UPDATED: April 4, 2013, 11:36 a.m.

The Student Association will provide students two free buses to Atlanta for the NCAA Final Four and championship games this weekend.

Earlier in the week, SA said it would not provide any busing to Atlanta, citing “liability” concerns.

The buses will hold a total of 110 people, SA Comptroller Stephen DeSalvo said. Students will be responsible for their own lodging in Atlanta.

Tickets are available beginning at noon on Thursday at the Schine Student Center box office. Students must provide proof that they have already purchased student tickets through Syracuse University Athletics in order to obtain a bus ticket.

The bus leaves Friday at 5 p.m. from Schine. It will head back from Atlanta Tuesday at 7 a.m.

DeSalvo said logistical concerns were largely responsible for SA’s original decision not to provide the buses, including determining where students would stay in Atlanta and whether the bus would return Tuesday regardless of SU’s progression in the tournament.

“Originally, not all of the details were hashed out. On our end, we have to make sure all the logistical issues are worked out,” he said, adding that SA received a price quote and made a decision on Wednesday.

Thomas Wolfe, dean of student affairs, said the Office of Student Activities has been working with SA so that students have transportation to the Final Four. In addition, Wolfe said OSA is providing viewing venues for the games on the campus.

Buses would be a cheaper alternative for students who had planned carpools, Glidden said, and would allow others the opportunity to travel to Atlanta. He said he hopes SU fans can take advantage of the full ticket allotment at Saturday’s game.

“Hopefully these buses give us a full representation of 700 students,” Glidden said.

Ben Glidden, president of Otto’s Army, said he contacted SA president Allie Curtis immediately after Syracuse won against Marquette in the Elite Eight on Saturday to organize buses to Atlanta. Glidden was later told the cabinet’s decision against providing buses was unanimous.

Otto’s Army met Tuesday at 9 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium to organize alternative transportation. About 30 people attended, Glidden said, and most were students looking for rides.

He said an SU official contacted him on Tuesday to inquire why Otto’s Army did not have buses. He attributed SA’s decision to provide buses after previously denying them to the administration’s involvement.

“They got in touch with SA and the wheels got rolling,” he said.

The trip will cost SA about $26,000, which is well above SA’s usual cost per student, or the total cost of an activity divided by the number of student participants, said DeSalvo, the SA comptroller.

Although it is expensive, DeSalvo said providing students transportation is worth the cost.

“It’s something beneficial to the students,” he said. “It’s something worth spending money on.”

Published on April 4, 2013 at 12:17 am