Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s axing of athletics program leaves ‘dark cloud’ over campus
Students and staff at Saskatchewan Polytechnic are frustrated with the school after the sudden announcement that all athletics programs were shut down.
The announcement to students came in an email on Thursday saying the athletics program at all campuses would be “discontinued.” Sports teams have been shut down and campus fitness centres are locked up.
Cory Schultz has been a player and a coach with the institution’s volleyball team in Saskatoon for the past 16 years. He received a sudden phone call to tell him his services would no longer be required.
“It’s like a death,” he said. “There was no talks of programs ending … at the drop of a hat, programs were cut and people lost their jobs.”
Schultz, who first took part in the programs as a student, said both students and members of the public who used the institute’s services will feel the loss of the recreation programs.
“They do hold value ... I see the value in it, not only from an athletic or fitness point of view,” Schultz said. “It builds character.”
Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s provost and vice-president academic Ann eN eu feld said seven employees have been laid off due to the program cancellation. She said these decisions were not based on budgetary concerns, but a decision to shift to a more “holistic wellness strategy” to help with more than physical health at the four campuses in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw.
“A lot of the emerging research shows that it’s really important to be … not only looking at the physical, but also the various mental, social and other emotional elements of health and well-being,” Neufeld said.
Neufeld also said the institute’s sports teams — which include just over 100 students at three of their four campuses — was not a way that the institute would be able to “differentiate itself ” among similar schools.
At the Saskatoon campus, signs posted on the locked glass doors announce the fitness centres will be closed as the new strategy is being developed, and more information would be available at the start of the next academic year — which means any summer students or other users of the facility could be locked out until September.
Nursing student Jessica Morrow said it feels like a “dark cloud” is hanging over the campus.
“I can’t see a world where a program like this doesn’t include campus recreation,” Morrow said.
Morrow is going into her fourth and final year of study at the institution. She said she was in a position to graduate early this upcoming December, but chose to take the full year to enjoy being on the basketball team and spending time with her friends.
After hearing the news of the program shutdown, Morrow said the administration should have looked to build on what they already have instead of starting from scratch.
“This program fundamentally provides holistic wellness,” she said. “If you’re talking about holistic wellness, you would also need to be talking about that emotional support. And that’s something (recreation teams and staff ) provided to us.”