2008 Woodie Awards
Several varsity sports cut
Eight athletic programs fall victim to budget crisis at SRU
By Mike Mallory
Rocket Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 2/3/06 Section: News
Facing significant budgetary constraints, Slippery Rock University's administration made a cost-saving decision, and changed the face of the school's athletic program.
SRU announced the cuts of eight varsity athletic teams Monday, reducing $350,000 in total expenditures.
Teams eliminated from the athletic program include field hockey, golf, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's water polo, men's tennis and wrestling. More than 120 students are directly affected by the discontinuation of the teams.
The cuts are the latest in a string of cost reduction measures by the university. Over the past few years, SRU has reduced a number of management positions, non-contracted faculty positions and 15 academic majors in an effort to save money.
President Robert Smith and Vice President of Student Life Robert Watson made the final decision, following a series of meetings that began Sept. 2, 2005 and continued through January with the University Athletic Council, entailing a five-year review of SRU's athletic program.
The council, which includes a coach, faculty, student athletes and staff, delivered a report documenting its recommendations to Smith in mid-December. Smith also received an independent consultant's review in November that reiterated the necessity to drop a number of sports programs.
Smith said several factors, including a sport's operating costs and potential for outside funding, factored into the final decision. Other components included individual academic performance of the athletes, competitiveness of the teams and necessary future investment in facilities. All teams were evaluated on a four grade system, ranging from exceptional to strong, adequate and weak for each category.
"It's like grading a term paper," Smith said. "You can crunch all the figures you want, but at the end of the day, you have to make a judgment."
Four years ago, the administration decided to group each athletic team into a tiered ranking. The teams were divided into three levels by gender. Teams were ranked according to the number of student-athletes on each roster compared to the amount of scholarship money allocated for each team. The tiers were constructed with the idea that every three years, a sport's level could be adjusted. Tier three sports were to be evaluated every two years.
SRU announced the cuts of eight varsity athletic teams Monday, reducing $350,000 in total expenditures.
Teams eliminated from the athletic program include field hockey, golf, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's water polo, men's tennis and wrestling. More than 120 students are directly affected by the discontinuation of the teams.
The cuts are the latest in a string of cost reduction measures by the university. Over the past few years, SRU has reduced a number of management positions, non-contracted faculty positions and 15 academic majors in an effort to save money.
President Robert Smith and Vice President of Student Life Robert Watson made the final decision, following a series of meetings that began Sept. 2, 2005 and continued through January with the University Athletic Council, entailing a five-year review of SRU's athletic program.
The council, which includes a coach, faculty, student athletes and staff, delivered a report documenting its recommendations to Smith in mid-December. Smith also received an independent consultant's review in November that reiterated the necessity to drop a number of sports programs.
Smith said several factors, including a sport's operating costs and potential for outside funding, factored into the final decision. Other components included individual academic performance of the athletes, competitiveness of the teams and necessary future investment in facilities. All teams were evaluated on a four grade system, ranging from exceptional to strong, adequate and weak for each category.
"It's like grading a term paper," Smith said. "You can crunch all the figures you want, but at the end of the day, you have to make a judgment."
Four years ago, the administration decided to group each athletic team into a tiered ranking. The teams were divided into three levels by gender. Teams were ranked according to the number of student-athletes on each roster compared to the amount of scholarship money allocated for each team. The tiers were constructed with the idea that every three years, a sport's level could be adjusted. Tier three sports were to be evaluated every two years.
