UND's Student Senate will support the transition to Division I athletics, it decided Sunday night.
After a lengthy discussion and many amendments suggested, the Senate voted to support the move in accordance with the Division I Commission Report and said the Senate "expects to be informed if there are any deviations from" the report.
The amendments stem from concerns about student fees being increased over the amount previously stated.
The Senate opted not to make the endorsement late last school year because the school's D-I Commission had not officially declared how high student fees will rise as a result of the move.
A consultant's report that recommended student fees increase $35 per semester this year, then a total of $72 per semester in succeeding years to support the D-I move, was approved by the D-I Commission and signed by UND President Charles Kupchella and now is supported by the Student Senate.
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Good turnout
Kupchella and Athletic Director Tom Buning addressed the Senate on Sunday evening. Buning was very happy with student turnout for the first UND Fighting Sioux football game.
"We had 3,600 students at that game," he said. "Obviously, that creates a great atmosphere."
The Fighting Sioux beat Humboldt State 59-0 on Thursday, Aug. 23 in the Alerus Center.
UND men's and women's hockey programs are Division I sports, but all other sports are Division II. UND is one of only three state flagship universities that is not Division I in the majority of its sports, according to Carr Sports and Associates, the consulting firm that produced the transition plan.
The D-I transition is a five-year process, starting with an exploratory year that begins this fall. During this year, UND teams will compete on a Division II level but must satisfy a number of minimum D-I standards. During the succeeding four years, the teams will compete primarily against D-I teams but will not be eligible to compete in NCAA championships.
Senators repeatedly mentioned the importance of the resolution Sunday night and their intention to ensure it was worded just right to benefit students.
Reach Gibson at (701) 787-6754, or lgibson@gfherald.com .
