The faculty senate will meet Feb. 6 to discuss the football question. A vote from that group likely would take place at its March 5 meeting, although the board of trustees has the final say on the matter. The final decision isn’t expected until May, Calvin athletic director Jim Timmer said.

The debate about whether Calvin College should start a football program has never proceeded beyond the dream stage in three previous studies conducted by school leaders and officials.

The fourth time just might be the charm.

The Calvin Football Task Force has recommended the school pursue a football program following 18 months of exhaustive research by a special group of administrators, faculty, staff, students and alumni.

“The task force has recommended we move forward,” said Brian Bolt, who chaired the task force and serves as chair of the kinesiology department. “We presented our findings to the planning and priorities committee last week, so now it goes to the faculty senate for further debate and then the board of trustees.

“I expect we’ll have a decision by the end of the academic year.”

It is the first time a feasibility study on football has reached this stage.

The last feasibility study, conducted in 1987, was presented to the school president, but the proposal never left the office, Bolt said.

The current study, Bolt said, has gone to great lengths to make sure all voices are heard throughout the process.

Among the findings:

Alumni, students and staff who were surveyed as part of the feasibility study, favor the launching of a football program by a majority, but not an overwhelming majority, according to Bolt.

Approximately two-thirds of faculty surveyed strongly oppose the program.

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