University of Virginia Library

200 Clemson Athletes Operating
Under Large Scholarship Grants

In a recent front page story
by Dick Harpootlian, Associate
Editor of the Clemson student
paper The Tiger, the concern
by Clemson students for the
ever increasing emphasis on
athletics is most clearly
exemplified.

Mr. Harpootlian begins his
article by attacking the athletic
booster club IPTAY (I pay
twenty a year) as an over
commercialized attempt at
raising money for the athletic
program which is supposedly an
amateur undertaking. In the past
year this single organization
contributed over $200,000 "...to
further athletics at Clemson."

Harpootlian's complaint was not
concerned with the amount of
money raised for the program but
with the fringe benefits that
accompany the members of IPTAY.
When an individual joins IPTAY he
is not using his contribution as a
charitable gift alone, but he is
actually paying for certain
privileges and services. A member
of IPTAY receives top priority of
parking places and tickets to the
athletic contests.

Alumni Loyalty Fund

On the other side of the fence
the Alumni Loyalty Fund which
primarily supports the academic
improvement of the school only
raised $143,000 last year, nearly
$100,000 less than IPTAY, and the
only benefit that an individual gets
by contributing to this fund is the
satisfaction of knowing that he has
contributed to the Betterment of
Clemson as a University.

Also in the article the other
means of raising money by the
athletic department are
summarized. These include
activities fees charged to all
students attending the university, a
certain commission from the
canteen and bookstore profits,
vending machines, and gate
receipts.

Other Funds

These other sources are quite
effective at raising a substantial
income on their own, in fact at a
single game last year against
Georgia Tech the Athletic
department raised $100,000 from
gate receipts alone. The total
annual income for the athletic
department has been quoted at
approximately $1 million a year.

Where this money goes is the main
question in Mr. Harpootlian's mind
as well as the minds of many of
Clemson's students.

ACC Limitations

Supposedly all funds raised by
IPTAY, the canteen and the
bookstore go toward scholarships.

The allotment of scholarships
for football and basketball are
limited to 35 and 20 respectively
by the ACC regulations, but
evidently there is no restriction on
other sports as of yet. This leaves a
good bit of latitude to the athletic
department in this field.

One Million Dollars

There are over 200 scholarships
now available, accounting for
approximately $400,000 and the
remaining $600,000 is used for the
operating budget, which entail
salaries, travelling, recruiting
expenses, raising IPTAY funds, and
financing equipment upkeep. When
Mr. Harpootlian sought more
specifies concerning the use of this
rather sizeable sum of money, he
was turned away with the following
statement from Clemson's Athletic

Director Willimon: "Profits and
wages are confidential, we feel it's
nobody's business."

Concern Expressed

Returning to the Loyalty fund
and its importance to the
University, it hardly can hold its
own with a total of $150,000 raised
when compared to the million
dollar athletic program. Mr.
Harpootlian feels that this is an
adequate cause for concern, as this
is a pretty good indication as to
where the sentiments of the
financial supporters of the
University lie.