Posted on 02/11/2011 7:42:51 PM PST by FTJM
California reinstated three teams Friday that were slated to be eliminated in a cost-cutting move after an aggressive fundraising campaign to keep the programs, while going ahead with plans to get rid of the baseball and men's gymnastics teams.
Chancellor Robert Birgeneau partially reversed a decision announced in September when he said that enough money has been raised to keep the men's rugby, women's lacrosse and women's gymnastics teams. The two women's teams had been slated for elimination, while men's rugby was going to be reclassified as a "varsity club sport."
"We're three-fifths of the way there and we're not going to stop," said former Cal and major league pitcher Doug Nickle, who was involved with the fundraising efforts for the group "Save Cal Sports." "We're heartened and also emboldened. We're energized. We take our licks and we'll keep coming back."
Campus officials said they received between $12 million and $13 million in pledges to retain the programs. They are confident that $8 million will be available for the three sports that were retained, covering all of their costs for seven to 10 years.
Vice chancellor Frank Yeary said the pledges specifically for baseball and men's gymnastics were insufficient. He said the baseball program raised between $1.5 million and $2.5 million, which would have covered its costs for about two years.
He said the supporters needed to come up with $10 million to achieve the goal of self-sustainability for the seven- to 10-year period.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
Doesn't he know that's a racist expression? How insensitive, especially during Black History Month.
They kept rugby over a baseball program that goes to the College World Series on a regular basis? That’s called sticking it to America and real Americans. And, I’d love to play their game and accuse them of discrimination against Hispanics. How many Hispanics play rugby vs. baseball?
Cal’s rugby team is the best in country. They have had 25 national championships in the last 31 years.
Bump
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