The Associated Students of the University of Hawai'i yesterday announced a resolution opposing the implementation of a student fee to aid the school's athletic department.

The resolution, passed by a 20-1 vote Feb. 10, opposes a fee without student feedback and, in any case, the resolution says ASUH "feels that no money from this fee should be used towards salaries, administrative fees or capitol improvement projects."

Release of the resolution follows by six days athletic director Jim Donovan's announced intention to a Board of Regents committee to seek help from students in retiring the department's $5.4 million accumulated debt.

ASUH represents 14,037 undergraduate students on the Manoa campus.

Donovan said, "I can appreciate where the ASUH is coming from if that's what they feel they have to do." But Donovan said he is charged with reducing the department's growing deficit and "will continue to look at ways, including student fees, that may be accomplished."

To the regents, Donovan cited student fees as a common source of revenue within the Western Athletic Conference, in particular, and college athletics, in general, that remains untapped by UH. Schools traditionally give students free or greatly reduced admission prices in exchange for fees.

For example, Fresno State had a $10 fee, but recently increased it by $52 under order of president John D. Welty despite student opposition. Three years ago, San Diego State President Steven Webber imposed a $160 increase in the previous fee after a campuswide referendum voted one down.

At UH, there had been talk of a $50 annual fee in 2006. Donovan said UH received approximately $50,000 per year from ASUH in the 1980s.

Donovan could take the issue to Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw, whose approval would be necessary before it could go to President David McClain and the regents.

The ASUH's current resolution is a reversal from 2006 when a different ASUH senate adopted a resolution supporting the "implementation of an athletic fee."

But that resolution never got to the regents, who must approve any request to impose fees.

ASUH President Jaime M. Sohn declined to say how much of a fee, if any, he might support. "As an elected representative of the students it would be hard for me to support any fee without seeing the proposal, hearing student input, and seeing where the money would be going. So, until a proposal is received and the proper steps have been taken I cannot accurately state a specific amount."

Donovan said he understood the ASUH's wish to take the issue to the student body but said he hoped it could be done in time to implement a fee for the fall semester. Donovan, who said he and administrators have twice met with student leaders since the start of the year, said he was told it could take "12 to 18 months" to get a vote and approval.