'At Miami of Ohio, the average student pays $635 a year to the athletic department in mandatory fees. At James Madison, it's $1,186, although the school says the general student body uses athletic department facilities.

The fee at Ball State is $412. For that, students receive free access to all games, but Student Government Association President Asher Lisec said a relatively small number take advantage of that. She said she's glad to hear talk from Ball State officials of lowering the fee.

"If you look at the number of students we have involved in NCAA athletics, it's not a very high percentage," Lisec said. "So that's $6.8 million in student fees going to a select few students."

But it isn't just midsize schools reaching into students' pockets. Chris Cameron, opinion editor of the Daily Tar Heel at North Carolina, described himself as a "huge" basketball fan. But he objected when the athletic fee at his school increased $50 to $248 for next school year. It was $98 two years ago.

"I think it's completely ridiculous that they're making us pay that," Cameron said. "At least a tuition increase has a direct impact on the quality of the academic education."

[Indiana University] instituted a controversial student fee for athletics in 2004-05, which brought in $1 million, but it will be rescinded before the 2006-07 academic year.'