FAMU Cuts Four Sports
By Teesa Johnson, Black College Wire
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Photo credit: Florida A&M University
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Aug. 1, 2005 - Jason Still’s dream for his upcoming senior year at
Florida A&M University included driving the golf team to the top. But
instead of soaring triumphantly like an eagle, he is exploding inside
from the university’s recent decision to drop golf from the athletic
program.
Men’s tennis, men’s golf and the men’s and women’s swimming and
diving teams have been eliminated by the university's board of trustees
in an effort to balance the athletics budget. In the June 30 meeting,
interim athletic director E. Newton Jackson Jr. also recommended
reducing band travel, which will save more than $400,000, and a $1.7
million reduction in scholarship money for athletes.
“I’m lucky because the university will be giving us our full amount
of scholarship money for one more year as long as we are still
academically eligible,” Still said. “However, my teammates who are not
graduating this year will not get any of their scholarship money next
year, unless the university is able to raise the money.”
Still added that his scholarship money for a school year is
approximately $7,500.
The university is seeking donations to save the four sports:
- The men’s golf team needs $135,000.
- The men’s tennis team, $110,000.
- The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams together require
$240,000.
The elimination of the four sports, the reduction of the band travel
and scholarship money and other cost-cutting strategies will help the
athletics department balance a proposed budget of about $6.7 million for
the 2005-06 school year, Jackson told trustees at the June 30 meeting.
The bigger picture is that students are being affected, said student
Ramon Alexander, president of the Student Government Association and a
trustee. "This is unacceptable for the board to have these issues fall
back on the students. You have to get students' input if you are going
to affect their pockets," he said.
The athletics department plans to offer the players from the four
sports 60 percent of their scholarship money for one year. After next
year, they will not receive the scholarships.
The athletics director "should have taken more time and thought this
out before making this decision," said Charlana Brown, a tennis player
from Los Angeles. "He hasn’t seen any matches to know how good the men’s
tennis team is, because they are much better than the football team. I
feel that they should try taking away money from each sport, rather than
cutting four out of the picture."
Some university alumni called the decision a setback for African
Americans who enjoy playing these sports.
"These sports are hard for blacks to break through and excel in,"
said Brandon Kiel, a former golf player at Florida A&M. "I don’t
understand why they decided to cut something that blacks are rarely seen
doing."
Kiel added, "This is very unfortunate for the athletes, because the
teams are good and this was an opportunity for them to get a better
education."
Though the decision was harsh, the university must do what is best
for the athletic department, said Trustee Alberto R. Cardenas.
If board members do not have sympathy for students after cutting
these sports, they should be ashamed, Cardenas said. However, he added,
"Pain lasts a lot less when you make tough decisions up front, rather
than letting troubles linger on."
Castell Bryant, the university's interim president, agreed that
eliminating these programs would be a big sacrifice for students, but
said the school’s main priority is balancing the budget.
"We are in this period of uncertainty for the next couple of months
and we really need to [set] aside our dealings with the NCAA," Bryant
said. "We are required by the law to present a balanced budget for the
athletic department and that is what we will do."
Teesa Johnson is a graduate student in journalism
at Florida A&M University.
