UNO Quietly Withdraws From Sun Belt

((HT: WWL-TV))

In what a lot of people thought was an unfortunate inevitability, the University of New Orleans has asked for and was granted a withdrawal from the Division I Sun Belt Conference. It's part of their process to drop from Division I to Division III for the remaining six sports on campus.

"It is unfortunate that UNO finds itself in financial constraints that have necessitated such drastic measures, but there is a time when tough decisions must be made. While we are proud of our past membership in the Sun Belt Conference, the University has to make changes that will allow NCAA sanctioned athletics to continue at the Division III level," said University of New Orleans Chancellor Tim Ryan.

A combination of dwindling student body numbers, the resulting lack of student activity funds available from the 50-percent drop, budget cuts, and the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina forced the decision.

Back in November, the school got serious about investigating the drop and this is the end game. The conference Executive Committee, wisely, dropped the $500,000 early withdrawal fee and let the school go into the sunset on their own.

"The last several years have been unquestionably difficult on the University and the athletics department," said Sun Belt Commissioner Wright Waters. "The University's assessment that has led to its withdrawal from the Sun Belt Conference has assuredly also been another difficult chapter for UNO. UNO is our third longest tenured member and they will be sorely missed. The hard work put in by Chancellor Ryan and numerous other administrators on campus over the last several years of uncertainty is to be commended."

The University originally suspended nine of its 15 sports, and has been operating under a waiver of the NCAA requirement that Division I institutions that do not play football sponsor a minimum of 14 sports. The University is currently sponsoring nine sports.

And that number is pretty generous... it's really six with eight squads- baseball, basketball ((men's and women's)), golf, swimming and diving, tennis ((men's and women's)), and volleyball.

Here's how our friends at WWL-TV looked at the initial idea of dropping to D3.
Bigad Shaban caught up with some folks who were understandably disappointed...


The HQ still doesn't know how the Privateers are going to add three sports to get to the D3 mandated 9. The plan is to elevate the football, softball, and soccer club teams. But the school gets four years to figure out the financing.

WWL's Scott Cody took a look at football on campus during the season past...


The HQ sends its support to UNO, but we're still thinking the long-term prospects are pretty bleak. Support UNO athletes here at their Athletic Foundation website...

They need it...

UNO Vote Underway

((HT: New Orleans Times-Picayune/Pierce W. Huff))

Today through Thursday students will vote online whether to accept an increase in athletic fees that is almost double what they pay now. If the majority of students vote for the increase, which will take effect in the 2009-2010 school term, UNO athletics will remain status quo.

If the majority of students vote against the increase or fewer than 1,050 students participate in the voting, then the program faces an uncertain future.

According to Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Wright Waters, UNO is breaking new ground.

"I've heard of universities putting athletic fee increases to a vote of the students before," Waters said. "Florida International recently did it to approve starting a football program. North Texas did it to approve a new stadium. It's usually dedicated money to help supplement a new entity. I've never heard of it in this kind of situation before."
UNO Athletic Director Jim Miller said he has never before heard of a university placing so much of the future of its athletic funding in the hands of its students.

"When students go in front of their computer to vote they have to ask themselves if the value that the athletic program delivers to the university is important to them," Miller said.

Ron Maestri, UNO's athletic director from 1979 to 2000, said he thinks the student vote is "ridiculous," because the Privateers' student athletic fee has never been adequate in terms of keeping up with the athletic fees of the other universities in the Sun Belt Conference.

"I would hope that (the students) look at what athletics has done for the university," he said.

Miller said he thinks that students will support the athletic program.

"You're nervous anytime there is some kind of uncertainty, but I'm confident in the points we've been making and the value of our athletic program," he said.

Last year, student athletic fees contributed $1.9 million to the athletic department's $4 million budget. The budget is expected to increase to about $4.6 million next year. The athletic program got $1.4 million in funding from the university last year. Because of looming budget cuts, that money won't be allocated next school year. So the athletic program will ask students to make up the difference.

Miller has had UNO athletes go on a major push for votes in the past few days.

He has urged all athletes not only to vote for the increase, but to try to get other people on campus to vote for it as well. He scheduled a meeting with students Monday afternoon to reiterate the pros of the athletic fee increase.

"I'm 100 percent salesman," he said. "We've all had to put our salesmen's hats on. Some say that we're selling our survival, but the fact is that we have a Division I program that generates positive exposure and marketing that you can't buy on your own."
UNO pitcher Jim McGonigle said he isn't worried about the vote.

"I'm pretty confident that our student body will come through for us," he said. "I've talked to people, and they are willing to help us."

But there is a group of UNO students who aren't in favor of an athletic fee increase.

Sandra Casto, a senior business major, said she won't vote for the athletic fee increase because she feels more money should be spent on academic programs.

Freshman Duc Nguyen said he will vote for the increase, but he doesn't think the vote will pass.

"I don't think people care about athletics, because it's not as popular," Nguyen said.

Justin Cottrell, the president of the student government association, said he doesn't have any idea about the vote's final outcome.

"I've heard extremes from both sides of the issue," Cottrell said.

Cottrell made amendments to the original proposal from the UNO athletic department asking for a student vote to increase athletic fees.

Last week, the student government senators approved an amendment to the athletic fee vote that places a cap on the increase not to exceed $195.96 for undergraduate students and $146.97 for graduate students.

The student government senators also approved an amendment by Cottrell to the athletic proposal that it must have a minimum of 1,050 votes to be official. Cottrell felt that was a reasonable amount of votes needed to show students have been paying attention to the issue.

"I think the number of voters is going to be more than enough," he said. "I'm expecting between 2,500 and 3,000 people to vote."

Miller said he expects a large number of voters as well.

"If you're going to have a Division I program, you have to support it," Miller said.