Athletic Budget Update #53

Cal reduced its 2009-10 budget by eliminating eight staff positions, cutting international team travel and trimming the operating budgets of all department sports teams by six percent and the football budget by 12 percent.   Inside Higher Education also has an in depth article about the financial situation at Cal. 

A member of the Iowa Board of Regents is questioning the viability of scholarship football at Northern Iowa. UNI receives $4.6 million in general funds and student fees.  By comparison Iowa State receives $3 million.

Iowa received approval for $26 million in bonds to renovate Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

Western Kentucky Athletic Director Wood Selig had his contract extension and pay raise delayed after a small group of faculty and students protested at a meeting of the school's Regents.  The decision on his extension will be deferred until January in order to build better working relationships with faculty.  The deferral was not related to performance, but rather to budgetary concerns.

The NCAA's governing board approved a 130,000 foot, $35 million expansion to their headquarters with construction slated to begin next year.  The expansion is to accommodate the NCAA's 500 staffers and leave room for growth.  In 1999, the NCAA staff was approximately 350.  

St. Louis Community Colleges will be cutting 7 of their 22 sports next year.  

The Orlando Sentinel examines budgetary issues in Florida, taking particular issue with Central Florida for cutting a number of academic programs while raising tuition 15% and charging a $12.68/credit hour athletic fee to fund nearly half of the athletic budget. 

The Washington Post cites a new study estimating the amount of money cut from high school sports at $2 billion.