Future of UNT projects hinges on Texas Legislature

by Courtney Roberts of North Texas Daily

UNT's athletics referendum is currently coming under review by the Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education in the 81st Texas Legislature.

If passed, Senate Bill 473, authored by Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, will approve the new $10 per credit hour athletics fee, which will replace the existing $3 per credit hour fee that students pay to athletics as part of the Student Service Fee.

The fee is capped at 15 hours per semester, which means students would pay up to $105 per semester in new service fees.

The bill is aiming to pass before the Legislature convenes on June 1, said Jody Withers, a spokesman for Sen. Estes. If it is not passed and sent to Gov. Rick Perry before June 1, then the bill will have to wait for the next legislative session in Jan. 2011.

UNT Athletics Director Rick Villarreal said that a possibility of delay in legislation would not have an effect on the construction timeline of the stadium.

"Right now, we're committed to the architectural and planning phase of the process," he said. "Construction of this project, until it was approved, would not start till at the earliest late this year or early next year."

With almost 14 percent of students voting, the referendum passed in October with 58.1 percent of students in favor and 41.9 percent against in the Student Government Association general election.

"The bill was filed on Jan. 13 and just referred to Higher Education on the 17th [of February] and now they'll review it until they send it out to be voted on by the Senate," Withers said.

If the bill is passed by the Higher Education committee then the Senate will debate and vote on the bill. If approved, he said. The House will also vote on the bill.

"When both the Senate and House agree on changes each has made on the legislation then the bill will be sent to the Governor for his signature," Withers said. According to the bill, the fee will not go into effect until the stadium is complete and "available for use at the university," which is expected to be in the fall 2011.