Athletic Director Gene Smith’s announcement Tuesday that the department has amassed a $750,000 surplus this year is some of the best news out of the Olsen Building in years.

This year’s surplus, coupled with an anticipated extra $550,000 next year from a Big 12 Conference football title game and a guarantee that the conference champion will be a part of the lucrative Bowl Alliance, should put the department on extremely solid ground.

Big 12 funds and the current surplus alone will pump about $1.3 million of what should be unexpected funds into athletic department coffers, which raises and interesting question.

If the athletic department now has more than enough money to cover its costs, was the student fee reallocation designed to maintain five minor sports last semester really necessary?

GSB OK’d an emergency bail out last January, reallocating $10 per student per semester by the end of this school year. The move will provide an additional $520,000 for the athletic department annually.

It was understood when the student fees were reallocated that the athletic department was in dire straits. If that’s not the case, there are plenty of worthy programs and services for students that desperately need additional funding.

If the athletic department can balance its budget without student fee money, it should do so.