Reasons to phase out men's swimming and diving:
Ohio University has the most talented team in 13 years under Coach Greg Werner. The team won the Akron Invitational in December 2006 ' a first under Werner. They scored more points at the MAC than any other team under Werner. There are no seniors ' how good could they be next year. Give them a chance! There is a lot of positive press from this team and these coaches.
OU has a retention problem. Men's swimming and diving offers a sense of belonging and family. These men will stay the duration and graduate, helping to raise retention rates, which I understand have plummeted. Many will leave without a swimming and diving program.
OU's enrollment projections were far below budget. The men's swimming and diving program attracted 28 men to Athens just to swim ' 14 men from out of state. When a school has a special niche that attracts students from Illinois, West Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Indiana, New York, Wisconsin and Michigan, something special is happening and the program should be kept. Best value and investment on campus! Recruiting for women's swimming and diving will be compromised without the men's program.
OU's budget is swimming in red ink. Revenue generated by men's swimming and diving ' only tuition money.
Fourteen out-of-state students multiplied by $16,308 equals $228,312 per year. Fourteen in-state students multiplied by $7,992 equals $111, 888 per year. NCAA gives $22,000 to OU for each athletic program it offers. That's a grand total of $362,200 per year plus room and board revenue.
Mr. Hocutt stated, Little would be saved ($25
000) in canceling the program rather than phasing it out. What is the real issue? Can't admit you made a mistake and did not know about your athletic department's written promises? OU needs to demonstrate integrity and do the right thing, not the face-saving thing!
Swimmers just want to swim and compete; they aren't there for the money, the free ride or the five-year academic program. They just love the sport, the competition and the camaraderie (no scholarships this year for freshmen and only 1.3 scholarships for the rest of the team ' a minimal investment). Many have been swimming since they were five years old.
OU should honor the commitment their administration made to these men in writing who chose this university based on the assurances they received. Our men brought Bobcat pride to the MAC this past week. OU can be proud of their performance and how they represented their university with integrity, class and dignity. They chanted their OU Fight Cheer wearing their OU warm-ups in spite of knowing their university did not support them Show them the integrity they showed you, Mr. President! Don't let your student body know you don't have the courage to fix what you got wrong, now that the facts are in.
President McDavis, initiate the phase-out and turn down the heat on campus. Get this university back on track by demonstrating moral principles, uprightness, honesty and sincerity. As stated in The Post by a soon-to-be alumnus, reverse the crumbling esteem and frightfully downward slope this university is on under your watch.
Jan Herley is with United Swim Parents.
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