Recently the University of Wisconsin has contacted us about the use of the McClimon for practices and the Summer Track Series. It is unclear whether the NCAA rules that they brought to our attention are new, or something they have just decided to implement, but in either case the UW Athletic Department has new guidelines for the cost of using the McClimon track. Their proposed price is $175/hr, which is an incredibly large increase over what we have paid previous years. 

That new rate is basically that which is usually designated for a "community organization" with no affiliation with the UW. We are a community organization, but we are also a Registered Student Organization through the UW-Madison, therefore entitling us to a much lower rate. 

We have made many attempts to discern the reason for such an increase, as it would be very hard for our club to find a way to pay this price. They told us that in addition to being a Registered Student Organization, if we wish to receive a more reasonable price for track rental, we may not have "Prospective Student Athletes" as club members.

A Prospective Student Athlete is defined, loosely, as a person who has begun the ninth grade and has not yet enrolled in a college. Before and after this time, we welcome kids as members of the club. For those who are in the category of "Prospective Student Athlete" we unfortunately cannot you membership in the club. This is not our desire at all, but as access to an outdoor track is vital to our mission as a track club, we see no other option.

We apologize very sincerely for this. It has not been a pleasant issue to contend with and we hope it doesn't put a damper on your WTC spirit! 

If you have any questions about this issue, feel free to contact our Vice President, Jade Schmitt