Editors Note: This is a position paper created by former coach George Dales
- Providing Educational Opportunities
- WMU is the only SW Michigan and Greater Kalamazoo area higher education institution where student athletes have an opportunity to enroll and participate at the highest MAC & NCAA Division I competitive level. The State of Michigan has one of the largest number (30,000) secondary school student athletes competing in Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track.
- WMU is ranked Number 1 in Michigan, Number 4 Nationally providing Educators, Coaches.
- Enrollment Diversity
- At WMU 30 of 48 Men (81.25%) on the Cross Country and Track Teams are Michigan residents, 14 (29%) are from the Greater Kalamazoo area.
- During Fall of 2003, WMU enrolled 29,178 students, 484 (1.65%) are African American undergraduate men. (WMU Office of Academic and Instructional Planning.) The Men's Track Team consists of 20.8% Minority student athletes.
- Success of WMU Men's Cross Country, Track & Field and Women's Synchronized Skating Teams
- The Women's Collegiate Synchronized Skating Team was 2nd at the 2003 National Championships, had 3.5 GPA and 100 % graduation rate. The Varsity Team qualified to represent the U.S.A. in international competition.
- Men's Cross Country and Track programs have produced WMU's most successful teams and individuals at the highest NCAA Division I level:
- Mid American Conference - 32 Team, 280 Individual, 25 Relay Champions.
- WMU Sports Hall of Fame-34 Athletes, 3 Coaches.
- NCAA Div.I: 2 Cross Country Teams, 2 Individual Track Champions
- All Americans-55 Track, 25 Cross Country, 6 Relay Teams.
- Cross Country Teams-20 Top 20, 14 Top 10, 5 Top 3, 2 Firsts.
- Track Teams-10 times Top 20, 1-7th, 1-5th place, 2 Individual Champions
- 14 Olympic Trials Qualifiers, 3 World & 2 USA Records, 1 Gold Medallist
- 1 Coach USA Track Coaches Hall of Fame
- 2 Michigan House of Representatives Citations.
- Cutting the 4 Sports Reduces the WMU Athletic Budget $491,072, however, it reduces WMU Income from:
| 92 Non-Scholarship Tuitions (62 residents) |
$307,892 |
| (40 non-residents) |
$443,384 |
| 35 On Campus Room & Board |
$225,190 |
| 102 State subsides |
$444,108 |
| Total |
$1,420,574 |
Almost 3 times the athletic budget cut!! (See attached.)
-
The Impact on the Kalamazoo Community Includes Loss of Income From:
- 67 Off Campus Room and Board ($6,434), amounts to over $430,000.
- WMU paid Miami University to host the May 2004 (3 day) MAC Men's & Women's Track and Field Championships originally scheduled in Kalamazoo involving more than 20 teams.
-
Not Recruiting Track & Field (Speed, Power) Student Athletes Affects Football.
-
Recommend to Trim WMU Sports Budgets, Do Not Cut Sports.
- Reduce the Men's Cross Country & Track budget 19% ($70,722) from $370,722 to $300,000 maintaining quality MAC Division I programs
(lowest total cost per athlete [$2,083] among 20 sports). Positive return from 38 non-scholarships, 15 Room & Boards
($19,326 current positive gain + $70,722 proposed cut) = $90,048
and 48 State tuition subsidies ($4,354) = $208,992
- Total Positive return to WMU = $299,045.
-
Recommend Continuing Varsity Status for Women's Synchronized Skating.
| 54 Non-Scholarship Tuition |
$458,194 |
| 20 Room & Board |
$128,680 |
| 54 State tuition subsidies |
$ 235,116 |
| Total positive return ($821,990 - $120,350 budget) |
$701,640 |
(second lowest total cost per athlete [$2,228] among 20 sports).
-
Administration, Support Staff, Facilities are the Same as for Women's Track and Men's Hockey Programs.
-
Dropping the 4 Sports Will Create a Negative Fallout for WMU:
- Results in loss of income considerably greater than the allotted budgets Has imposed a traumatic shock upon 102 affected student athletes and their families Unfavorably impacts the WMU student body and the Greater Kalamazoo Community
- Affects WMU's Image, Public Relations, Recruiting and Financial Support
More than 300 Track Alumni have been contributing to WMU Individual and Family Annual Giving, Life Insurance and Annuities, Annual Memorial and Gary Funds.
WMU Sport Budgets (cost/athlete: Gazette 12/7/03).
| Sport |
No. |
Budget ($) |
Scholarships |
Scholarships/Athlete |
Total $/Athlete |
| M Basketball |
15 |
868,796 |
250,000 |
16,666 |
57,919 |
| W Basketball |
14 |
761,103 |
180,000 |
12,857 |
54,364 |
| W Volleyball |
14 |
557,993 |
200,000 |
14,285 |
39,856 |
| W Tennis |
7 |
243,543 |
120,000 |
17,142 |
34,791 |
| M Hockey |
25 |
862,983 |
335,000 |
13,400 |
34,519 |
| M Football |
102 |
2,966,548 |
1,250,000 |
12,255 |
29,083 |
| W Gymnastics |
15 |
335,631 |
190,000 |
12,666 |
22,375 |
| W Golf |
9 |
182,844 |
85,000 |
9,444 |
20,316 |
| M Tennis |
9 |
172,467 |
67,000 |
7,444 |
19,163 |
| W Softball |
18 |
338,431 |
145,000 |
8,055 |
18,801 |
| M Baseball |
31 |
397,489 |
155,000 |
5,000 |
12,822 |
| W Soccer |
24 |
292,951 |
150,000 |
6,250 |
12,206 |
| W Track (3 sports) |
43 |
426,186 (142,062) |
220,000 (73,333) |
5,116 (1,702) |
9,911 (3,304) |
| M Soccer |
26 |
206,991 |
110,000 |
4,280 |
7,961 |
| M Track (3 Sports) |
48 |
370,722 (123,574) |
165,000 (55,000) |
3,437 (1,146) |
7,723 (2,575) |
| W SynchSkating |
54 |
120,350 |
0 |
0 |
2,228 |
- WMU Men's Cross Country & Track programs, lowest rate of scholarships (6% of 9 men's sports budgets), 4% of 18 Men's & Women's sports budgets.
- WMU Women's Synchronized Skating - No Scholarships.
Costs: 2003-04 WMU Resource Guide
| Men's Track |
Residents Tuition & Fees |
39 x $4,966 |
$193,674 |
| |
Non-Residents |
9 x $11,096 |
$99,864 |
| |
Room & Board |
15 x $6,434 |
$96,510 |
| |
WMU Income |
|
$399,048 |
| Budget (3 Sports) |
Cross Country, Indoor, Outdoor Track |
|
-$370,722 |
| Positive Return to WMU |
|
|
$19,326
|
| W Skating |
Residents Tuition & Fees |
23 x $4,966 |
$114,218 |
| |
Non-Residents |
31 x $11,096 |
$343,976 |
| |
Room & Board |
20 x $6,434 |
$128,680 |
| |
WMU Income |
|
$+586,874 |
| Budget Women's Synchronized Skating |
|
|
-$120,350 |
| Positive return to WMU |
|
|
+$466,524
|
| Total Return from all 4 Sports: |
$485,850
|
| WMU Fiscal year (FYES) equated per Student State Subsidy (4,354 x 102) (House Fiscal Agency University Appropriations) |
$444,108 |
| GRAND TOTAL RETURN TO WMU: |
$929,958
|
| Figures do not include: |
Books & Supplies |
102 x $834 |
$85,068 |
| |
Registration Fee: |
289 x 2 x $102 |
$58,956 |
|
