Amy Perko, executive director of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, responded to an inquiry from the Atlanta Journal Constitution about the use of student fees to pay for college sports. Her response was published on September 30. Perko stated:
“The commission’s fundamental position is there needs to be transparency with institutional fees going to athletics. U.S. higher education is under unprecedented pressure to be more transparent to the public and more accountable. Intercollegiate athletics cannot expect to be immune to the same standards.
Many schools have referendums as far as initiating student fees. The Knight Commission’s position is not to get involved in the process; it just wants the process transparent. The commission has recommended that each institution disclose its NCAA financial report, which would show how much is being generated by athletics and how much is generated by student fees. There is large misunderstanding in the public about funding of intercollegiate athletics.”
The full viewpoint is available here.