New Connecticut State Budget threatens “Elimination of Many Division I Athletics Programs”

Overnight, both houses of the Connecticut General Assembly approved a new state budget. If it goes through (Which, luckily, seems unlikely), UConn would lose $300 million in funding over the next two years, which would “decimate the university” according to President Susan Herbst.

Major cuts would need to be made, including the “Elimination of many Division I Athletics programs.” It’s no secret the athletic department has been struggling for money ever since joining the American Athletic Conference, an issue compounded by the Big East exit money drying up as well as Bob Diaco’s buyout.

For the time being, it is unclear which athletic programs would be cut and it would be unfair to those teams to speculate. In the case that the school does move to eliminate programs, they would need to make sure that there is an equal number of men’s and women’s scholarships in order to meet Title IX requirements.

If such a drastic decision does need to be made, the athletic department should delay the construction of the soccer, baseball and softball facilities until they are in a better state financially. Delaying these projects a few years won’t make or break any of the programs, and the money needed would likely be better suited elsewhere in the department or the university.