Homecoming costs shared by many

A whole week of events, along with a concert, means Homecoming can cost a lot of money.

But the cost is spread out among different departments and is often recouped by charging participants, keeping state funds out of the equation.

Most extra costs are shouldered by the General Alumni Association.

The GAA covers the extra costs of the football game and hosts the Black Alumni Reunion and milestone reunions, said Steve Shaw, the director of finance and administration for the GAA.

“On those three Homecoming and related events, we spend about $200,000, and of that $200,000, we recoup about two thirds of that amount from participant fees,” he said.

Milestone reunions are the fifth through 25th year reunions, in increments of five.

The GAA also helps provide staff and organizational support for the various affinity reunions, but does not provide money.

The groups that hold affinity reunions pay their own expenses, Shaw said.

He said Homecoming costs are built into the GAA’s annual budget and do not come from state funds.

The Carolina Athletic Association spends about $25,000 on Homecoming events and activities, wrote Simon Scholl, chief of staff of the CAA Homecoming committee, in an email.

But about $20,000 returns to the CAA through selling the Homecoming T-shirt, he wrote. Additional costs are paid by the athletic department.

Costs include helping the Carolina Union Activities Board host the Homecoming concert, as well as food and prizes in the Pit during Homecoming week.

A small amount of money comes from student fees, such as the $500 prizes to Mr. and Miss UNC, said Chris Keyes, Homecoming chairman.

Other prizes don’t cost money, like the promotional items provided by businesses.

“It’s basically free PR for them,” Keyes said.

Officials from the athletic department and the Department of Public Safety said the Homecoming game isn’t treated any differently from a normal game, meaning it doesn’t cost anything extra.

“Sixty thousand people for the Elon game is the same as 60,000 people for a Homecoming game,” said Randy Young, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.

Rick Steinbacher, associate athletic director for marketing and promotion, said centralizing Homecoming spending within the GAA frees other organizations and departments from costs.

“We certainly work with (the GAA) to help coordinate it, but they bear much of those costs,” he said.

“We don’t really, as an athletic department, have incremental costs for Homecoming.”

Though many Greek organizations host events during the week, they don’t receive University funding, said Aaron Bachenheimer, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Community Involvement.

A major event of the week, the Homecoming concert, is produced by CUAB.

CUAB spent $105,000 to bring the main act to campus, hip-hop artist J. Cole, which comes mostly from student fees.

Contact the desk editor at

university@dailytarheel.com.