The Contraband

Issue date: 3/1/10 Section: News

Media Credit: McNeeseSports.com Tommy McCelland is the Athletic director for McNeese

The McNeese Senate and the SGA are looking to pass legislation that will increase some of the self-assessed fees that students pay each semester. While most of these fees have fairly moderate increases, from $0.50 to $1.50, the athletic fee is expected to increase by $32.00. Tommy McClelland, Athletics Director, has given some of his time to explain why we need this particular fee increase and what it will do.

Q. Why exactly is a fee increase for athletics necessary?

A. Currently the ULS board allows students at each institution to assess itself an athletics fee not to exceed $42 per semester. A few years ago McNeese students assessed themselves a $10 fee to support the building of the new fieldhouse. During the same year most of the other ULS schools past the full $42 amount. This left McNeese Athletics behind the rest of the schools by $32 dollars. The fee is necessary because other schools in the ULS system already have the total amount allowed. These are schools that we are expected to compete against year in and year out. Not to mention the schools in Texas and Arkansas that are a part of the Southland Conference have student fees two and three times higher than our proposed fee.

Q. What is Title IX Compliance? Why do we need more funding for this?

A. Title IX Compliance is Gender Equity. There are always areas in which we can improve on when it comes to gender equity. For athletics, it is important that we provide the same opportunity to all of our athletes regardless of gender.

Q. The legislation mentioned enhancements to training and conditioning programs and resources that need to be made with the additional funding. What sort of enhancements?

A. Two of the most important areas for a student athlete's success are our training room and weight room. The training room helps our athletes recover from injury as well as prevent injury. The weight room is one of the best ways to prevent injury as well. If our athletes can't compete…..then it is hard to win.

Q. What is Student Athletic Safety and Welfare? Why do we need more funding for it?

A . When it comes to student welfare the sky is the limit. Student safety is: the way we travel, the equipment we wear, the training and knowledge that we have to help our students. We always strive to provide the best equipment, training for our staffs and overall environment for our students as possible.

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