The head of the board that governs Iowa’s three public universities says the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA’S athletic department may start financing scholarships for students who are NOT athletes. Board of Regents president Bruce Rastettersays the University of Iowa’s president and athletic director are having that discussion now.

“One of the things that isn’t often recognized is that athletic departments do contribute to the university in a significant way,” Rastetter says. “I mean first of all, they pay scholarship dollars on tuition, room and board to the university. Second, it becomes a huge fundraising opportunity at the universities to bring alums, donors in that results in significant investment in the university.”

But Rastetter says there is a “national trend” among premiere university football and basketball programs to help finance other campus priorities. “There are ways that it can enhance the student body, lower student fees, scholarship funds beyond that,” Rastetter says. “But at the end of the day, they need to be careful that they not limit their ability to compete by taking too many dollars and then they won’t have the revenue stream to give the dollars.”

Rastetter made his comments during a weekend appearance on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program. Rastetter says neither tax dollars or student tuition money is used to finance the athletic programs in Iowa City, Ames or Cedar Falls. Ticket sales and contributions from donors are the sources of income for the Iowa and Iowa State athletic departments. The University of Northern Iowa uses SOME student FEES along with ticket sales and donor money to run the Panther athletic department.

(Radio Iowa)