Colorado University Athletics
Budget Cutbacks Force Elimination of Men's Tennis, 12 Staff Positions
March 23, 2006 | General
BOULDER - University of Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn announced two major financial moves Thursday that will save an estimated $1 million from his department's budget requirements for the fiscal year 2006-07.
The elimination of the men's tennis program along with 12 administrative staff positions will account for the reduction.
The 2005-06 athletic department budget is $36,051,225, and though the revenue projected by football ($15.5 million) and fundraising and contributions ($9.7 million) is on course, the department is currently facing an overall deficit of almost $7 million that has accumulated over the first half of this decade.
"This is a regrettable, and the last, option that we pursued to create a viable operating budget for fiscal year 2006-07," Bohn said. "Even though we increased attendance, albeit slightly, in football and men's basketball and have made great strides in fundraising, we just haven't been able to close the gap. We are working to correct structural problems in our operation, and these cuts are necessary in an effort to create a more efficient overall athletic program."
Though there are several contributing factors for the deficit, three issues have had the most impact. First, the change in football coaching staffs, roughly a $4 million impact, as CU was required to meet contractual obligations in the changeover from former coach Gary Barnett to new coach Dan Hawkins.
Second, rising scholarship costs that have approached $7 million. These are double the amount from just five years ago and one that could reach as much as $10 million by the end of the decade.
And third, revenue from club seating following the 2003 Folsom Field stadium expansion. These funds have not yet approached the break-even level when taking into account annual expenses along with the debt service, although CU did have a record year with suite sales, the other piece of the '03 addition, which was a $43 million project.
In each of the last two years, programs were asked to make mid-year budget cuts ranging from 15 to 25 percent. And twice this decade, unclassified staff members have had annual raises delayed by at least six months.
"We didn't want to have to make any more program cuts, so we chose to approach this administratively to ensure that our student-athlete welfare is maintained," Bohn said.
The men's tennis budget for the 2005-06 fiscal year was $324,975, not including additional costs absorbed by other budgets (sports medicine, academics, equipment, sports information, etc.) that bring the total closer to $350,000. However, all scholarships for those tennis players who choose to remain at CU in lieu of transferring to another institution will be honored.
The last, and only time, athletic programs were cut came almost 26 years ago. On June 11, 1980, seven sports were eliminated: baseball, wrestling, men's and women's gymnastics, men's and women's swimming and women's diving.
CU will now sponsor the NCAA Division I-A minimum of 16 sports, nine women's (basketball, cross country, golf, indoor track, outdoor track, skiing, soccer, tennis and volleyball) and seven men's (basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track, outdoor track and skiing).
"The University of Colorado has always been about excellence, and we expect to achieve excellence in the 16 sports that we will continue to support," Bohn said. "This was obviously not an easy decision to eliminate a sport or staff. But we looked at everything we possibly could do, and reluctantly, it came down to this only option."
The elimination of the 12 full-time staff positions is a combination of vacant positions that will not be filled and the elimination of other positions with those responsibilities being absorbed by other staff members.
One example of the staff cuts is with the Life Skills program, which has been absorbed into academics under associate athletic director Ceal Barry. The program's previous director, Justina Boyd, has transferred into a vacancy in the vice chancellor's office for student affairs.
