Wright State is eliminating its men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams as part of the $30.3 million in budget cuts announced at the university board of trustees meeting Friday morning.
The move is expected to save approximately $500,000 annually in scholarships, salaries, travel and facility maintenance. The university will honor the scholarships of any of the 38 swimmers and divers who elect to remain to finish their degrees and coach Kyle Oaks’ contract, which runs through March 2018.
“You don’t want to do these type of things,” Wright State athletic director Bob Grant said. “It’s a day you hope never comes. It’s painful. It literally makes me sick to my stomach. But when you’ve got to make these kind of cuts, you’ve got to be pragmatic about it.
“It’s been literally weeks and weeks of ongoing conversations,” Grant continued. “Almost from the time Dr. (Curtis) McCray came on board as the interim president, we’ve talked about any kind of cost-cutting measures. And they’re having those conversations with everyone on campus. The budget crisis is real, and I think everyone on campus has taken very seriously the thought that we’re going to have to do what’s best for the long-term success of the university.”
Despite the elimination of swimming and diving, the proposed 2018 budget shows an increase of $1.6 million in funding for the athletics budget.
