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CD funds come i or the state? ing approximately 47 percent of the athletic budget. This also represented about 38 percent of the total IFC budget. Inci­ dental fees are paid by each enrolled student at PSU, based on a sliding scale tied to the number of credit hours taken. Athletics was grilled by the IFC for the longest out of all the IFC funded groups. "I think that the IFC did a thorough job of going through each of the program budgets," Associ­ ate Athletic Director Randy Nordlof said, adding that he was not concerned with the carry-over of the hearing. The de­ partment presented the success of PSU's athletic programs at the national level, the strict academic requirements imposed on student athletes and the benefits athletics provides to the university in general fund support. One of the main problems for the Athletic Department was keeping up with the Oregon State Board of Higher Edu­ cation and its desire to have competitive programs, but its lack of desire to fund those programs. The OSHBE approved deficit spending, which created a 1.6 million dollar deficit for PSU. Needless to say, the IFC was not willing to fund this type of deficit spending. "No budget that irresponsible cre­ ates a 1.6 million dollar deficit deserves more than what is minimally needed to exist." IFC Chair Jennie Clark. Initially, the IFC voted 6 to 1 for freezing the Athletic Boards request until three options of cuts could be consid­ ered. The first, called for the elimination of three men's and three women's sports and leaving four men's and four wom­ en's sports teams remaining in the intercollegiate curriculum. The second option suggested the alternative of a 5% budget cut equaling approximately $62,000 with or without the elimination of sports programs and without using any oth­ er university funds to cover the discrepancy. The third option stated that intercollegiate athletics may transfer the funding issue to the general student body for a vote during the elections. "I happen to think intercollegiate athletics is part of the educational process," stated Roy Love, PSU's assistant to the president for athletics,"! would be the first to say that I don't Jennie Clark questioned many aspects of the Athletic Board’s budget. think money should be taken from academic programs to fund athletics. But that is not the issue. The issue is, should athletics be supported (by the state) or shouldn't they? The OSBHE set aside a $3.35 million in a trust fund, pending recommendations of a task force. "Intercollegiate athletics is funded at a level greater than most academic departments," Clark said. "Academic depart­ ments were cut last year, but athletics still requests its (budget) increase, year after year. I think that we are just asking them to take their cut, just like everyone else." The problem of funding Intercollegiate athletics will continue to be a matter of debate each year for the IFC, stu­ dents and faculty. Until the state can reach some type of funding that will not run in deficit to support their competi­ tive programs, we will continue to wallow in indecision of the importance of athletics to the educational experience and if its worth paying for. —Casi Massingill ii t 125