Football is coming to Kennesaw State University.

After five years of planning and a month long delay, the Board of Regents has given the go ahead for KSU to raise its student fees to fund a football program.

“We thank the Board of Regents for their support of this program,” says University President Dr. Daniel Papp. “It’s a program that’s been in the planning process for a long time.”

The $100 a semester increase will begin in the fall and will also go to fund a marching band and more athletic programs for women.

“This will really help catapult our already excellent academic programs to a new and more visible level, not only across the southeast but across the nation as well,” he says.

Papp says while they would like to field a team as soon as this fall, it will likely be 2015 before the first game.

Athletic Director Vaughn Williams says an announcement will be made Thursday on plans to find a coach and a conference.

“I’d love to be in a conference that’s in the south,” he says.  “I think that would be very import for us, very important for fan recognition, very important financially.”

Williams says some they are considering include the Big South Conference, the Southern Conference, and Ohio Valley Conference. But he admits it’s more of a matter of being accepted by a conference, rather than choosing one.

“If we were able to get in one of those conferences, we’d be very fortunate,” says Williams.