San Diego State University leaders are proposing to increase athletic program funding by raising the fees students pay each semester.
In October, the university introduced a plan to increase the mandatory Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) fee from $290 a semester to $420 starting in fall 2026.
The majority of the fee increase would go toward repairs and maintenance of shared athletics facilities and student athlete well-being, according to SDSU. Another 20% of the fee would fund club sports, student spirit enhancements and student employment opportunities.
The school’s Campus Fee Advisory Committee (CFAC) held a series of campus forums to present arguments in favor and against the proposal and solicit student feedback in October and November. The committee is made up of students, faculty and staff. SDSU's Budget & Finance director is the committee chair.
On Friday, the committee will make a recommendation on the fee increase to SDSU President Adela de la Torre, who will issue the final decision.
KPBS reached out to multiple student committee members but an SDSU media relations officer declined interviews due to their involvement in the process.
The fee would help establish a more stable and predictable source of funding for student-athletes and those involved in club sports that is not tied to fluctuations in state budget allocations, an SDSU spokesperson said in a statement.
“As the costs to support student scholarships, on campus facilities and student-athlete support have increased, the current IRA fee has made up a smaller and smaller part of the overall athletics budget, dropping from 30% of overall athletic revenue a decade ago, to just 13% of athletic revenue currently,” the SDSU statement said.
The fee increase will not be used for costs associated with Snapdragon Stadium, commercial marketing deals made by student athletes, or for SDSU’s move to the Pac-12 Conference, according to SDSU.
SDSU’s student newspaper, The Daily Aztec, spoke to students who are frustrated with the lack of a vote on the fee.
“I am an out-of-state student, and given that tuition increases every year, adding a fee I’d pay every year for that has no impact on my education makes the strain feel even more overwhelming,” Arwen Handel, a second-year human geography major, told The Daily Aztec.
If it isn't approved, the school’s webpage on the proposed fee says “the university will face significant challenges in sustaining and enhancing the athletics experience for students and student-athletes.”
