The ASUVSC proposal calls for $1.5 million per year in operating costs, but Sederburg estimates that figure would be closer $1.75 million. It would also cost between $10 million and $15 million to build a football stadium, he said.

Start-up costs would be covered by student fees in the first two years of the students' phase-in approach.

The total cost to students? It's rumored to be about $40 more per semester in fees although Sumsion declined to provide a dollar figure because the proposal is in its preliminary stages.

"We're really just in the process of looking into it," the 26-year-old senior said. "Nothing has been established at this point."

ASUVSC has conducted what Sumsion said are "not scientific" on-campus surveys to gauge the student body's opinions on adding football. More than 85 percent of those surveyed said they would be in favor of a Wolverines football squad, he said.

Adding football has been a popular conversation piece over the years at UVSC, said university spokesman Derek Hall.

"It's been a topic for a number of years," Hall said, "and students are excited about it again."

Four student governments previously have proposed bringing football to UVSC, Sumsion said. One such bid in 1991 made it all the way to the Board of Regents, which vetoed the idea citing financial reasons.

"It's been in the works for years," Sumsion said. "This is definitely nothing new to the campus. It's just something that we're looking at seriously again."

Sederburg said the recent ASUVSC proposal is the furthest such talks have progressed since he became president on June 1, 2003.

---

E-mail: jpage@desnews.com