Training for Olympics may mean lower tuition costs
Jessica Warren, World & Nation Editor
Following the example of other Olympic host states, the Utah Board of Regents will consider allowing athletes training for the Olympics to receive in-state tuition in today’s meeting in Provo. Under the proposal, athletes demonstrating their involvement in an Olympic training program will receive in-state tuition at a state-funded school. Regents say the idea is to help Utah compete with other states and to keep the Olympic training facilities in use after 2002. Harden R. Eyring, executive assistant to the commissioner of the board, said there are many benefits to this type of program. “It really benefits the young people,” Eyring said. Athletes are given the opportunity to continue their education while they are training, rather than putting it off for years. He said the state will be more likely to have more Olympic training facilities, which would benefit the state economically and add prestige to the state. Having an Olympic-quality athlete on campus mixing with students can be an advantage, Eyring said. Ben Riley, Associated Students of Utah State University president, said it would add to the diversity of the campus. “[Olympic athletes] come from all different areas and different backgrounds,” Riley said. He said he sees the proposal as a good thing, something that will benefit students. “I don’t see any downsides to the idea at all,” he said. The only losing group in this he can see is the tax payers, but he said he thinks the pros outweigh the cons. Theoretically, Eyring said, there is a loss of tuition. But he said the proposal would bring in only a handful of people, approximately 10 to 15 athletes. Michael Shipley, Athletics vice president for ASUSU, said he sees it as a good argument for the need of a proposed Student Recreation Center. “Really, we wouldn’t have a shot without state-of-the-art facilities,” Shipley said. In order to compete with other institutions, the HPER facilities will not be enough, he said. The proposal will also have the potential of encouraging athletics on campus, Shipley said. “It could encourage our athletes to compete at a higher level,” Shipley said. The passing of the proposal will have the most effect on institutions like the University of Utah and others near the training facilities, Eyring said. However, both Riley and Shipley said they expect the passing would be important for USU, too, especially as a tool to use in efforts to build the SRC.