Utah Valley Community College Officials say football has too much support to give up now, and they plan to ask the State Board of Regents again next fall to approve the program.
Before the regents voted 10-3 last week to strike down UVCC's football proposal, school officials said whatever decision the regents made would be final. But now UVCC officials say the regents' overwhelming vote surprised them, especially considering the degree of support for the program. Because of that support, they will try one more time to convince the regents that football is important to the school.UVCC Athletic Director Michael Jacobsen said another student poll will be taken in the fall, and if the students once again vote in favor of football, then the school will renew its request to the regents. Two previous polls showed students support a football program by 72 and 69 percent margins, respectively.
"If it's something that the students want, then it's something that we are going to continue to battle for," Jacobsen said.
Jacobsen and UVCC President Kerry Romesburg said they are particularly disappointed that the two local regents, Aileen Clyde and Paul Rogers, spoke out against a UVCC football program and may have convinced the other regents to vote with them. Clyde said there is not enough student support for the program, and Rogers said there is not enough community support.
"When both regents from this area voted in opposition it made it very difficult for the others to support it," Romesburg said.
Romesburg said there is no doubt in his mind that the students and the community want football. He said it is difficult to understand how the regents could ignore the two student polls and the banner with about 2,000 student signatures supporting football that was presented at Friday's meeting. He said the unanimous support of the UVCC Institutional Council demonstrates the community's support.
"How anyone can allege that we don't have community support is a difficult concept for me to accept," Romesburg said.
Regent Ian Cumming said he opposed football because the money could be spent better if used for library books and other equipment. Romesburg said the students are already paying fees that go toward library books and computer equipment.
"I don't feel we should dictate to students and tell them how to spend their fees," Romesburg said. "First I tell them that they can't use state funds for football, and now the regents tell them that they can't use their own money."
Jacobsen said that the school has spent six years proving football is viable at UVCC and could be supported without the state's help. He said UVCC adequately addressed all of the regents' concerns, but those replies were ignored.
"I think football would very much enhance this institution and community, and would keep students on campus and help with fund raising," Romesburg said.