Spring Break
URI club teams rally for student activities tax increase, issue put on Student Senate presidential ballot
Greg Gentile
Issue date: 2/12/09 Section: News
02/12/09 - On this year's University of Rhode Island Student Senate presidential ticket, students will have the ability to vote on an increase of $8 per student in the student activities fund.
Club sports president Eric Litvinoff proposed the increase to the senate. He said many of the varsity teams that were cut last year because of budget issues are eager to become club sports, but there is not enough funding to recognize all of them.
Men's swimming, gymnastics, field hockey, and men's tennis were among the teams that contacted Litvinoff. Currently, club team members pay $300 to $800 each per season.
Club teams already do extensive fundraising, which goes toward expenses, such as paying their coaches. There are approximately 400 athletes presently participating in URI club sports, according to Litvinoff.
The activities tax takes $106 dollars out of every student's tuition each year, and $22 of the tax goes into supporting club sports. The remaining dollar amount goes into a student activities fund that is budgeted at the senate's discretion.
If this increase were to pass, the total tax will increase to $114. The $8-increase will be split equally between the two sections of the fund.
The senate decided on the figure by averaging the costs of three club teams, Litvinoff said.
Finance Committee Chairman Allen Petit stated that club sports have added around 20 clubs since the last increase was made to the student activities tax. The last increase was $2 in 2007, but that increase just went into effect this year. If the referendum passes this year, the increase would not take place until next fall. Petit added that economic situations have also affected the way the senate can budget club sports.
"The increase will allow us to budget all of our clubs to an adequate level," Petit said.
Petit said the senate really has to "get the word out there" and "inform the students this is better for them in the long run."
Club sports president Eric Litvinoff proposed the increase to the senate. He said many of the varsity teams that were cut last year because of budget issues are eager to become club sports, but there is not enough funding to recognize all of them.
Men's swimming, gymnastics, field hockey, and men's tennis were among the teams that contacted Litvinoff. Currently, club team members pay $300 to $800 each per season.
Club teams already do extensive fundraising, which goes toward expenses, such as paying their coaches. There are approximately 400 athletes presently participating in URI club sports, according to Litvinoff.
The activities tax takes $106 dollars out of every student's tuition each year, and $22 of the tax goes into supporting club sports. The remaining dollar amount goes into a student activities fund that is budgeted at the senate's discretion.
If this increase were to pass, the total tax will increase to $114. The $8-increase will be split equally between the two sections of the fund.
The senate decided on the figure by averaging the costs of three club teams, Litvinoff said.
Finance Committee Chairman Allen Petit stated that club sports have added around 20 clubs since the last increase was made to the student activities tax. The last increase was $2 in 2007, but that increase just went into effect this year. If the referendum passes this year, the increase would not take place until next fall. Petit added that economic situations have also affected the way the senate can budget club sports.
"The increase will allow us to budget all of our clubs to an adequate level," Petit said.
Petit said the senate really has to "get the word out there" and "inform the students this is better for them in the long run."
