Sen. Kim warns UH, student fees not a bailout

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CTY - Sen. Donna Mercado Kim speaks to former UH athletic director Jim Donovan during a Senate-run hearing and investigation about the cancelled Stevie Wonder concert on Monday

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State Senate President Donna Mercado Kim said she questions why the University of Hawaii is considering asking students to help bail out the athletic department.

"I can’t believe they are going to balance the budget on the backs of the students," Kim said. "Is it the students’ fault that they cannot raise the (athletic) money? It is like, ‘OK, students, sorry, we’re in a deficit, so you have to pay for it.’"

Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Moanalua-Halawa) said she introduced a resolution Friday urging the Board of Regents and university not to raise the student-athletic fee above its current $50 per semester level.

Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple told a Board of Regents committee Wednesday the school should consider hiking the fee to aid the athletic department in balancing its budget.

Apple told student regent Jeffrey Acido, "Sorry, Jeffrey, we do need to look at student fees, which are very low here. I think we at least need to have that discussion about whether those fees are appropriate."

The suggestion comes at a time when the athletic department is pledged to rein in its annual deficit to no more than $1 million per year for the next three years after which it must become self-sufficient, Apple has said. He forgave a $14.7 million accumulated net deficit last summer.

Athletic director Ben Jay told regents Wednesday the deficit forecast is currently at $2 million for the fiscal year that ends June 30.

Richard Mizusawa, president of the Associated Students of UH, said surveys showed the majority of students did not want the original athletic fee and an increase "is not something that we would want to support."

Mizusawa said, "We would want to know more of the reasons why it would be put on the students to pay for a deficit athletics is going through right now. We would want to be involved in conversation before this even happens."

Students currently pay approximately $380 per semester in various fees.

Kim asked if the students are required to help sustain the budget in time of deficit "if there is a profit do they get their money back?"