Dear Penley: Use game for education

I am about to start my third year at CSU, and I cannot help but

notice the rise in tuition and other fees around campus. I know

that I am not the only person who feels the effects of cuts to

Higher Education in Colorado. However, I did not decide to write

you about increasing costs, I decided to write you because I have

an idea that would increase the Higher Education budget in

Colorado. I have sent this idea to Governor Owens, but I feel that

your input, influence, connections and position at the university

make you a more suitable and attainable person for me to propose my

idea.

As we all know, the University of Colorado – Boulder vs. CSU

football game is one of the biggest events of the year in Colorado,

and not just for the two universities either, but for the entire

state. However, CU and CSU are only under contract to play each

other, they are not required to play. I propose that we take steps

similar to the state of Florida, who requires Florida State

University and University of Florida to play every year, and

require CU and CSU to play. In addition to requiring the two

schools to play each other, they should be required to play at a

large neutral site, like Invesco Field at Mile High. In turn, an

additional fee would be added to the ticket prices, and a small

percentage taken out of concessions and other game related income,

and added to the budget for Higher Education in Colorado.

Such an idea might seem unfeasible and ludicrous, but it could

contribute lots of money to Higher Education across Colorado. For

example: we’ll assume that the game sells out, like always, add

$7.00 per ticket for a Higher Education fee, and draw $0.25 from

every concession sale (assuming each ticket-buyer purchases one

concession item); the increase in the budget would be drastic in

just one afternoon or evening. Invesco Field at Mile High seats

76,125 people. Therefore, the budget would increase $532,875.00 on

ticket fees and $19,031.25 on concession kickbacks, making the

Higher Education budget increase $551,906.25 in less than six

hours.

President Penley, I do not know what it takes to make a

difference in decisions, the budget or any significant event at

CSU, let alone the State of Colorado. However, I do know what it

feels like to worry about affording college. I would appreciate

your help and consideration of this proposal. It would make the

difference in the educations of thousands of students across

Colorado.