Tuition waivers a definite possibility
By Holli L. Rapp and John Baracani
Tuition waivers for athletes and student organization leaders are being considered.
The college board expects to make a decision in April or May, according to board member Harry Debo.
Debo said the board is giving serious consideration to providing one tuition waiver per sport.
"It (waiver) is probably a good idea, to keep the local athletes," Debo said.
Debo said the college board needs more discussion on waivers for non-athletes. He said the board did discuss the idea, for the first time, at a recent retreat.
College President Dr. Jean Goodnow said she would like to see a tuition waiver proposal which included fine arts, the newspaper and possibly other activities along with athletics.
Athletic Director Mike Riley said college officials were still in the information gathering stage on the waivers.
"We’re looking into it and putting numbers together," Riley said, explaining that he and Dr. Robert Marshall, vice president of student services, have conducted a study of the waivers.
Riley said every college in the Arrowhead conference, which IVCC will be joining next fall, offers tuition waivers or scholarships, although "they all have different setups."
The college’s decision to change to the Arrowhead conference and the accompanying move from Division III to Division II status, does allow the college to offer the waivers and to subsidize books and fees for athletes stating next fall. The N4C, which IVCC joined twenty years ago, does not allow financial aid for athletes.
Riley said the comments he has heard about the athletic waivers has been positive.
"I haven’t heard anyone who is opposed to them," the athletic director said. "The general conversation has been that it sounds like something that would help the program out. It seems to be very positive, a good step for the school."
Riley said he also favors the waivers for non-athletes.
"I would definitely like to see it for students at the Apache and student government and other organizations," he said. "It’s important for all of the students that put a lot of time in. (Tuition waivers) would get more kids involved and make a stronger school."
Overall, most advisors of student organizations favor waivers for non-athletes.
"The students who do the work deserve them," said Dr. Rose Marie Lynch, advisor of the Apache. "It’s one way to get students not to rely so heavily on part-time jobs which keeps them from participating.
"Participating in athletics, the criminal justice group, SGA, science activities, the newspaper, and others is really important," she said.
POWER advisor Kim Abel said she thinks the waivers should be extended to activity areas as well as to sports, but she asked, "Where do we draw the line?"
Adding that there hasn’t been much interest in POWER since football was dropped, Abel said, "POWER is just limping along."
American Chemical Society advisor Robert Byrne also said the waivers are a good idea, but deciding what activities qualify and what do not is a tough issue.
"Some clubs hardly do anything," he said. "My people in chem club do a lot."
Even for the athletes, deciding the specifics of a waiver system is complicated, and all of the Arrowhead conference schools have different rules.
Highland offers tuition waivers for out-of-district students to cover the difference between in-district and out-of-district tuition. Those waivers can also be applied to out-of-country athletes. Highland athletic secretary Sharon Schultz said in-district student-athletes can qualify for scholarships which are awarded by the head coach of a sport.
At Sauk Valley, some athletes receive tuition waivers, but Sauk does not waive book costs or lab fees.
Sauk athletic director Russ Damhoff said, "Sauk Valley tries to maintain a two-thirds in-district to out-of-district break down, but it depends on the high schools."
Kishwaukee offers waivers by sport: six for men and women’s basketball, nine for softball and baseball, six for volleyball, nine for soccer and four for golf and tennis.
Kishwaukee athletic director Jodi Lord explained that the waivers cannot go to students who qualify for financial-need grants so, "They (waivers) go to the rich kids."
If one team does not use all of its waivers, another sport cannot use the extra ones, Lord said, but half tuition waivers can be offered, allowing one student to receive the waiver for the fall semester and another student for the spring.
Black Hawk in Moline can also offer one-half tuition or full tuition waivers to a total of 26 for male athletes and 26 female athletes, according to athletic director Gary Huber. As allotted by sport they are: five for golf, eight for volleyball, nine each for men’s and women’s basketball, 12 for baseball and nine for softball.
The importance of the waivers, Huber said, is that "the community is able to witness quality athletic teams, and it gives the young people of the area a positive outlook on what it would be like to play in their home town."
Commenting on the possibility of waivers at IVCC, Huber said, "Mike Riley and the IVCC administration are moving in the right direction on the waivers if they want to compete with the junior college competition. Most of their competition are offering these extra incentives to recruit the quality student/athletes."
Huber continued, "An athlete wants to hear ‘What’s in it for me?’ They are going to accept the best package offered to them."
Riley said there isn’t a time frame for a decision on the waivers.
"I would like to see it (decision) happen in the next 60 to 90 days based on the recruiting of student athletes," he said.
2/18/99 the Apache