SIUC student leaders and administrators were pleased at the student interest in the proposed athletic fee increase discussed at the Wednesday Undergraduate Student Government meeting.

I think it was one of the best open forums on an issue this year, said Mark Terry, a former Graduate and Professional Student Council president. It was very good that many people took interest and showed up.

I have to give [USG President] Dave [Vingren] and his executive staff credit for bringing Chancellor [Donald] Beggs and [Athletic] Director [Jim] Hart in to answer questions and I have to give Beggs and Hart credit for fielding questions for over an hour, Terry said.

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The Student Senate rejected a resolution opposing any increase in the athletic fee 14-8 with one abstention.

The student opposition leader was also pleased with the forum.

All the students present, including the members of Students Organized Against the Athletic Fee Increase, would like to thank Chancellor Beggs and Director Hart for hearing the students questions and concerns, said Rob Taylor, the president of Students Organized Against the Athletic Fee Increase. I would also like to say that SOAAFI’s stance is not opposed to the athletes but is opposed to the University taking our money without our permission.

USG Evergreen Terrace Senator Chet Lunsford, who sponsored a resolution opposing the fee increase, said he felt there were a lot of important questions that were left unanswered.

The [fiscal year] ’98 budget shows a deficit in the Athletic Department of $380,000 and a good answer for the value of the negotiations between administration and the student body if agreements can’t be reached were ignored, Lunsford said. I don’t think the students’ conduct at the meeting harmed their case. Last year, [Board of Trustees] member [John] Brewster said that student input on this issue is dangerous. The students actions last night were a response to being unheard.

Taylor did not comment further on the meeting or the student conduct. Some felt politics interfered with the issues at the meeting.

There was definitely an undercurrent regarding the tone of the arguments presented last night and regarding the way USG does business, Terry said.

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You can’t attack the administration one day and then sit across the table the next day and represent the students’ interests and expect to get anything accomplished.

A statement read by Rob Taylor, president of SOAAFI, attacked Vingren, accusing him of breaking campaign promises and not adequately fighting for the student body.

Our student leaders were put under pressure from the administration and they sold us out, Taylor said.

Vingren said the movement against the athletic fee was a political move on the part of Taylor, who Vingren said plans to run for USG president in April. Vingren said he had expected such a move by Taylor.

The athletic fee is being used as a tool for political gain, especially for Rob Taylor, Vingren said. The fliers posted on campus that said the fee increase would be used for an athletes-only study lounge and laundry facility are 100 percent, absolutely false.

Vingren said he distributed a memo Feb. 1 explaining that as part of the $60 deal the Athletic Department guaranteed the money would not be used for any capital investments.

Taylor would not comment on whether he had any intentions of running for USG president.

Terry said it is unreasonable to say Vingren is not fighting for his constituents.

Tim Hoerman, Graduate and Professional Student Council president, said he thought Taylor had a much larger political agenda than the athletic fee increase and Taylor’s conduct at the meeting was not proper.

For Rob Taylor to make dilatory comments about Dave Vingren and to approach the podium like he did was poor conduct for someone who has political aspirations like he does, Hoerman said.

Hoerman said the athletic fee increase will be discussed at the next GPSC meeting 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Student Center Illinois Room.

This meeting should be more contentious than the last, Hoerman said.

Hoerman said there is a motion to recall the motion supporting the athletic fee increase. There is also a motion coming off the table requesting representatives to the Intercollegiate Athletic Advisory Committee oppose the athletic fee increase before the Board of Trustees.

This should be very contentious meeting and I am expecting a battle, Hoerman said. For this reason we are going to strictly adhere to rules of the meetings.

Terry said USG made the right decision in supporting the increase.

The senate got a full taste of a variety of student opinions and I think they made the best decision, Terry said. Students will have a hard time saying that they weren’t heard. The senate made a clear decision and I think it was the best possible decision.

Vingren said the $60 agreement was a great deal for the students.

It was a very rare occurrence for students to have this type of victory and now students should move on to more important issues.

Student Trustee Pat Kelly said he is happy to see the students taking an active interest and hopes they take the same interest at the May Board of Trustees meeting when the athletic fee is scheduled to be discussed.

We could view this as some people accusing Dave [Vingren] of reneging on campaign promises, Kelly said. Personally, I think we can do all we want, but the Board of Trustees has said they don’t care what we say about fee increases.