Budget Woes Force Colleges to Cut Sports
The poor economy has meant certain death for athletics at several schools. Some of the casualties over the past month:
At Quinnipiac University, golf, women's volleyball, and men's outdoor track have been eliminated. The cheerleading program has been upgraded to varsity level.
Pepperdine dropped its men's varsity track program this year, and its women's swimming and diving team will be cut next year.
Northern Iowa will drop baseball, saving about $400,000. The cost savings will help eliminate the athletic department's $600,000 deficit, caused by a 9 percent cut in state funding.
The University of Vermont will eliminate softball and baseball after this season. Because of a 6.5 percent cut from the general fund, Vermont's athletic department projects a $1.1 million gap between revenues and expenses next year. Forty-three students will be affected, and six employees will be let go. Existing scholarships will continue to be awarded.
In early January, Western Washington University announced it was dropping its 105-year-old football program. The elimination of the Division II team would save $450,000 and allow the school to maintain less-costly sports programs.
Not all the sporting news is bad: Thanks to student interest, Valparaiso has started golf and women's bowling, and Mesa State College in Colorado is adding men's golf, men's swimming and diving, and women's lacrosse.
Tags: colleges | sports | Pepperdine University | college athletics | Quinnipiac University | University of Vermont
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Reader Comments
The problem can be fixed
This problem is a harsh reality out there in the world, but it can be fixed.
I work for a company called My Sports Dreams (mysportsdreams.com) that has helped 15,000 HS and College sports teams raise thousands quickly and easily without selling. It's a unique system no one has tapped into.
We've worked with programs at Mesa State, Quinnipiac and Northern Iowa among others, and have tons of other big success stories.
If you ever decide to do a followup or look at the other side of the coin, I'd be glad to put you in touch with those coaches who have benefitted and/ortell you more about our program.
Feel free to check out our website or drop me a line anytime - lou (at) mysportsdreams.com
College sports
How does this effect those that want to coach someday? Would it not be better that they have actual experience at playing the sport? Do not judge all athletes by a few. There are those that are actually paying to play at some schools (DIII) where there are no tuition-based scholarships.
Imagine my students
getting the kind of treatment some of our losing teams get.
Special trainers, all kinds of publicity, travel all over the place for special events.
We have had team members who are great kids - and who are rapist bums. Nothing special about them.
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