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While I do not have a great reason for the exact dollar amount that the athletics department came up with, I do have some insight for you as to why the increase was implemented.

We as Student Government Board (SGB) had received many questions, complaints, and suggestions regarding athletics events. Concerns ranged, including such topics as prices of tickets being too high or too low, student parking and partying at games, and the Thanksgiving break game.

To address these concerns we as SGB came up with the idea of having a forum at the Peterson Events Center, which would include top policy makers in the athletics department as well as SGB. Although it was difficult to rent out the entire Peterson Events Center court, provide adequate but required security, and to get members of the athletics department to take time out of their evenings, we as SGB and those members of the athletics department felt that it was worth the effort so that the students could have direct input. This forum was announced quite a bit in advance and was advertised well, including press in the PITT News. Also, it was held later in the evening when it was possible for most students to attend, even though this meant several people would have to use their personal time out of work to attend.

While we did not, in my opinion, get as many students as we would have liked, the ones who did show up were very concerned students who seemed to care a great deal about PITT athletics. They asked great questions to the athletics department and gave many intelligent suggestions and solutions. As SGB, we attempted to facilitate the discussion between the students and athletics department, rather than make our own suggestions.

The outcome of the students suggestions and comments is what you see happening with this years football season tickets, and there may be more changes to come, such as dealing with student parking at games.

Personally, if I had received phone calls or emails from students asking that ticket prices stay the same, or had I heard this request at the forum, I would have used my efforts to pursue that goal. However, students who got involved decided that raising ticket prices would help eliminate the fan that only goes to one game per season because they only had to pay 20 dollars anyway, leaving more tickets for other students. Maybe it would even allow the purchase of guest tickets in the student section so that students could allow friends from out of town to join them at the game. The students who got involved also said that since a great number of students could not attend the game over break that they would rather pay less (than the new price would be) and make that game an option (so that only those who could make it and wanted to go would need to pay).

I feel in this situation that SGB did what it is supposed to do. We created a great environment for students to directly speak with and influence the athletics department and their policies, something that rarely, if ever, happens. This turned out to be very successful in my opinion, because the students got exactly what the majority of them at the forum had asked for.

If these changes are not what the students want, they should take one of two steps. Be in attendance to speak their mind at any future forum or communicate with SGB as to what their concerns are. Without some form of communication we cannot incorporate the opinion of those students who did not voice their opinion, but only those who did.

I hope you find this helpful and that it clears some things up.

Joseph Pasqualichio
SGB Board Member

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JULY 2004

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Writing with faith, hope, and love Express your letters to the Editor

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Board member explains football season ticket hike!

Writing with faith, hope, and love
Express your letters to the Editor