Draconian cuts' coming, U of A President Robbins tells faculty (Including Sports Programs)

Dback Jon

Killer Snail
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
76,498
Reaction score
33,469
Location
Scottsdale
What a mess in Tucson


The mood was tense inside Old Main Monday afternoon. The University of Arizona’s monthly faculty senate meeting was about to start, and the room was so packed that some faculty members had to stand in the back while over a hundred additional participants sat quietly in a Zoom waiting room.
The strained atmosphere was understandable — it was the first time the faculty senate was gathering since university President Robert Robbins and senior vice president and chief financial officer Lisa Rulney told the Arizona Board of Regents last week that the UA was in a “financial crisis.”

Athletics has also been a drain on the financial resources of the university, Robbins told the faculty, most of whom spoke out against the $55 million loan made by the university to the athletic department during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. That money, Robbins said, has not been paid back “fast enough.”
 

moosehead

All Star
Joined
Oct 30, 2011
Posts
612
Reaction score
253
Location
Queen Creek, AZ
I worked for the UA for 10 years. Universities spend crazy money on things they would never spend it on, in the private sector. 10 years in the state system and 4 years in municipal government soured me sufficiently to leave and never return. Some great folks in public sector, some lemons too. The bureaucratic culture is akin to a self-licking ice cream cone. Dogma, no value on peoples' time, lots of patting each other on the back and self-justification. An odd world for sure...
 

TJ

Frank Kaminsky is my Hero.
Joined
Apr 2, 2005
Posts
33,835
Reaction score
18,799
Location
South Bay
Why it was important to get the best conference deal possible. Wouldn’t surprise me if Heeke/Robbins decided to cut bait with some non-revenue generating sports
 
OP
OP
Dback Jon

Dback Jon

Killer Snail
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
76,498
Reaction score
33,469
Location
Scottsdale
Why it was important to get the best conference deal possible. Wouldn’t surprise me if Heeke/Robbins decided to cut bait with some non-revenue generating sports
Most sports don't generate revenue.

I would imagine at the UA right now only basketball really is cash positive. Football is probably close, and winning will help that bottom line.
 

TJ

Frank Kaminsky is my Hero.
Joined
Apr 2, 2005
Posts
33,835
Reaction score
18,799
Location
South Bay
Most sports don't generate revenue.

I would imagine at the UA right now only basketball really is cash positive. Football is probably close, and winning will help that bottom line.
football and basketball are net positive. I heard a few years ago that women’s hoops was actually out of the red. Baseball is fine. Everything else is a drain
 
OP
OP
Dback Jon

Dback Jon

Killer Snail
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
76,498
Reaction score
33,469
Location
Scottsdale
football and basketball are net positive. I heard a few years ago that women’s hoops was actually out of the red. Baseball is fine. Everything else is a drain
Yeah, I meant both basketball teams - with the success they have been having on both sides, they should be cash positive.
 
OP
OP
Dback Jon

Dback Jon

Killer Snail
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
76,498
Reaction score
33,469
Location
Scottsdale
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 
OP
OP
Dback Jon

Dback Jon

Killer Snail
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
76,498
Reaction score
33,469
Location
Scottsdale
The first sport that would be cut in my opinion would be men & women's cross country.
Why?

Those are cheap sports to compete in plus then you can use the same runners in track and field

Unless they’re completely eliminating the track and field program, it would make zero sense to cut cross-country, especially since the cross country coach is also one of the track and field coaches
 

TJ

Frank Kaminsky is my Hero.
Joined
Apr 2, 2005
Posts
33,835
Reaction score
18,799
Location
South Bay
I'll put this out there so people stop losing their damn minds over it:

This will not affect Jedd's contract. There is outside funding in place to cover the cost.
 
Top