Students Save Football, Other Sports From Budget Ax

Football and the rest of the sports at St. Cloud State University are safe from budget elimination for the next two years.

That's after students voted in favor of two ballot questions raising their own activity fees.

The first question will raise their fees 74-cents a credit up to 12 credits. That measure passed 68% to 31%.

The second question will raise their fees an additional $1 per credit up to 12 credits.  Students  approved that 58% to 41%.

Both increases are for the next three years.

Student Government President Amanda Bardonner  says the two questions will nearly double the athletic fees for the students and will generate an additional $601,000 a year.

University President Earl Potter addressed the student government, and pledged not to cut any sports in the next biennium.  Athletic Director Morris Kuertz says the remodeled National Hockey and Events Center, when finished, will help generate more revenue for the department in the future.

A record number of students -- 4,053 -- or nearly 20% of the students -- voted.