EDITORIAL Athletic department doesn’t deserve cut The Incidental Fee Committee's decision to cut $35,000 from the athletic department's SI.04 million budget last Thursday was an irresponsible response to rising student fees. The athletic department uses the money to pay for stu dent seating at homo sporting events. Currently, students must pay a mandatory feo of $22 per torm for the right to attend every sporting event on campus. The seating is hoavily discounted from the public ratos and is among the best in the Pac* 10. Because of the IFC's announced cut — the fourth in five years — the athletic department has threatened to take away either Section 9 at Autzen Stadium (at about the 30 yard line) or the courtside section across from the bench es at McArthur Court. The department would then sell those seats to donors to make up the S35.UOO There are two points to be made here. First, the IFC's decision affected many more students than most IPC deci sions do. anti therefore should have been voted on by the student body. Instead, five IFC members, who wore elect ed by about SOU people apiece, were allowed to cut mon ey from a program supported by the nearly 4.000 students who attend each football game, and the many others who watch basketball and other sports. And while most students likely grumble about pay ing constantly rising student foes for groups they never encounter, many of those same students will cry even louder if they learn the athletic department, a group they actually don't mind paying for. no longer receives as much money. This leads to the second point. Should the athletic department have the right to take away good student seat ing such as Section 9 at Autzen rather than the margin al, rarely filled seating of Soction 5? After all. it wouldn't take too many regularly priced tickets to make up $35,000. The answer is that the athletic department has the pre rogative to bo as money-hungry ns it wants. It already gives students a huge discount for excellent seating at sporting events. If it charged full market value for those seats, the department estimated it could make about $225,000 more next yoar. The department has no reason to continue to be gen erous with a student body that continually cuts its bud get. The department already runs a $1 million deficit. If opening up Section 9 to donors is a smarter business deci sion — which it is — it shouldn't shy away from mak ing that decision based solely on student complaints. Remember, the athletic department is getting $3 less per student than in 1987. Meanwhile, salaries, ticket prices and fees have all gone up. If the decision to cut the $35,000 stands, the athletic department should forget cutting the McArthur Court seats. They are too valuable to both students and the bas ketball teams. The athletic department should recognize that players feed off the crowd's onorgy. and no crowd is more energetic than the students in the west-side seats. As for giving Section 9 to donors, it wouldn't be a huge loss and is therefore a bettor option. Aflor all. there are no bad seats at Autzen. And many people who attond football games go to meet friends and drink. Orex<>i i Daily P O IK) Emerald the Oregon Diet) Emorafc) ■* pufcinhed 0*0 Monday through Friday <*/nng the tcfwoi year and Tuetday and Thur»day during the »umm«r By Hie Oregon Daily Emerald Put**hing Co Inc a! me Urvwervty of Oregon E ogene. Oregon The Emerald operate* independently of me Unnrerady reth oflyary at Suae 300 o* the f rB Memorial Un-on and ) a m*mo#« of the Aaaocrated Pre*» The fme«atd r* prryate property The uniamfut remoyal or u*a or paper* a protecutabte by ta* Editor Pal Meach N«l tonor EOttorMI Conor OrapMcs EOnor CnMrurnmwn Conor jmm iwij Martin F Je» f’nuiy Fray* Morn sfwna cvHK Editorial Ediioi Sopp*»>nool» Edtio Night Editor Hudy ft** Production Manager Ucheie Ftoaa Advertlllng Tom leech Sa