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April 11, 2008

Announcement on URI sports cuts may come soon

Officials at the University of Rhode Island will probably announce Monday or Tuesday whether they will eliminate sports programs to shave $800,000 from the athletics department budget and if so, which sports will be sacrificed.

Thorr Bjorn, director of athletics, said a week ago that he should know by April 15 "at the absolute latest" whether he will have to cut teams. April 15 is Tuesday. Mike Laprey, assistant director of athletics for communications, said that no announcement would be made today and probably not this weekend. That leaves Monday and Tuesday.

University administrators have ordered department heads to shave 10 percent from their budgets in response to the state budget crisis. Bjorn is trying to increase revenues and trim personnel costs in addition to cutting teams. In communicating with various boosters who have contacted him, he has expressed his support for all programs but has stated that it's highly unlikely he can reach the mandated savings without cutting a team or teams.

URI has sponsored 22 varsity teams this year. That figure counts indoor and outdoor track as two sports.The number will drop to 21 next year with the elimination of gymnastics. Women's lacrosse is supposed to be added in 2009-2010 but will not be if programs are cut.

Elsewhere on the budget front, URI officials await word from the House Finance Committee on the fate of a $7.2-million appropriation made in 2006 for Fiscal Year 2009, which starts July 1, for the Student Athlete Development Center. The committee is considering rescinding authorization for the appropriation and restructuring the state'sshare of the project's financing.

-- MIKE SZOSTAK

Posted by Mike Szostak  at 4:54 PM to College Sports | Permalink

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