The Weber State University sports clubs are a diverse and adventurous bunch, with activities ranging from fencing to archery to snowboarding, ensuring every student has an opportunity to find their niche.
Another draw to the clubs comes from the tuition waivers offered by the university to each club. These tuition waivers are offered in lieu of additional university funds being given out to the clubs, keeping tuition costs lower while still offering advantages to those who choose to be a part of the intramural sports scene at the university.
Every year, each club must petition with the sport club council to obtain their tuition waivers. The waiver amounts are determined after the competitive sports office, headed by Competitive Sports Coordinator Morgan Fradley and Competitive Sports Assistant Coordinator Whitney Batchelor, sends applications to the scholarships and waivers committee, who appear before a triennial review board. The waivers are then allocated as each club’s presidency sees fit.
“In our club the president gets $2,000 per semester, the vice president gets $1,500 per semester, and the secretary gets $1,000 per semester,” Cash Morgan, from the baseball club, said.
The clubs vary in how they distribute financial aid, with some choosing to offer the aid as incentives for each individual member, while others use it as an incentive to become part of the club’s presidency, as with the baseball club.
Costs for each club vary as well, as some require each member to obtain their own equipment, or charge a fee in order to access club equipment. This is the downside encountered by all programs devoid of university funding.
The baseball club, for example, must find equipment and funding from an outside source known as the NCBA which provides bats, helmets, baseballs and catcher’s gear. This equipment comes at a cost, which is typically kept within the $150 to 400 range for Morgan’s club. Other clubs, such as fencing, currently have little to no funding and are in the process of reopening.
As far as the recent changes brought about by Weber’s board of directors concerning financial aid, Competitive Sports Coordinator Morgan Fradley confirmed that tuition waivers and the processes involved with obtaining them remain in flux, as new policies continue to be implemented.
For now, however, it appears students will continue to enjoy the waivers that offer students the opportunity to compete in the sports they love, engage in the Wildcat community and gain a valuable asset to assist them in their battle against student loans.
