{"id":96199,"date":"2026-04-03T08:54:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T13:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=96199"},"modified":"2026-04-03T08:54:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T13:54:15","slug":"athletic-fee-passes-but-more-questions-raised","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=96199","title":{"rendered":"Athletic fee passes, but more questions raised"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By ABIGAIL SHEARER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Thursday night\u2019s Student Government Association meeting, Athletic fees continued to be discussed \u2014 even after election results were tallied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Athletic Department at Fort Hays State University was proposed a $1.66 increase per credit hour in the 2026-27 school year. The vote passed in the March 26 SGA meeting despite some contention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the proposed increase was more than $1, SGA bylaws make the increase only possible with a majority of the student body vote. That vote took place during the election cycle Wednesday and Thursday \u2014 an online vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposed increase of $1.66 passed by a vote of 496-440. That pushes the Athletic fee to $13.87 next school year, which will generate approximately $1.4 million from student fees for the Athletic Department in 2026-27.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For each student taking 30 credit hours per school year next year, they will pay $416.10 you support the Athletics student fee. This year, students are paying $366.30 for those 30 hours. It amounts to a 13.6% increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In open forum, Sen. Daniel Bechle talked about the misinformation spread to the Athletic students about the fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bechle expressed concern that athletes felt voting \u201cyes\u201d on the Athletic Fee ballot was required. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople saying their coaches said, \u2018Well, now it\u2019s time to vote,\u2019 \u201c Bechle said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI also want to meet with all of our fee-requesting entities so that they have a clear understanding of what the fee process is,\u201d said Grace McCord, legislative affairs director for SGA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Cade Becker said some student-athletes were concerned the money is being geared toward male sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe bill was more affecting the male sports than the female sports,\u201d he said. \u201cThey thought it wasn\u2019t fair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey also were saying that there\u2019s rumors saying that their coaches have been telling people to vote for that bill, which isn\u2019t fair.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Olivia Pince noted social media could have played a factor in misinformation. She said the best way to counter that is to report it as such.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy athletic friend said, \u2018The coach told us that it\u2019ll just move around money,\u2019 and, like, that\u2019s kinda scary,\u201d Bechle said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McCord encouraged anyone who is comfortable sharing information to email her proof of the allegations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Election results<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tallies of votes for SGA senators for next year:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship (5 seats)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

506 Kyleigh Woodward<\/p>\n\n\n\n

473 Nina Malliton<\/p>\n\n\n\n

464 Danika Szopinski<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 Write-in Winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

44 Benjamin Winters<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 Brooke Starns<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics (6 seats)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

510 Brynn Kinderknecht<\/p>\n\n\n\n

449 Anna Briggs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

424 Luke J Bower<\/p>\n\n\n\n

410 Elyssa Rucker<\/p>\n\n\n\n

401 Addyson Schwindt<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Write in Winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

15 Andrew Saville<\/p>\n\n\n\n

College of Health and Behavioral Sciences (9 seats)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

480 Corbyn Marquess<\/p>\n\n\n\n

416 Ella Bain<\/p>\n\n\n\n

424 Emma Schneider<\/p>\n\n\n\n

410 Benjamin Wilkerson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

395 Jillian Reimer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

377 Reaghan Wamser<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Write in Winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

32 Landon Sobota<\/p>\n\n\n\n

22 Kaydawn Haag<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13 Ernesto Duenez<\/p>\n\n\n\n

College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (3 seats)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

442 Caleb Camp<\/p>\n\n\n\n

384 Kameryn Wittman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

375 Veronica Janae Montoya<\/p>\n\n\n\n

370 Lucina Parsons (Will be moved to At Large)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

College of Education (2 seats)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

676 Jocelyn Billings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

645 Dawson Conyers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International seat<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 Marcell Dely<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graduate seat<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

904 Star Parham<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President and vice president<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

423 Marcell Dely and Justus Nelson (45.98%)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

346 Caden Becker and Olivia Pince (37.61%)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

145 Cade Becker and Anthony Arial (15.76%)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Runoff elections for president and vice president will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senators hear from Admissions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Armstrong, director of admissions, gave the senators updates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armstrong said they are optimistic the incoming freshmen class will be the largest in the history of Fort Hays State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He discussed opportunities for students, both for undergraduates as student ambassadors and graduates as admissions staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old business<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six new bills were up for second reading. All passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n