Why We added teams during the pandemic
By Bradford D. Hurlbut, Director of Athletics, Farleigh Dickinson University
Excerpted from the Star-Ledger. Read Full Article Here
Many athletic departments are asking, “How do we come out of this pandemic in a position of strength?”
The question has most commonly been answered by eliminating athletic programs to save money and quickly fix budget shortfalls caused by the cancelation of the 2020 winter and spring sports championships. In fact, 352 athletic programs have been eliminated, leaving thousands of student-athletes without the opportunity to continue participating competitively in the sport they love. Many of the programs cut are Olympic sports that traditionally generate less external revenue and media exposure for the school.
There is another path that can be taken, and it’s one that we have decided to take at Fairleigh Dickinson University. We are the first NCAA Division I school to add more than one program this academic year. This is the right time to make additions, as long as they are done thoughtfully and aligned with institutional values, priorities and, most importantly, driven by the needs of students.
We considered two very important factors in this decision. The first is the economic reality. How does a school add two athletic programs in the midst of an economic crisis? The truth is the economics aren’t complicated and have proven fruitful for schools that follow this path. Economists such as Andy Schwarz have studied the impact of schools eliminating sports programs and advocates for institutions to look at the full economic impact that a student-athlete brings to a university. We did just that. We’ve determined that having additional students on campus at a tuition rate that exceeds expenses allows for a program to succeed financially. These two sports will be able to achieve that outcome for our university.
“Student-athletes play dynamic roles within the community, graduate at higher rates than the general student body population, are more engaged with their alma maters post-graduation, and develop a skill set that positions them for success off the field.”
Bradford Hurlbut, Director of Athletics
The second factor recognizes the many other benefits of intercollegiate athletics. Studies have shown student-athletes play dynamic roles within the community, graduate at higher rates than the general student body population, are more engaged post-graduation with their alma maters, and develop a skill set that positions them for success off the field. Athletics can further unite a community, develop connections and foster pride in a way that few other activities can. Additionally, NCAA Division I athletics serves as a tremendous branding and marketing tool for an institution and is often referred to as the “front porch of a university,” helping to stimulate interest and inspiration in schools throughout the country. Now more than ever we need these opportunities and pathways for student-athletes and the institutional benefits that intercollegiate athletics provides.
No decision is easy during this pandemic, however, I would challenge those in college athletics and higher education to think about growing during this difficult period and finding ways to offer more athletic opportunities for students, not fewer.