Post by My2Sense on Apr 23, 2004 17:09:35 GMT -5
This article appears in today's LB Press Telegram. It's must reading.
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Budget cut exposes problems in LBSU sports
Program faces difficult future as fiscal trouble may put teams on chopping block.
By Bob Keisser
Staff writer
On the surface, it appears things have never been better for Long Beach State athletics.
The men's volleyball team is ranked second in the nation, the women's water polo team fourth, the baseball team seventh and the softball team 19th. It isn't hyperbole to believe all four teams could play for a national title in the next two months.
But behind this excellence on the field is a growing sense of frustration and concern, bordering on a crisis, over the state of the athletic department.
The department is facing a $200,000 budget cut for 2004-05 because of the state's financial deficit, and perhaps even a larger cut for 2005-06. The impact could range from the first notable budget cuts in sports that have been the most successful on campus baseball and women's volleyball to the possible elimination of one to three sports in 2005-06.
Attempts to find new sources of revenues have stalled, largely because the most high-profile sport, men's basketball, has won just 11 games the past two seasons, at the same time that several longtime donors, boosters and alumni are cutting back on their participation. Negotiations to land a name sponsor for the Pyramid that appeared hopeful earlier this year have also stalled.
AD ailing
Plus, athletic director Bill Shumard has been sidelined since mid-March because of a respiratory ailment that was exacerbated by stress. He has made just a few visits to the department and has strictly limited his contact with his colleagues. School officials say he hopes to be back to work in two weeks.
The situation came to a head Wednesday during a monthly meeting of the head coaches, when athletic officials informed them of the pending $200,000 cut and then solicited suggestions on how to deal with it.
Several coaches were baffled that the administrators couldn't offer specifics on the cuts and that they seemed resigned to this fate. Others were irate that the administration was coming to them for answers.
"The biggest problem is that we don't know anything,' said softball coach Pete Manarino, who, like all other coaches, relies on a hard budget figure for scheduling and recruiting. "I know it's a tough position for the administration, too, but we're operating in the dark.'
"We just don't know what's going on,' said men's golf coach Bob Livingstone. "We went to the meeting looking for answers and left with only more questions.'
"It seemed everything is being thrown on the back of the coaches,' said one of the coaches, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Associate athletic director and CFO Ted Kadowaki said it could be August before the department gets an exact figure on the cut.
"We told the coaches we're looking at a $200,000 cut, but that we think we can weather it and won't have to cut any sports' in 2004-05, Kadowaki said. "It is probable that we would cut all the sports budgets slightly for next year.'
Trio on the block
Kadowaki said it's too early to project the impact in 2005-06, but coaches at Wednesday's meeting were told that as many as three sports could be cut. The sports at greatest risk would be the men's volleyball and both water polo programs. Those sports compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, as opposed to the Big West.
"We did a lot to get the cut down to $200,000,' said Mike Mulryan, an associate athletic director who focuses on fund raising. 'There's only so much you can do.'
"I don't want to blame the state government, but (their budget) problems are twofold for us,' Kadowaki said. "We take our share of any cut the state imposes, and every time they increase student fees, the cost of a scholarship increases.'
Admission fees at CSU schools have gone up 30 percent in the past two years, and may increase another 10 percent in 2004-05.
But several coaches and boosters believe the athletic administration is a source of the problem, that it lacks vision and has lost the momentum created by the opening of the Pyramid in 1994 and the Beach Pride student initiative that has generated $1.5 million a year for athletic scholarships.
If the coaches have their teams ranked nationally and there's more money coming into the program now than four years ago, they believe they shouldn't be facing cuts and dealing with dire predictions.
"You couldn't manage a regular business like this,' said a coach who did not want to be named. "We've had situations like this in the past that were tough, and our administrators (former 49er athletic directors John Kasser and Dave O'Brien) were able to handle them.
"Despite what we're doing on the field, morale in the department is very low.'
"We've heard about budget cuts for six months, and for (the administration) to come to us now and ask us what are our suggestions is just mind-boggling,' said another coach.
Shumard was unavailable for an interview this week because of his illness. But when asked about internal criticism and morale in an interview earlier this year, he defended the program.
He said the operating budget has grown from $5 million to $9million in the past seven years, and the fund-raising base is larger than it was when he was named full-time athletic director in 1996.
"We continue to cultivate our donor base and get more people involved,' he said. "There have been no major infractions. Our graduation rate is higher, our (student) grades are better, and we were just recertified' by the NCAA.
Maxson confident
School president Dr. Robert Maxson, one of the most sports-proactive presidents in the country, said this week that he believes enough can be done to make sure no sports are cut down the road.
He also said the few complaints he's heard from boosters and donors have focused mostly on basketball and the need to get that program turned around. But he may hear more now because of Wednesday's meeting.
Coaches are concerned that their individual fund-raising booster accounts could be tapped or pooled as a temporary solution. They were upset earlier this year when they were told they would need to use their booster accounts to supply furniture for the new athletic offices.
"We no longer have vision or goals,' a coach said. "We've forgotten that we once aspired to be the best.'
"It's a down time, no question, and it affects everybody,' said women's volleyball coach Brian Gimmillaro. "The one thing I made sure to say at Wednesday's meeting with all of the budget talk is how proud I am of our spring coaches and the incredible job they're doing.
"That's the one thing that won't change. We've got great coaches and you can see it in the national rankings. I don't think that will change.'
-----------------------------------------------------
Budget cut exposes problems in LBSU sports
Program faces difficult future as fiscal trouble may put teams on chopping block.
By Bob Keisser
Staff writer
On the surface, it appears things have never been better for Long Beach State athletics.
The men's volleyball team is ranked second in the nation, the women's water polo team fourth, the baseball team seventh and the softball team 19th. It isn't hyperbole to believe all four teams could play for a national title in the next two months.
But behind this excellence on the field is a growing sense of frustration and concern, bordering on a crisis, over the state of the athletic department.
The department is facing a $200,000 budget cut for 2004-05 because of the state's financial deficit, and perhaps even a larger cut for 2005-06. The impact could range from the first notable budget cuts in sports that have been the most successful on campus baseball and women's volleyball to the possible elimination of one to three sports in 2005-06.
Attempts to find new sources of revenues have stalled, largely because the most high-profile sport, men's basketball, has won just 11 games the past two seasons, at the same time that several longtime donors, boosters and alumni are cutting back on their participation. Negotiations to land a name sponsor for the Pyramid that appeared hopeful earlier this year have also stalled.
AD ailing
Plus, athletic director Bill Shumard has been sidelined since mid-March because of a respiratory ailment that was exacerbated by stress. He has made just a few visits to the department and has strictly limited his contact with his colleagues. School officials say he hopes to be back to work in two weeks.
The situation came to a head Wednesday during a monthly meeting of the head coaches, when athletic officials informed them of the pending $200,000 cut and then solicited suggestions on how to deal with it.
Several coaches were baffled that the administrators couldn't offer specifics on the cuts and that they seemed resigned to this fate. Others were irate that the administration was coming to them for answers.
"The biggest problem is that we don't know anything,' said softball coach Pete Manarino, who, like all other coaches, relies on a hard budget figure for scheduling and recruiting. "I know it's a tough position for the administration, too, but we're operating in the dark.'
"We just don't know what's going on,' said men's golf coach Bob Livingstone. "We went to the meeting looking for answers and left with only more questions.'
"It seemed everything is being thrown on the back of the coaches,' said one of the coaches, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Associate athletic director and CFO Ted Kadowaki said it could be August before the department gets an exact figure on the cut.
"We told the coaches we're looking at a $200,000 cut, but that we think we can weather it and won't have to cut any sports' in 2004-05, Kadowaki said. "It is probable that we would cut all the sports budgets slightly for next year.'
Trio on the block
Kadowaki said it's too early to project the impact in 2005-06, but coaches at Wednesday's meeting were told that as many as three sports could be cut. The sports at greatest risk would be the men's volleyball and both water polo programs. Those sports compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, as opposed to the Big West.
"We did a lot to get the cut down to $200,000,' said Mike Mulryan, an associate athletic director who focuses on fund raising. 'There's only so much you can do.'
"I don't want to blame the state government, but (their budget) problems are twofold for us,' Kadowaki said. "We take our share of any cut the state imposes, and every time they increase student fees, the cost of a scholarship increases.'
Admission fees at CSU schools have gone up 30 percent in the past two years, and may increase another 10 percent in 2004-05.
But several coaches and boosters believe the athletic administration is a source of the problem, that it lacks vision and has lost the momentum created by the opening of the Pyramid in 1994 and the Beach Pride student initiative that has generated $1.5 million a year for athletic scholarships.
If the coaches have their teams ranked nationally and there's more money coming into the program now than four years ago, they believe they shouldn't be facing cuts and dealing with dire predictions.
"You couldn't manage a regular business like this,' said a coach who did not want to be named. "We've had situations like this in the past that were tough, and our administrators (former 49er athletic directors John Kasser and Dave O'Brien) were able to handle them.
"Despite what we're doing on the field, morale in the department is very low.'
"We've heard about budget cuts for six months, and for (the administration) to come to us now and ask us what are our suggestions is just mind-boggling,' said another coach.
Shumard was unavailable for an interview this week because of his illness. But when asked about internal criticism and morale in an interview earlier this year, he defended the program.
He said the operating budget has grown from $5 million to $9million in the past seven years, and the fund-raising base is larger than it was when he was named full-time athletic director in 1996.
"We continue to cultivate our donor base and get more people involved,' he said. "There have been no major infractions. Our graduation rate is higher, our (student) grades are better, and we were just recertified' by the NCAA.
Maxson confident
School president Dr. Robert Maxson, one of the most sports-proactive presidents in the country, said this week that he believes enough can be done to make sure no sports are cut down the road.
He also said the few complaints he's heard from boosters and donors have focused mostly on basketball and the need to get that program turned around. But he may hear more now because of Wednesday's meeting.
Coaches are concerned that their individual fund-raising booster accounts could be tapped or pooled as a temporary solution. They were upset earlier this year when they were told they would need to use their booster accounts to supply furniture for the new athletic offices.
"We no longer have vision or goals,' a coach said. "We've forgotten that we once aspired to be the best.'
"It's a down time, no question, and it affects everybody,' said women's volleyball coach Brian Gimmillaro. "The one thing I made sure to say at Wednesday's meeting with all of the budget talk is how proud I am of our spring coaches and the incredible job they're doing.
"That's the one thing that won't change. We've got great coaches and you can see it in the national rankings. I don't think that will change.'
