Lamar students approved a special fee that will help bring football back to the campus. The Cardinal football program was suspended in 1989, but had competed in the Southland Conference.

Now that student support is secured, the plan must meet the approval of the Texas State University System Board of Regents. That group's next meeting is February 22.

If the regents grant the request, renovation will begin on Cardinal Stadium and a search for a new coach will be launched. The school hopes to begin a full schedule in 2010 and return to conference play in 2011.

The fee, to be assessed at $8.75 per credit hour in the fall and spring semesters and $4.50 per credit hour during summer sessions, is expected to raise about $2.1 million per academic year and will first be charged in the fall of 2009. Full cost of the new program will include a rebuilding of Higgins Fieldhouse and improvement for Cardinal Stadium.