U-M students will pay less for season football tickets next year and facility rental fees will be eliminated for student groups with a charitable focus as part of a collaborative agreement announced Thursday between Central Student Government and Michigan Athletics.

The new collaboration between student leaders and Athletics was announced Thursday at the Board of Regents meeting on the UM-Flint campus.

“It has been great working with the athletic director and his department to come to these agreements,” said CSG President Bobby Dishell. “This is a huge step forward for students and our relationship with the athletic department. We look forward to continuing to work together to create the optimal environment for all Michigan students.”

Dishell presented regents with the findings of a CSG survey about the student experience at football games and the student body’s relationship with the athletic department. He outlined the following agreements between Michigan Athletics and CSG that will take effect immediately:

• Athletics will work to design a new plan for next season that will include a significant price decrease for football student season tickets. Athletics will announce student season ticket prices for the 2015 football season next week.

• Rental fees for athletic facilities will be eliminated for student groups with a charitable focus.

• The department has committed to work with the Big Ten to create a blackout weekend where Crisler Center will be available for MUSIC Matters in 2016. MUSIC Matters is a student organization that brings charity concerts to campus.

• Monthly meetings with students will be scheduled with Athletic Director Dave Brandon to address topics relating to all 31 teams and Michigan Athletics.

• Dishell and Brandon will have regular standing meetings.

• Athletics will create a student advisory board consisting of student-athletes, non-athletes, season ticketholders and non-ticketholders.

“Often times, negativity is louder than positivity. However, it is important to realize that Bobby, myself, and other student leaders on campus have worked hard to establish effective lines of communication that aim to enhance Michigan tradition today and into the future,” said Cooper Charlton, president of U-M’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee that is representative of all 931 student-athletes.

“The newly created opportunity for open dialogue creates a framework to hold our athletic department and students accountable, thus fostering a relationship built on trust. Together, we will create sustainable long-term relationships that forge a unified Michigan family.”

“Michigan Athletics looks forward to forging a strong relationship with Central Student Government,” said Brandon, the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics. “This is an important relationship for us, one that we need to repair, and one that will provide mutual support among all students. We have worked closely with CSG over the past year and this will continue to strengthen our very important work with the student community.”

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