't have the athletic or academic scholarship and were from poor families and thru loans and work paid their own way. Any child or family that is not conerned about cost is not the family for which I am pulling. So many people these days castigate the poor in society for not doing enough to take care of themselves. Here is an opportunity to keep something that can help them flourish within reach and will we choose to do so?
I try to be open minded and see things from all sides and I understand your arguments and I did a little math. Knowing that students get into UL sports for free can they vote themselves a fee for facilities creation? If they assessed themselves $40 per semester X 17000 students and $20 during summer school they would have 1.5 million dollars every year. That would be some nice facilities in which to enjoy watching their teams play. But this is only if THEY vote it. Better facilities, better recruiting, better teams, more student interest, more students, more loyalty after graduation, more support from more alumni in the future, more money for academics. Yes I see the connection, and I see educated people who only follow winners and deny science and facts for the dissodence it causes in the ignorant ideas that they refuse to let go, no matter the evidence to the contrary. I also see politicians that don't see the long term value of education as more important than roads if people apply the knowledge. Thomas

Thomas, UL students already have the power to assess fees on themselves for the sake of building new facilities and improving on old ones.
The student fee for athletics is different. The money from these fees would count towards the annual athletic budget and could be used for anything athletic related. Currently students in Louisiana don't have the power to assess these fees on themselves.

[Boomer]

I guess I have been told the reason for this but must have forgotten---But why do we charge so much for OUT OF STATE tuition???? If we would get 1000 more O of S students at the regular in state tuition---Wouldn't this help our budget?????

[HoustonCajun]

Thomas, UL students already have the power to assess fees on themselves for the sake of building new facilities and improving on old ones.
The student fee for athletics is different. The money from these fees would count towards the annual athletic budget and could be used for anything athletic related. Currently students in Louisiana don't have the power to assess these fees on themselves.

Question. Not that UL would want to, but could UL charge admission for students to all athletic events? If so, could UL instead tack on say $100 per student per semester for admission to every event? Is that any different than assessing fees on themselves?

[kelbow7]

Question. Not that UL would want to, but could UL charge admission for students to all athletic events? If so, could UL instead tack on say $100 per student per semester for admission to every event? Is that any different than assessing fees on themselves?

They could, because other schools do (LSU comes to mind). I wouldn't advise this, because it's hard enough to get students out to events, and its free. You could really bring down the attendance rate of students by doing this.

[Just1More]

Question. Not that UL would want to, but could UL charge admission for students to all athletic events? If so, could UL instead tack on say $100 per student per semester for admission to every event? Is that any different than assessing fees on themselves?

Everyone at UL, whether they attend or support athletics, benefits from a good athletic program, whether they're too dense to realize it or not. It's about like someone saying "I didn't take a computer science class at UL so I don't think having a good one helped my degree". Anyhow, we need an athletic fee (very prominently expressed as a value to a student's tuition) not just to raise funds, but to encourage student participation... "you paid for this, now build some of your college socializing around it".

Besides increasing funds and increasing student attendance, it builds an ongoing relationship and connection beyond the college years. That increases more funds and attendance and a huge UL identity. Inter social - inter business relationships are exceptionally important and will benefit everyone... again, even that stubborn student that doesn't think so. There's enough truly intelligent people that compensate for their ignorance every day... but it's getting tough as they seem to be getting bred at a faster and faster rate.

Nonetheless, the student fee for athletics is past it's required inclusion. The analogy earlier implying that athletics "standing on it's own" and that a student fee to assist in the cost (for a benefit extended to the student) is totally backwards. The student fee isn't a "liberal democrat concept". Much to the contrary. Students at UL more directly benefit from athletic events than anyone. The fee would basically mean they pay a couple of bucks per event attended, when you add up just the major sports' events. Their benefit - their cost.

It is time to pass a student fee. Period. If the diploma they're attempting to earn has UL on it, they need to pay a portion of the UL's athletic budget... and then get out and support the UL athletic programs in person.

[moorecajun]

Question. Not that UL would want to, but could UL charge admission for students to all athletic events? If so, could UL instead tack on say $100 per student per semester for admission to every event? Is that any different than assessing fees on themselves?

I'm not sure your question was understood by the answer(s) it received ... that is a good idea but I would think it would still be classified (by the ones in charge that monitor this) as an athletic fee.

lsu is in their own system and has their own set of rules, very similar to Outback, except for the fun part.