UC Irvine Measure Could Increase Scholarships
A referendum to help fund athletic scholarships at UC Irvine will probably be put before university students next spring, according to the group of students who will request the vote.
If passed, the referendum would raise quarterly fees in order to help bring the UCI athletic program closer to the maximum scholarships allowed by the NCAA. Currently, four sports receive the NCAA maximum: men’s basketball, women’s basketball, women’s volleyball and men’s tennis.
The amount of the increase is being worked out, but the referendum could raise $400,000. A full athletic scholarship to a California resident is about $10,000 annually. A scholarship for an out-of-state resident is about $17,000.
Irvine currently has the equivalent of 36.4 men’s scholarships; the NCAA allows 63.4, excluding football. Irvine has 46.6 women’s scholarships, the NCAA allows 99--a number that is inflated because the NCAA allows 20 rowing scholarships. Irvine has no rowing scholarships.
To bring a referendum to a vote, Associated Students of UC Irvine’s legislative council must approve it by a two-thirds vote or a petition signed by at least 8% of the undergraduate students must be submitted to the council, according to Dennis Hampton, the ASUCI’s executive director.
The legislative council is expected to take up the matter within the next two weeks, according to a student group in favor of the referendum.
Once on the ballot, the referendum must receive 60% approval, with at least 25% of the student population voting.
Hampton said Chancellor Ralph J. Cicerone and the University of California Board of Regents must approve it before it is implemented.
UCI students overwhelmingly passed a referendum in 1997 to fund a $25.6-million recreation center. It raised fees $88 per quarter.
The current effort comes on the heels of similar referendums passed at UC Santa Barbara and UC Riverside.
In April, Santa Barbara students agreed to pay $9 more per quarter, which will raise $420,000 annually to fund scholarships. The higher fee does not apply to the summer quarter. Each sport will receive the equivalent of two scholarships, except for the basketball programs.
The UCI referendum will probably not earmark money for basketball.
In June, Riverside students agreed to pay an additional $35 per quarter, which will raise $750,000 annually. Like Santa Barbara’s referendum, the charge does not apply to summer students.
The Riverside fees go into effect when the university moves from Division II to Division I. The fees will go to scholarships and start-up costs so the university can add men’s and women’s soccer and golf to have the 14 sports that the NCAA requires to be Division I.
If passed, the UCI referendum could pave the way for the return of baseball. Athletic Director Dan Guerrero, a former UCLA baseball player, has said he would only bring the sport back when the current sports were funded to his satisfaction.
Baseball, men’s track and field and men’s cross-country were dropped in 1992, which saved the university about $500,000 annually. Men’s track and field and cross-country were later reinstated as non-scholarship sports. It now receives a small amount of financial help--three scholarships for women and a half-scholarship for men.
Irvine could add one or more women’s sports to comply with Title IX, the gender equity law.
