2008 Woodie Awards
Cutting sports programs provided no debt relief
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Opinions
Originally published: 4/24/08 at 3:32 PM EST
Last update: 4/24/08 at 4:30 PM EST
Further research by Alyssa Fleck on the Intercollegiate Athletic Budget (IAB) debt may have unearthed a question relating to the anticipated savings generated by eliminating men's and women's swimming and golf in the spring of 2003.
Some may recall that former Plattsburgh State President, Dr. Horace Judson, ostensibly accepted a recommendation from the Athletic Program Review Committee he convened in 2002 to eliminate these four sports (Golf was continued for two additional years through private support). The reason he convened this committee was because the Intercollegiate Athletic Budget was over $300,000 in the red. The committee was charged "to evaluate the program and make recommendations to the president that will sustain the quality of athletics in the future."
At the time it was theorized that the savings generated by eliminating these programs would provide the athletics administration with a deficit reduction payment of $50,000 a year to offset the debt and it was further anticipated that the total debt would be eliminated over the next five years.
The feeling by many at the time was that the college had overextended itself by starting six new intercollegiate sports programs all at about the same time in the late 1990's. Another thought was that the college was looking at athletics as an attractive means to help boost and manage enrollment. Those relatively new sports however (men's lacrosse, women's hockey, baseball and softball) have had considerable success and are enjoyed by many on campus and within the community. It is certainly true we would have fewer students on campus if not for these programs.
The realization that the hard work by the Program Review Committee accompanied by the loss of affected coaching staff and clearly disappointed student athletes that the elimination of Swimming and Golf provided no sustainable debt relief to the IAB is unfortunate, on several levels.
Matthew E. Salvatore
Fitness Center Director, Former Head Golf Coach
Some may recall that former Plattsburgh State President, Dr. Horace Judson, ostensibly accepted a recommendation from the Athletic Program Review Committee he convened in 2002 to eliminate these four sports (Golf was continued for two additional years through private support). The reason he convened this committee was because the Intercollegiate Athletic Budget was over $300,000 in the red. The committee was charged "to evaluate the program and make recommendations to the president that will sustain the quality of athletics in the future."
At the time it was theorized that the savings generated by eliminating these programs would provide the athletics administration with a deficit reduction payment of $50,000 a year to offset the debt and it was further anticipated that the total debt would be eliminated over the next five years.
The feeling by many at the time was that the college had overextended itself by starting six new intercollegiate sports programs all at about the same time in the late 1990's. Another thought was that the college was looking at athletics as an attractive means to help boost and manage enrollment. Those relatively new sports however (men's lacrosse, women's hockey, baseball and softball) have had considerable success and are enjoyed by many on campus and within the community. It is certainly true we would have fewer students on campus if not for these programs.
The realization that the hard work by the Program Review Committee accompanied by the loss of affected coaching staff and clearly disappointed student athletes that the elimination of Swimming and Golf provided no sustainable debt relief to the IAB is unfortunate, on several levels.
Matthew E. Salvatore
Fitness Center Director, Former Head Golf Coach
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