Interim President Crowley critical of faculty referendum on Division I-A athletics
San Jose, Calif.-----San Jose State University interim president Joseph N. Crowley was critical of a school-wide faculty referendum on whether or not SJSU should continue competing as a NCAA Division I-A member in intercollegiate athletics. His
| Interim President Joe Crowley advocates doing business the right way. |
Promoted by the Academic Senate, the faculty referendum is a result of a resolution that passed by a 21-11 secret vote advocating San Jose State "...initiate the process of withdrawal from Division I-A and the Western Athletic Conference." Following the passage of the non-binding resolution, the Academic Senate voted for a "faculty referendum" on the issue of Division I-A athletics at the school.
"(This) is not a particularly good way to do business," Crowley said to The Spartan Daily. "...(The resolution) lacked an adequate process for understanding its implications."
Voting on the referendum concludes May 12. Results of the referendum will be announced May 17.
CHOOSING SIDES ON A GRADUAL vs. IMMEDIATE REDUCTION
Proponents for San Jose State University maintaining its current NCAA Division I-A status are cognizant that the amount of State of California general funding to intercollegiate athletics will be reduced from its current figure of $6.8-million in the 2003-04 fiscal year. They also favor a campus-wide discussion and development of a comprehensive plan of gradual reductions in general fund allocations. Those in favor of a lower-profile intercollegiate athletics program advocate an immediate $3.0-million cut.
An immediate $3.0-million budget cut to San Jose State University’s intercollegiate athletics program "...will mean the elimination of support and coaching positions and broken promises to students. The proposal to drop Division I-A football and withdraw from the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) would result in a loss of income from the NCAA and WAC payouts, guarantees, sponsorships and ticket sales," according to a recently-completed financial review of the program. "There will be a negative impact on all sports.
THE IMPACT ON 16 SPORTS PROGRAMS
If football is eliminated, the San Jose State University Division of Intercollegiate Athletics projects a net loss of $550,000 to the entire program. While SJSU would not be responsible for approximately $3.3-million in expenses on an annual basis, it also would not be able to count on approximately $3.8-million in football-related revenues.
To be a NCAA Division I member without football, a school must offer a minimum of 14 sports with at least six sports for men and eight for women. Eliminating football would drop SJSU’s sports offerings for men to five, thus, requiring the addition of a men’s sport to reach the minimum requirement.
Losing the105 opportunities for male student-athletes that football at San Jose State University would wipe out much of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics’ gender equity achievements of the previous decade. Immediate by-products of eliminating Division I-A football at the school in order to comply with state and national gender equity requirements are:
1.) Eliminating sports,
2.) Eliminating and/or reducing coaching positions;
3.) Further reducing the overall budget to operate a fiscally sound intercollegiate athletics program;
4.) A reduction in athletically-related financial aid to remaining male and female student-athletes; and
5.) Significantly reduced revenues from intercollegiate athletics to campus agencies such as Spartan Shops, Inc., Facilities Development & Operations (FD&O), the University Police Department (UPD), University Housing and The Event Center.