Apparently funding intramural sports is more important than funding a 50-year-old Penn State tradition that is on the verge of going off the air.

The financial director for The Lion WKPS-FM (90.7) asked the University Park Allocation Committee (UPAC) last week for more funding to be able to cover the station's operating budget. The student-run campus radio station received $1,800 from UPAC. However, The Lion's financial director Tom Shakely insists this is not enough.

When addressing his concerns, Vicky Triponey, vice president for student affairs, said physical fitness is more of a priority right now and more funding needs to be allocated or IM sports.

So pretty much tough luck for Shakely and the rest of the Lion team. Actually, tough luck to every student organization. The administration refusing to give enough funding for a student voice organization sets a scary precedent.

The Lion has been the students' broadcast voice for quite some time now, but since 2003 their funds have been slashed to the bare minimum. It's so bad that the station has been forced to ask for outside donations in order to survive and be able to stay on the air.

The Lion isn't just your average radio station. It is a station fully run by students and for the students. It shows a focus on issues important to all Penn Staters.

But it is not just their operation that is important -- it provides another educational opportunity for the students who work at the Lion.

They work for a live radio station that thousands of people can listen to while driving, cleaning their rooms or working out.

The university can argue that ComRadio is the university's radio station where students could gain the same experience. Au contraire. ComRadio is an online-based radio station. Therefore, people can only listen to it if they go online. But the Lion can actually be heard on FM-radio and has the potential to attract a larger audience because of this.

The College of Communications shouldn't allow this to happen. They should be encouraging the rest of the administrators to support an organization that gives students real-world experiences.

If IM sports are really in such bad shape and UPAC can't give any more funding to The Lion, then where are the College of Communications alumni to help out? Stop donating money to flower gardens, and help this student organization stay on the air.