Benjamin,
One thing you might consider
doing if you can't get LSU to fund your program's travl
is to see what they will fund. Oklahoma did the same
thing for a long time by getting student government
funding to fund our high school tournaments (and
eventually, a middle school tournament) and using the
proceeds from those to fund our travels. Student
government in Norman tended to frown upon funding QB (which
it felt benefited a limited number of people) but
telling them that we had bright high school students who
might attend OU seemed to open some
doors.
Whatever department on your campus is responsible for
recruiting new students may also be interested in helping.
Then again, they may not. (Ask Dan Beshear or David
Murphy about OU Prospective Student Services. Then
duck.)
Even if you can only run an 8- or 16-team tournament,
that will raise some funds for you.
Eric
Bell
NAQT