Citing what it said were the lowest fees in conferences it competes in, the University of Hawaii athletic department began laying the ground work for raising the mandatory athletic fee it charges students.

During a nearly one hour briefing for a Board of Regents committee Wednesday, athletic director David Matlin said he planned to return in the upcoming semester with a proposal to amend the current $50-a-semester fee currently assessed Manoa students after meeting with student government groups.

UH said it realizes approximately $1.5 million annually from the mandatory fee charged students, a figure well below that of all other peer institutions in the Mountain West Conference, where UH competes in football, and in the Big West, where most of its teams participate.

MWC schools realize an average of $4.8 million each annually from such fees while those in the Big West receive $6.1 million and schools in the Group of Five conferences average $5.5 million, according to figures distributed by UH.

In exchange for the fees, Manoa students are entitled to admission-free entry at UH sports events. Additionally approximately $130,000 is put into a fund to enhance the student experience.

Jeff Portnoy, chairman of the committee on intercollegiate athletics, said students have asked him why more money isn’t raised from the community instead of looking at student fees. In addition, Portnoy said some students wonder why they should be charged a fee to attend events they might not go to or have little interest in attending.

Matlin said the athletic department’s fundraising arm, ‘Ahahui Koa Anuenue, has been restructured and is expected to produce $400,000-$500,000 more for athletics this year.

“But there is no question we need to get better,” Matlin said.

Matlin said the department has stepped up engagement efforts to attract more students and add value for money received.

Student regent Brandon Marc Higa said it would be necessary “to communicate to the student leaders whether we are going to be doing the same for for the students with more charged or whether we are going to give them more…”

The Associated Students of UH office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.