Discussion of cut sports and shootings at Virginia Tech dominated yesterday's hour-and-a-half Town Hall meeting, where numerous upper-level administrators fielded questions.
Although the university's projected $8.55 million budget deficit factored into many questions, it was the elimination of the men's swimming and diving team in January that occupied much of the conversation.
OU President Roderick McDavis and Kirby Hocutt, director of Athletics, handled repeated questions from members of the men's swimming and diving team.
This athletic department remained behind the swimming and diving program as long as we could
Hocutt said. That had to change because of the dire financial situation of the department, he said.
This is the first time in his career he's been forced to make a decision that benefits the department as a whole but has serious negative consequences for some athletes, Hocutt said.
There are no easy answers Hocutt said. I made a decision that was in the best interests of the OU Athletics Department.
The Athletics Department is working to reduce costs, Hocutt said, adding that the football team will continue to sleep off-campus before home games six nights each year, but will now eat on-campus.
Coach Solich has asked me 'Have you been in a residence dorm on a Friday night?' Hocutt said. Trying to get good rest that's a concern.
We've tried to eliminate as many expenses as we can on that front
Hocutt said.
McDavis asked Brice Bible, the university's new chief information officer, to briefly address IT at the university, after he was asked about the department's funding. There should be no question about the necessity of investing in IT after the security breaches last spring, Bible said.
The university will increase IT funding by $1.5 million, McDavis said. A recently-released report by Gartner Consulting of Stamford, Conn., found that the university spends $12 million ' less than half of the average for similar universities ' on IT services.
Shootings at Virginia Tech Monday that left 33 dead sparked discussion of OUPD and its Crisis Incident Response Team.
All of our hearts go out toG? the entire Virginia Tech community
McDavis said. It is a very sad day in the history of higher education.
President McDavis announced that a candlelight vigil is planned at the West Portico of Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium at 9 p.m. tomorrow and urged all students to wear maroon and burnt orange ' Virginia Tech's colors ' in memory of those who died.
Ohio University is an open environment. It is an open campus
said Michael Martinsen, chief of the OUPD. This is not a fortress. As safe as it is
the reality is that dangerous people can find their way onto campus.
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