VP of Athletics Encourages USG to Axe His Position Ahead of Election Season

After a vote last week failed to scrub the vice president of athletics position from the United Student Government executive board at Rose Hill, Alex Chin Fong, GSB ’14, who currently holds the position, is urging USG to reconsider its stance. He says the executive post should be removed and replaced by a liaison or delegate that would better serve as a conduit between USG and Athletics.

“Given discussions with [the Student Activity Advisory Council], there seems to be great interest from that organization to build a relationship with USG and the rest of the student body either through a delegate from SAAC or a liaison that would be appointed from USG,” Chin Fong said in a statement that was sent to members of USG Wednesday night.

Elected to serve one of USG’s lesser-known positions, Chin Fong said he has worked to define the responsibilities of the job. “I spent a large part of the summer and the fall semester reaching out to all departments within athletics to first build a relationship and also see where myself and USG could work together with athletics,” he said via email.

But after meeting with David Roach, Fordham’s athletic director, Chin Fong said it became clear that improving on-campus game attendance was, and would be, job one — an effort perhaps not best carried out by one USG executive, he said.

“Personally, I think this should not be the job of one person on USG, but should be the responsibility of both USG and the rest of the student body,” he said. In addition, Chin Fong said he was met with resistance when he approached Mike Roberts, director of club and intramural sports, to discuss USG’s place amid Fordham’s athletic landscape.

“In talking with SAAC, if we were to go the route of a delegate they believe that he/she could also ensure that club and intramural athletes will be spoken for,” Chin Fong said to USG. “This is something that could also be assumed by a USG liaison to Athletics.”

USG will reevaluate the prospect of removing the vice president of athletics position during its weekly meeting Thursday night. “I hope that we will be able to revisit the conversation given my recent discussions with SAAC,” Chin Fong said.

Aileen Reynolds, FCRH ’14, executive president of USG, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday night. But she appeared surprised last week when the vote to remove the position failed, which requires a 75% majority among all USG members.

USG did successfully vote last week to combine the vice president of communications and vice president of information technology positions, which will go into effect next year.