Soccer, swim teams on hiatus

By Tom Uribes
University Relations

A valiant effort by boosters and student-athletes -- in partnership with the university -- fell short last month of a goal to secure guaranteed funding for the Bulldogs soccer and swimming programs for now at Fresno State.

But as a result of the booster's efforts in nearly reaching the goal, the university is placing the programs on a one-year hiatus -- rather than terminating the programs completely.

That will allow the boosters the opportunity to keep building on those efforts to raise the guaranteed funds needed, said Dr. Paul Oliaro, vice president for student affairs and dean of students who serves as chairman of the Athletic Corporation board.

University officials and boosters jointly announce that $1.6 million was pledged during the eight-month campaign to raise the $2.05 million guarantee that was needed to support the programs' annual operating budgets for a rolling four-year period.

However, a total of $1.2 million of that $2.05 million could be guaranteed by boosters -- leaving too wide a gap, $800,000, to allow the programs to continue normally for next year, said Oliaro.

Randall Smith of the Valley Soccer Foundation and Diane Anderson, swimming fundraising coordinator, reported this morning to the Athletic Corporation that the goal for the guarantees needed is not attainable at this time.

"We are disappointed that we could not overcome this challenge at this time and we wish to thank the community for its support of our efforts during this campaign," Smith said. "However, our job is not complete. We will continue to work for the revival of these important programs. The support we encountered showed that it can be done."

Oliaro said the university is committed to working with community supporters of the programs. "We want very much for the programs to continue at Fresno State but, as stewards of a public institution, we must ensure that they are properly funded," Oliaro said. "This $800,000 gap will be a tough hurdle to overcome but we will have to overcome it if we want the programs to continue with adequate funding. We are willing to keep working with them on this."

Fresno State Athletics Director Scott Johnson said, "This was a difficult action to take. We are grateful to all those who worked so hard to maintain the funding for these two sports for this year.

"As I said before, we did not want to cut sports programs, but after extensive review and implementing other cost-saving measures the past two years, we have exhausted our options," Johnson said. "We could not continue to sacrifice the quality of our programs by further watering them down."

Johnson said these cuts are extremely painful but he has been encouraged by the discussions with the boosters and the plan to hold off for a year.

"I feel that this moratorium leaves the door open to reinstate the programs in the future," he said.