The University of Alaska Anchorage proposal to discontinue hockey, gymnastics, and men’s and women’s skiing after the 2020/21 season is a flawed plan. The proposal has too many unknowns; it is a poor and irresponsible long-term fiscal solution and could jeopardize the future for all UAA sports.
Starting with the 2021/22 season, UAA will only have nine sports, one below the NCAA requirement. UAA’s plan is to request a two-year waiver. This waiver may or may not be granted. If granted, it would only be temporary. UAA would then have to launch a men’s sports team, and the challenges and resources required are many.
According to UAA, men’s soccer, volleyball or lacrosse are three sports being considered. Men’s volleyball and lacrosse are not Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) sports, and it is highly unlikely any other conference will want a UAA men’s volleyball or lacrosse team as part of its conference due to high travel cost to away games in Alaska. This has been one of the main challenges for the UAA hockey team for years. That leaves men’s soccer as the most viable option, and UAA doesn’t even have the proper facilities. Looking at budgets for Division II men’s soccer team around the country, it would probably require an annual budget of about $1.5 million for UAA to sponsor a men’s soccer team when you factor in the travel cost for an entire soccer team and staff for away games out of state.
This is all based on the assumption the other GNAC member institutions would even say yes to a UAA men’s soccer team. Eliminating hockey, gymnastics and skiing will save $2.5 million starting in 2021/22, but then UAA could need $1.5 million added back to its budget in perpetuity just a few years later to complete its plan. That makes no sense. How can the Board of Regents accept UAA’s proposal when they don’t even know what the budget impact would be in just a few years? Also, what would it mean for the University of Alaska Fairbanks ski and hockey teams if UAA no longer sponsored these two sports? This must also be considered.
The Board of Regents have the responsibility of making the best long-term decision for the university. They must and should reject UAA’s proposal.
Morton Kjerland
Former member, UAA ski team
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