UNC-Wilmington’s top leader has officially announced the end of the university’s track and field and men’s cross-country programs.
“It is not an easy decision,” UNCW Interim Chancellor Dr. William Sederburg said in a statement released today. “However, I am convinced that the good of the entire athletic program needs to take precedent over the interest of specific sports. UNCW must provide a quality program for our athletes and coaches. This decision is part of that effort.”
Sederburg said his decision came down to an overall attempt at “right-sizing” the university’s athletic portfolio. Athletic Director Jimmy Bass submitted his proposal to “right-size” the program in a report issued to campus officials in early December.
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Included in Bass’ report was a recommendation to cut outdoor track and field programs, as well as men’s cross-country and women’s indoor track and field. Sederburg said Friday he stands by that recommendation.
“I support the Athletic Director in the leadership he has shown in building a strong Seahawk program,” he said. “I ask that the larger UNCW community join him in building the Seahawk reputation by providing our student-athletes with the support they deserve.”
Sederburg acknowledged that advocates of track and field have made a “spirited and heroic” effort to raise money to keep the program alive. Since announcing the cuts in December, athletes, parents and community leaders have responded with protest, meetings with campus officials and fundraising campaigns that resulted in about $143,000 in one-time contributions and another $20,200 for a multi-year commitment.
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“Fixing the issue of athletic funding at UNCW requires a three-step process,” Sederburg wrote in his statement. “The first step is to provide some increase in student fees to ensure athletics does not go backward in its funding base. The second is to right-size the program to fit the resources available. The third is a vigorous effort to increase private fundraising.”
And, Sederburg added, the plan to increase private contributions has been addressed with “significant gifts” made toward the baseball, softball and swimming swimming programs.
Sederburg and UNCW’s Board of Trustees have recommended a fee increases of $28 per student next year and $42 per student in 2017 to help boost the athletic department. The University of North Carolina Board of Governors is considering that recommendation at its February meeting.
“Unfortunately, as I analyze the situation, UNCW would need an endowment of at least $6 million to fund a track program at its present inadequate level and closer to $10 million for a decently funded program,” he said. “The way athletic funding is structured at UNCW is an institutional obligation that needs to be addressed with ongoing, reliable funds.”
The track and related facilities are in “desperate need” of a complete overhaul, Sederburg noted, which would require a major investment from UNCW.
“UNCW cannot host championship track and field competition because of the poor condition of the track complex,” he said.
Sederburg said he remained concerned about the impact this elimination would have on the 34 minority student-athletes on the track and field teams, acknowledging that “UNCW is not as diverse as it should be.”
“There is no way around the fact that this decision does not help increase the number of minority students at UNCW. However, I conclude that administrative decisions cannot be made based on the racial composition of teams or academic programs,” he said. “Moreover, diversity is not an athletics issue; it is an issue for the university as a whole. We expect the dialogue about campus diversity to continue and we are eager to welcome our new Chief Diversity Officer this spring.”
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UNCW will continue to honor scholarship commitments to the affected student-athletes through their scheduled graduation dates, Sederburg said, as well as those who have already signed letters of intent to attend UNCW next year. Coaches and staff will be kept on the payroll until this summer.
“After all, the primary purpose of a university is to educate students,” he said. “We will continue to be supportive to our students and coaches during this transitional period.”
