Excerpt from the Wright State Guardian
On Thursday, April 30, the Board of Trustees met for the first virtual committee day.
The coronavirus pandemic has swiftly altered the trajectory of the university. The meetings held throughout the day were to discuss implemented changes as well as plans for the near future.
‘We’ve got to spend less somehow without sacrificing our brand’
According to Athletics Director Bob Grant, division I schools are required to have 14 different sports available for students. WSU is meeting that minimum.
Grant explained that cutting any sports would do more harm than good, taking resources away from many students. Even if certain sports were cut, it wouldn’t relieve much financial stress.
Current decisions are ones that the pandemic has just accelerated, according to Grant.
“Athletics will, like we always are, be part of the solution, not part of the problem,” said Grant.
The upcoming budget
The budget for the upcoming fiscal year has been proposed, cutting another $1 million in the department.
In 2017, previous budget cuts were proposed in athletics.
“These are things that unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, we’re somewhat used to doing,” said Grant.
The new budget will cut $1 million from the department as it did three years ago.
“This is going to hurt a lot of people, and quite frankly, I’m worried about how it’ll affect our success, our culture and our student athletes but I have enough confidence in our staff and how lean and mean we are and that mentality of punching above our weight class, so we’re going to do it,” said Grant.
The second part of Grant’s plan to save money is adding more non-athletic scholarship students to equivalency sports.
Recruiting more individuals that have not committed to the university could be a bigger influence in adding more to generate revenue.
Trustee Andrew Platt added a testimonial of his own in terms of the university.
“I’m definitely one of those former athletes that would not have come to Wright State, but thank God many times a week that I did,” said Platt. “It was a combination of the business school and my overall experience but I’m a testament to the Wright State athletics.”
