New $200 Student Fee to Help U of M Compensate Athletes

At the University of Minnesota, many incoming freshmen say they support the Gophers having competitive teams—and are open to the idea of paying a new $200 annual student fee to help make that happen.

Image: Goldy Gopher | The Denver Post

“Personally $200 isn’t too much to tack on. It isn’t too big of a fee if it means supporting our athletes because they do a lot of hard work and we are a Big Ten school,” said one student. “I think I might get $200-worth of entertainment from it,” added another.

Still, the fee—charged at $100 per semester—is drawing pushback from others who worry about rising costs.

“It’s really important that we do everything to keep the costs of living on campus lower and not raise them in any way. Even though it’s just $100, it’s $100 that students aren’t volunteering to pay. It’s $100 that’s going to be very detrimental to students,” said U of M Student Body President Riley Hetland.

The fee arrives as the University, along with other institutions nationwide, prepares to pay student-athletes up to $20.5 million in the coming academic year following a landmark legal settlement.

“Buying tickets to Gophers games is optional. Buying merchandise is all optional. But our $100 fee is not optional,” Hetland emphasized.

Despite the criticism, the university notes that it’s not alone—seven other Big Ten schools already have similar fees that directly support athletic programs and facilities.