Maggie Hinojosa, senior vice president for Strategic Enrollment and Student Affairs, explains to the Student Government Association Tuesday night how establishing football, women’s swimming and diving teams would impact the university. Also shown is Chasse Conque, vice president and director of Athletics, who requested a referendum on the proposal. Daisy Araujo/The Rider Photos
Updated at 7:57 p.m. Sept. 2
Women’s swimming and diving, bands and spirit programs part of plan
UTRGV officials have asked the Student Government Association to conduct a referendum on establishing a football and women’s swimming and diving programs, plus marching bands and spirit teams planned for the 2024-25 academic year.
The new programs would increase the intercollegiate athletics fee by $11.25 per semester credit hour, capped at 12 hours, Maggie Hinojosa, senior vice president for Strategic Enrollment and Student Affairs, told the SGA during its meeting Tuesday night.
Only incoming and current students outside the tuition guarantee will pay the fee increase beginning Fall 2022.
Hinojosa and Chasse Conque, vice president and director of Athletics, spoke about the impact the programs will have on student life with nearly 500 student involvement opportunities.
Conque said a football program would begin in Fall 2025 and compete in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Additionally, a women’s swimming and diving team was recommended by the UTRGV Gender and Equity Working group and the UTRGV Athletics Council in Spring 2021.
“We already have a partnership with the new natatorium in the city of Pharr, so this will be where our team will train and compete,” Conque said.
Another program he presented was a marching band, which will participate in local parades and community events on both campuses.
“We feel like a marching band is going to add a great tradition and spirit to our campus,” Conque said.
Spirit programs would help expand cheer and dance programs and would participate in campus and community events, he said.
Hinojosa said two marching bands and two spirit programs would be created to accommodate both campuses.
The swimming and diving team and the marching band would debut during the 2024-25 academic year, according to documents provided to The Rider by the SGA. The first football season would be in 2025.
According to Hinojosa, the opportunities offered will benefit the university and students by increasing enrollment at UTRGV.
The UTRGV Tuition Advantage for Fall 2022 will be increased to $100,000 for everyone who qualifies, she said.
Tuition Advantage allows for tuition and mandatory fees for students with an adjusted family income of $100,000 or less to be covered by the grant, according to the UTRGV website.
Conque asked the SGA to take the proposal to the next step, which is a student referendum to be voted on between November 8 and 10, according to the Referenda Request Application. This would allow for the proposal to reach the University of Texas System Board of Regents by February 2022 for the proposed timeline.
The SGA voted to table action on the request until its next meeting, which will take place at 6 p.m. next Tuesday on the Edinburg campus and via Zoom.
