Student Vote on Athletic Funding Canceled at CSUN

The Cal State Northridge student referendum intended to help fund the construction of athletic facilities and scheduled for a vote Nov. 9-10 has been canceled because of a lack of financial backing, the Associated Student Body announced Wednesday.

According to a report issued by ASB President Robert Hanff, the referendum, which would have increased student fees the next three years to help fund an 8,000-seat multipurpose stadium and other facilities, needed the financial support of an on-campus auxiliary organization, which the ASB was unsuccessful in obtaining.

The referendum vote initially was scheduled for October but was postponed because of a prohibition by the state education code against the ASB selling bonds. During the last week, the ASB approached auxiliary organizations seeking financial support.

There are five such nonprofit, independent organizations on campus, including the University Student Union.

The referendum would have required Northridge students to pay an additional $27 in fees in 2000-2001, increasing to $90 in 2002. The money raised would be used to pay the interest on bonds sold to finance construction of the arena, as well as a 3,000-seat baseball stadium and recreational facility.

Northridge football players, many of whom learned of the referendum’s cancellation while walking onto the practice field Wednesday afternoon, reacted with shock, particularly freshmen who might one day benefit from new facilities.

“Did they really?” said Donald Curry, a freshman linebacker from Arcadia who is redshirting this season. “We were all going to go and vote for it. Now what?”

Said Joe Gilliam, a freshman receiver from Fresno: “I was looking forward to playing in a new stadium. Now, everything’s going to have to wait.”

Travis Campbell, a freshman safety from Westlake High expected to be an impact player in the coming years, said he intended to vote for the measure.

“I’m disappointed,” Campbell said. “From the people I talked to, it had a lot of support. All of the freshmen don’t want to play at a school where they don’t support us.”

Dick Dull, Northridge athletic director, was out sick Wednesday and unavailable for comment. The referendum’s cancellation is a blow to the athletic department, which was anticipating the referendum’s approval as a key step toward meeting expansion goals.

Northridge has approved construction of an on-campus multipurpose arena, a condition of its membership in the Big Sky Conference. But funding has not been secured.

The Big Sky has threatened Northridge with expulsion if “significant progress” toward stadium construction is not evident by June.