UL-Monroe students have approved a $75 fee per semester that will generate $600,000 dollars in its first year for the school’s athletic department. ULM Athletic Director John Hartwell says the fee goes into effect for the 2025 Fall Semester.
“It is extremely helpful to us in a budget that is, frankly, at the bottom not only of the Sun Belt Conference, but of all of FBS football at roughly $21 million dollars,” Hartwell said.
Hartwell says they plan to use the money to install a new video board in Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The A.D. says the new revenues will also go towards improving the well-being of their student athletes.
“There will be dollars allocated out of this for nutrition, for mental health, for strength and conditioning and for our sports medicine program,” Harris explained.
The fee passed on a 711-650 vote. Hartwell says opponents to the athletic fee proposal said they do not attend athletics events or questioned the need to spend more money on sports. Hartwell says a successful athletic program improves the entire university.
“The success of our athletic teams heightens the profile of the institution and therefore, I will say, in an abstract way, increases the value of your diploma,” Harris said.
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