Economy Endangers Football's Odds?
"Pacific, like Colorado, is a Division III School"
Jennifer Conner
Issue date: 5/14/09 Section: Sports
What if Pacific University held a football game and nobody showed up?
Now spectators will likely attend a game, especially after an 18-year hiatus. But drawing a passionate fan base from on campus might be another matter to consider. Students and faculty have voiced most of the unease about the proposal to bring back football, with a common theme emerging from discussions.
As students wonder if they can find jobs for the summer and faculty members studied the proposed budget, they question whether the university should bring back a program that would rely on outside fiscal help and support in a tough economic climate.
With a downturn in the economy, alumni donations and students attending private colleges have decreased nationwide and many schools face difficult budget cuts.
John Hayes, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the more concern there is over the economy, the more he wants to see Pacific reinstate football. Hayes, who has coauthored the business plan for a football program with Athletic Director Ken Schumann, has also noted that the vote for football "is not a faculty decision."
It is true faculty and students have only an advisory role in the process as the board of trustees makes the final decision.
But as the board considers its decision, it will not be the only body deciding the fate of sports at a college institution.
Where Pacific seeks to reinstate its football program, some colleges, such as Lewis and Clark, struggle to maintain their programs in the face of dwindling teams and fan support. Many other Division III programs have announced the discontinuation of the sport.
On March 24, Colorado College announced football, a 127-year-old program, would not return in the fall of 2009, along with water polo and softball. The Colorado Springs, Co. school stated the cuts were the result of "competitive, recruiting, and fundraising success, and roster size."
Pacific's program is supposed to succeed on those levels, according to the business plan by Schumann and Hayes. But Colorado may serve as a cautionary tale to Pacific, which hopes to restart its football program for a 100th season.
Now spectators will likely attend a game, especially after an 18-year hiatus. But drawing a passionate fan base from on campus might be another matter to consider. Students and faculty have voiced most of the unease about the proposal to bring back football, with a common theme emerging from discussions.
As students wonder if they can find jobs for the summer and faculty members studied the proposed budget, they question whether the university should bring back a program that would rely on outside fiscal help and support in a tough economic climate.
With a downturn in the economy, alumni donations and students attending private colleges have decreased nationwide and many schools face difficult budget cuts.
John Hayes, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the more concern there is over the economy, the more he wants to see Pacific reinstate football. Hayes, who has coauthored the business plan for a football program with Athletic Director Ken Schumann, has also noted that the vote for football "is not a faculty decision."
It is true faculty and students have only an advisory role in the process as the board of trustees makes the final decision.
But as the board considers its decision, it will not be the only body deciding the fate of sports at a college institution.
Where Pacific seeks to reinstate its football program, some colleges, such as Lewis and Clark, struggle to maintain their programs in the face of dwindling teams and fan support. Many other Division III programs have announced the discontinuation of the sport.
On March 24, Colorado College announced football, a 127-year-old program, would not return in the fall of 2009, along with water polo and softball. The Colorado Springs, Co. school stated the cuts were the result of "competitive, recruiting, and fundraising success, and roster size."
Pacific's program is supposed to succeed on those levels, according to the business plan by Schumann and Hayes. But Colorado may serve as a cautionary tale to Pacific, which hopes to restart its football program for a 100th season.
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wildcat11
posted 5/18/09 @ 2:13 PM PST
One fact that the writer forgot to consider is that Collorado College was an isolated member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and whose members are located in Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, and Indiana. (Continued…)
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