University of Arizona students won’t be forced to pay for upgrades to the school’s football stadium — at least, not yet.
UA athletics director Greg Byrne has for now dropped a proposal to charge incoming students a mandatory $200-a-year fee to help fund about $150 million in improvements to aging Arizona Stadium.
Byrne, who approached student groups about the fee several weeks ago, told the UA’s student council Wednesday he's decided not to pursue the plan this year. He said he'll bring the proposal back for consideration next school year.
In the meantime, he'll work with students and the community to raise support for a new proposal.
Most Pac-12 schools already charge students an athletics fee, including Arizona State University, which instituted a $150 fee last school year.
But many UA students balked at the idea. A recent survey of more than 1,200 graduate and professional students found 94 percent opposed or strongly opposed.
Plans were underway for a larger survey of the entire student body, but that had yet to occur when Byrne decided not to go ahead.
Byrne's proposal would have required the approval of school President Ann Weaver Hart and the Arizona Board of Regents.
The situation leaves UA Athletics without enough money to complete renovations on the stadium constructed in 1928.
The building has a number of problems such as shabby restrooms, subpar seating and concession facilities and narrow hallways prone to overcrowding.
