Associated Students Inc. organized a rally on Monday to promote Homecoming on March 4 and to raise awareness of the upcoming referendum where students will vote on whether to save athletics at SF State.

The referendum, voted on by students March 14 through March 16, will increase the athletic/intramural fee by $35 over the next six years, with an initial increase of $18 in the fall.

“The idea is to let students know what’s going on campus,” said Tina Summerford, a kinesiology professor. “There’s a good chance we may be eliminated...we’ll be the only CSU without athletics.”

Members of the women’s and men’s basketball teams rallied with other athletes in yellow T-shirts that read "Gator Nation," to boost support and awareness for the referendum.

“We’re fighting for what we believe in,” said Sonja Garnett, co-president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) and pitcher for the softball team. “We’re fighting to allow other people to play sports here as well.”

Fellow SAAC co-president Bridget Morris, 21, donned a green gator suit and passed out flyers at the rally. “I’ve been an athlete my whole life,” she said. “I believe in being involved, even if it’s just hanging out with friends or studying...I want to continue to support that.”

Morris had previously been a member of the women's swim team, one of six sports that was forced to disband due to loss of funding and defeat of a similar referendum proposal last March. The men’s swimming and track teams and women’s tennis and volleyball teams were also cut last March.

Last year’s referendum lost by 233 votes, with about 8,500 students voting. A task force was formed to address the future of athletics at SF State, at the advice of President Corrigan. A random survey was also conducted by the Public Research Institution at SF State which showed that 91 percent of students were in support of keeping the athletics department open, said SF State Athletic Director Mike Simpson, quoted in an article last week by [X]press.

If the referendum passed, $1 will be added to the initial $17 for the 2005-2006 school year. Six dollars will be added to that for the next two years, followed by a $5 increase in 2009-2010, totaling $35.

That might not be much for some students to give, but that fee is just one more in a series of fees that students are expected to bear, according to a statement against the athletics/intramurals fee adjustment on the athletics and intramurals fee referendum’s Web site.

The argument says that it’s unfair to ask the general campus population to fund departments that only are used by a small fraction of the campus.

It’s difficult, however, to hear those arguments while loud music is accompanied by two gators walking around and Zeus, a dog, in a “Gator Nation” T-shirt.

“This is a rally to get people to go to Homecoming and support athletics,” said Lauren Powell, 20, a criminal justice major and member of the softball team.

The noon rally at Malcolm X Plaza was a kickoff to Homecoming events planned for Friday. On Friday, another rally is planned, followed by a baseball game at 1 p.m against the Western Oregon University Wolves. The main event will be the women’s basketball game at 6 p.m. followed by the men’s basketball game at 8 p.m., both against the UC San Diego Tritons.

“It might be the last home game for basketball if the referendum isn’t approved,” said Garnett.

Garnett and others are hoping to fill the stands at Friday’s games. “We’re always trying to get people to our events,” she said.

Students like Ruby Lopez, 24, a broadcast and electronic communications art major, haven’t gone to any games.

“No time,” said Lopez who commutes to SF State from Livermore. “I voted last time. I totally support being an athlete. It’s important to college and life experience.”

Lopez added that $18 was worth keeping athletics.

“I’m trying to think positive,” said Garnett, junior and liberal studies major. “I’m trying not to think of the negative. It’s devastating...this is my family away from home.”