Going Division I was not beneficial to everyone
In my 15 years of college so far, I thought I had heard it all. Apparently not. I was stunned when I heard NDSU would be willing to work with other colleges to help them “afford” travel to Fargo.
What? How can this be? From everything that has been going on in the state legislature, NDSU doesn’t have any extra money and just can’t afford a tuition freeze.
But suddenly, NDSU is able to pony up some money to pay for other colleges to travel to Fargo?
Oh, that’s right, this is for athletics. Mighty athletics. Let me pause for a moment while I genuflect. We have all the money in the world for athletics. Almost $10 million this year alone.
Seriously, is this a joke? Apparently there is enough money to send a delegation from NDSU all the way to St. Louis to talk for 45 MINUTES.
And then even more money to “hint” that NDSU is willing to “negotiate” plans to “help” other colleges pay for travel. I must be living in the wrong universe.
It is totally backwards to me that NDSU has all the money in the world for athletics, yet actual students are footing the bill through 10 percent tuition increases, increased fees?
Not to mention more crowded classrooms, insane parking, parking tickets because of the insane parking, paying for printing, paying for transcripts and just about anything else that is a necessity for education.
And now NDSU is going to pay other schools to come here? Yep, these are the true benefits of being Division I.
I really used to wonder what the benefits for the “typical” student were for going Division I.
Now I think I found out. “Come to NDSU and pay a bunch of money so that one day a select group of people can pretend to represent you while we reduce the quality of your education dollar.”
That is the new NDSU. My NDSU. Where departments have to fight for any increase in funding, yet athletics get a free pass to millions of dollars.
Where faculty get paid a mere pittance, yet coaches make six figures and probably have their own parking spots.
If NDSU has this kind of money pocketed somewhere, not only is this completely wrong, but when it is used, it should be given back to the people that truly deserve it – ALL students, not just athletics. And especially not other school’s athletics!
Is this really what Division I is all about? I hope not, because if it is, it will be a long and costly road ahead for every “typical” student.
Jeff is a graduate student studying engineering.
Columnists' opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of The Spectrum