Q&A: What UConn is saying about cuts

Faced with a directive from the university to eliminate about $10 million in institutional financial support over the next three years, the UConn athletic department announced Wednesday it will cut four sports: men’s cross country, men’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis, and women’s rowing.

UConn will also reduce operating expenses by 15 percent, mostly through regionalized non-conference travel and fewer summer school classes for student-athletes. Scholarships will be cut in men’s golf and men’s track and field, and the school is reducing the cost of scholarships across campus, including athletics.

The moves were announced during the Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday morning. UConn athletics issued a press release early in the afternoon, offering a questionand-answer segment to help clarify the decision.

Below is a portion of the Q&A provided by UConn:

Q: Why is UConn discontinuing sport programs?

A: While difficult, this is the fiscally responsible decision and another step toward a more financially sustainable athletic department. While it is difficult to end programs, it is in the interests of the greater

university and the overall student-athlete population to provide the best athletics experience possible.

Q: Why do this now?

A: Given current financial pressures facing the university, we were asked to develop options to reduce the annual financial support received by the athletics department from the university.

Q: How does this specifically help reduce the financial assistance from the University?

A: Student-athletes and programs are supported through a variety of support staff, training expenses, meals, equipment, travel, cost-of-living and academic resources. Reducing the number of programs will reduce the operating and scholarship costs. Some will be recognized immediately, while others will be reduced over time.

Through reduction of operating expenses and scholarship costs, it is estimated that the elimination

of these four programs will reduce costs by $2 million in three years.

Q: What is the longterm benefit to the department and its remaining student-athletes?

A: Our mission is to create the best possible experience for Husky student-athletes and, while it is difficult for the studentathletes who will no longer compete at the varsity level, this allows us to support the remaining student-athlete population so that it can compete safely and successfully.

Q: What will happen to student-athletes from these sports?

A: The university will honor all scholarships of affected student-athletes who wish to continue working towards their degree at UConn.

Q: Can affected studentathletes transfer to another university?

A: Yes, per NCAA transfer rules a studentathlete is immediately eligible for competition when an institution eliminates or announces the elimination of the sport in

which the student-athlete competed.

Q: How many studentathletes and coaches does this decision affect?

A: 124 student-athletes and at least four coaches.

Q: Will affected studentathletes maintain access to support services offered by sports medicine and athletic training.

A: Yes. UConn sports medicine and athletic training staff will continue to care for student-athletes who suffered injuries while competing for UConn athletics. Should a studentathlete suffer a future injury, or require treatment, from any activity performed under the supervision of UConn athletics following the discontinuation of his or her sport, UConn sports medicine and athletic training will provide the same standard of care provided to current student-athletes.

Q: Would this decision have been made without the COVID-19 public health crisis?

A: A comprehensive review was well underway prior to the financial stress caused by the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Q: What will happen to coaches and support personnel for these programs?

A: We will work closely with human resources, labor relations and their respective unions to support staff members while fulfilling necessary personnel obligations.

Q: How much private fundraising would allow you to keep some or all these programs?

A: Private fundraising is not a sustainable solution. Even with a reduced number of programs for our student-athletes, fundraising will still need to be a major revenue source for those remaining programs.

Q: How long have these discussions been going on? When did they begin?

A: We acknowledged long ago that this level of direct university support was not sustainable and that difficult decisions needed to be made. Department financial planning is a regular and ongoing discussion and the decision to take this action was not taken lightly.