UH considers cutting sports programs in response to budget deficit

MANOA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) - University of Hawaii at Manoa Athletics Director Ben Jay is expected Thursday to report to the Board of Regents three options that may help the department get out of a $3.5 million deficit.

The options, laid out in a 93-page report prepared by Jay and the Shidler College of Business, includes cutting some sports programs like football and swimming.

The report said the athletic department ended the fiscal year in deficit for the 11th year out of 13 years. The department is projected to end this fiscal year nearly $3.5 million in the red. Without new or additional subsidy support, the department's three-year budget projections show even more deficit, with the 2018 fiscal year closing at $4.51 million in deficit.

For two years, UH Manoa's athletic department, which is home to 20 sports, has attempted to create new revenue streams, the report said, but it has still not fulfilled projected revenue targets to fully subsidize the department's annual operating budget. Therefore, it examined several program reduction scenarios that would reduce the number of sports teams.

The following are options proposed in the report:

Option 1:

• Eliminate Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving and the Coed Sailing Teams
• Potential Savings = $1,377,727
• Student-Athlete Opportunities Lost = 98
• Title IX Participant Proportionality = Maintained

Option 2:

• Eliminate Men's Volleyball, Women's Sailing and the Coed Sailing Team.
• Potential Net Savings = $533,921 ($818,921 less MVB revenue loss $285,000)
• Student-Athlete Opportunities Lost = 68
• Title IX Participant Proportionality = Maintained

Option 3:

• Eliminate Football, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Sailing and the Coed Sailing Team. Potential Net Savings = none ($9,892,647 but FB revenue loss ~$11,763,500)
• Student-Athlete Opportunities Lost = 201
• Title IX Participant Proportionality = Does Not Meet Proportionality.

These options will be presented to the Board of Regents, but a decision is not expected to be made yet.

Jay announced his resignation as athletics directer in December 2014. His term ends June 30, 2015.

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