The lamentable condition of the American economy is affecting Pepperdine in a way administrators had long hoped to prevent. The announcement Friday Feb. 27 that two Division 1 sports teams will be cut next year was a punch in the gut of the Pepperdine family.
Though these cuts to Pepperdine athletics are part of university-wide budget reductions the loss of the men’s track and women’s swimming and diving teams is especially visible and painful to the student body. It is now clear that student life at Pepperdine is not outside the reaches of the economy.
The university had valid reasons for deciding to terminate the men’s track and women’s swimming and diving programs. Before eliminating something as vital and influential to Pepperdine’s image and lifestyle as Division I sports the university carefully considered all of its options.
The university’s decision was not taken lightly. It was a matter of priorities and a complicated balance of pros and cons. Though all of Pepperdine’s athletes are talented and each team contributes to the reputation of the university the budget necessitated cutbacks in this sector of the university.
Title IX requires that one team of each gender be cut. Of the four teams not in the West Coast Conference it would have been a poor choice to cut men’s volleyball or men’s water polo Pepperdine’s most highly decorated teams. Men’s track and women’s swimming were the only options that remained.
Despite the sorrow of losing these teams Pepperdine students should be grateful for what they still posses in a time when other schools are being forced to cut entire academic divisions. Even prestigious schools like Harvard are seeing their endowments drop by billions of dollars according to Tufts Daily.
Southeastern University a private college in Southwest D.C. “is on the verge of losing its accreditation and has been asked to facilitate the transfer of existing students to other schools according to the Washington Business Journal.
These universities and others are facing even worse fiscal crises than Pepperdine. At Pepperdine, 63 staff members were laid off at the same time as the elimination of the sports teams, but no majors or academic divisions have been cut.
Even so, the loss of the teams is unsettling. Especially at a university where school spirit is already lacking, it seems counterproductive to cut two athletic teams, regardless of their size or notoriety. One potential message this sends is that, since many people are apathetic to Pepperdine athletics, it is acceptable to cut teams. This is a dangerous suggestion that may contribute to the deterioration of pride in Pepperdine athletics.
Imagine being an athlete on the swimming and diving or men’s track teams. Many students who arrived in Malibu anticipating four years of competition are transferring to other schools. What about the incoming freshman class of athletes who recently signed to compete for Pepperdine? Some of those students will transfer out of the university before they have even enrolled. However, it was not the administration’s intention to alienate current and future students.
Yet, the univeristy’s approach triggered resentment among members of the-soon-to-be-gone athletic squads regarding the announcement of the two teams’ termination. Men’s Track Head Coach Robert Radnoti informed his athletes in person but, according to Director of Athletics John Watson, members of the women’s swimming and diving team were sent an e-mail alerting them of the cuts the day before spring break.
Though the e-mail was apologetic, its candor and poor timing was impersonal, leaving athletes feeling rejected and disregarded. The university should have put forth more effort in explaining the situation to the athletes in the form of a meeting and an e-mail from President Benton.
The extent of the economy’s troubles meant that it was only a matter of time before the negative effects were felt at Pepperdine. Though every single division and organization on campus has eliminated costs to salvage the budgets, the high visibility of the athletic cuts make the issue especially painful. This is perhaps the first instance in which the student body is fully aware of the extent of the financial difficulties.
Since the economy has yet to show any improvement, there are no guarantees that Pepperdine has seen the last of drastic money-saving measures. If anything positive can be taken from these unfortunate circumstances, it should be the recognition that Pepperdine remains relatively safe and well rounded despite the recession.
Students should take advantage of and be more involved with Pepperdine’s athletic teams and other extracurricular opportunities. Sadly, there are no guarantees that they will be around in the future. Therefore, while the Pepperdine family awaits the economy’s next move, it should appreciate the sports teams that remain with much more fervor than it has in recent years.