New-York tribune., 1909-03-15
CHANGES AT COLUMBIA
CENTRAL ATHLETIC BODY
Association to Control Al Sports at
MorningSide Heights.

Columbias present system of athletics viii be
completely reorganized. if plan for the formatiOn
of a general athletic association which mas peeh
drawn up by the board Of student representatives
is approved by the undergraduates and the uni
versity trustees The plan calls for the continual
ton of the various existing athletic associations
with the exception that central board OF cohlIOi
will be instituted and general treasury torhleu- bS
this means it is expected that the athletic orgahza
tions OF Columbia will be completely reformed ana
that this will result the upbuding OF all brahches
of sport The constitution Of the new assoclauoh
has been sent to the individual athletic organlza
tions and it is expected that 1t will be approved oy
them in time for It TO be ratified by the student
body and presented to the university trustees i'i
final action.
The plan is not the outcome Of the financial dlIi-
cuties into which after another OF the Co
Iunbia teams have been plunged during the last
wear although IT is probable that they Will lead 10
its adoption as a remedy and preventive against
such things in the future The idea was first taken
up by the student board last June. and COM
mittee has been at work ever since preliminary
draft of the constitution was presented two weeks
ago and after revisions was adopted by the board
last Friday It Is printed In 1.-THE Columbia Spec
tator" this morning for the consideration or the
students. There is doubt that 1t will De ratlneo
by the managers, to whom 1t has been presented
The scheme calls for the organization of a gen
eraI athletic association of which all students Will
be members. An assessment Of IS is 10 be made on
all students having lockers in the university gym
nasium, and this assessment will be included as
a part of the regular tuition fee it will be collected
by the university In return for the s. membership
fee each student will get card. which Will admit
him to any Of the home games conducted by teams
under the supervision of the association. The as
sessments will be paid into the general athletic
fund of the association. AS there two thousand
students at present paying the regular gymnasium
fee it is estimated that the income derived from
the assessments will amount to $4,000
vfrOI Of IA a
committee of fourteen. This will be made up OF
managers of teams. two graduate directoIs, the
bursar of the university and the chairman OF the
student board The teams which it is proposed TO
include in the association are the baseball. crew
track. hockey basketball. swimming. gymnastc,
wrestling and association football Each OF these
teams viii be represented by its manager, and viii
have influence proportonate to its Importance
Baseball. crew and track. the major sports, will
have three votes all matters. basketball two, and
each of the others apiece The total number
OF athletic team votes will be seventeen. and each
OF the other members Of the committee will have
vote, making a total Of tWenty-one. The
graduate directors to be appointed by the presi
dent Of the university. and the only restriction is
that he be an alumnus who shall have received his
undergraduate degree from Columbia The bursar
Of the university is a member by virtue of his Of
flee. He viii be treasurer Of the association and
custodian of the general fund The chairman OF
the student board is a member of the committee by
The constitution defines the purposes Of the as
sociation, and of the committee in particular, to
pass upon the budgets submitted by the managers
of the athletic teams represented on the com
mittee, to receive all guarantees gate receipts and
all income derived from other sources by the vart-
teams. and to place It in the general fund and
finally, to apportion moneys among the teams on
the basis of budgets and reports The treas
is 70 have charge of all money. and all checks
drawn by managers must be countersigned by him
The committee viii have power TO remove any
manager for incompeteHcy by a two-thlrds vote
In order that income derived from voluntary sub
scrptions 10 the individual teams may be kept for
the use Of those teams. the constitution provides
that separate accounts shall be opened for such
income for the exclusive use OF the team TO which
it IS given, but it may not be withdrawn except
upon the approval OF the committee. The COM
mittee IS TO make a report the president OF the
university annually.
It is not expected that any very radical changes
will be made in this constitution by the athletic
managers or by the students. There Is some doubt
however, 10 whether 1t Will be approved By the
university trustees. account of the S. general
assessment which is made in addition TO the reglI-
lar gymnasium fee of 81. Even although this as
sessment is reduced. 1t is probable that the as
socatOn will be able to carry on the work planned
for it Including rowing the cost OF maintaining
the ten teams which to be in the association
is about S0.009. The income from the assessments
Will be at least $50O0 and II subscriptions by grad
yates do not diminish. the total income OF the as
socation Will probably be about $1,000 leaving
enough to provide beginning for a sinking fund.