Club sports at Tufts received a much-needed upgrade last week when the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate agreed to both increase the club sports fund and allocate money specifically for Tier II athletics. This decision affirms the importance of club sports on the Hill, and provides a necessary lifeline for those teams previously unable to acquire the resources to grow and thrive.
In the April 16 agreement, the TCU Senate revamped the club sports program for next year by increasing the overall fund by almost 33 percent, from $78,000 to $115,000. This is a prudent action that will aid the growth of club athletics at Tufts. Allocating more funds to these groups ensures their continued success and competitiveness, allowing for further expansion in membership and tournament opportunities. The agreement acknowledges the critically important role club sports occupy on campus: providing hundreds of students - many of whom either do not qualify for Division III teams or whose primary sports are not offered at higher levels - the chance to participate in athletics at Tufts. As student groups, club sports teams are vital to campus life and many students' experience at this university.
Even more significant is the direct allocation of funds to Tier II club sports teams for the first time, which include baseball, tennis, ice hockey and soccer. Tier II athletics have had a largely tenuous existence, as they are deemed "extramural activities" and seen as purely recreational in nature. Currently, Tier II teams finance themselves via fundraising or by applying for additional money through a buffer fund, which consists of only 10 percent of the overall club sports fund. But, buffer fund requests are rife with bureaucratic inefficiencies and ultimately present a roadblock for already ailing Tier II club sports to receive the funding they need in a timely manner. Dedicating funds to these groups will help them operate more effectively and with significantly more certainty, provided the allocations are sufficiently generous.
Despite the increase and sensible reallocation of funds for club sports, the overall efficacy of this policy change relies on a more attentive administration to oversee their distribution. As it stands, all funds for club sports teams - either from fundraising or the club sports buffer fund - must be approved by a select few administrators in the Athletics Department. These administrators, some of whom coach varsity teams or whose primary jobs are similarly time-consuming, should not have to oversee the allocation of funding for club sports. In order to alleviate this concern, the school should consider hiring additional administrators whose responsibility is to work with the 14 club sports teams to acquire the necessary funding.
The TCU Senate took a significant step in promoting club sports on campus by increasing its allocation of money for such a purpose. But the success of this effort ultimately will be measured by the administration's willingness to hire individuals who can more efficiently and capably handle the needs of these teams.
