PSA

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  I try to keep this blog circumspect, politically neutral, unbiased, slow to respond to current events, somewhat irrelevant, and lazy like Sunday morning. But considering the current developments surrounding the proposal to ditch the Ski Team, I think it's appropriate today to use this website as a bulletin board, to post this notice and this request:

The Board of Regents are scheduled to hear public testimony on Monday, August 31.  If you would be willing to call in and give your opinion, it would really make an impact. The phone number is (866) 831-8713. Regents will hear public testimony from 4-6pm, Alaska time. I think to get into the queue, you would need to start trying to call in between 3 and 3:30 or so.  Explicit instructions for how you can get in on the action can be found AT THIS LINK.

The points we are trying to make are the following: 1) The Ski Team has a solution. 2) The solution we are proposing saves UA millions of dollars. 3) The Ski Team produces community leaders, drives local employment, boosts enrollment, serves the University mission, and diversifies the student body. These are the main points that need to be woven into your 2 minute personal statement. You only get two minutes so you'll want to be on point and focused.

So maybe at this point you're wondering what is the solution that we are proposing?  Please read below to find out.  I have cut and pasted the letter that Sparky has submitted to the Board of Regents, outlining our proposal.

Sparky

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Dear UA Board of Regents,

I am writing today to present an idea and a solution. The most apparent solution is to

redistribute the total 7.2 million dollar cut handed to UAA as part of the pact made with the

governor. As regents, I understand you have a difficult task, but if UAA’s total budget reduction

were 5 million dollars instead of 7.2, there would be a compelling argument to keep all four

sports facing elimination. That move would additionally save UAF resources with collaboration

between the two institution’s ski and hockey programs. If a reduction in UAA’s share of cuts

isn’t possible, UAA’s best fiscal option for maintaining a healthy and thriving athletic

department is to retain NCAA Skiing.

By keeping the ski team at UAA now, athletics will realize exponentially more savings well into

the future. The recommendation to eliminate four sports drop UAA below the NCAA required

ten sport minimum and knocks the department out of compliance. This prohibits teams from

competing at a championship. UAA can ask the NCAA for a temporary waiver which may or may

not be granted, and even with a waiver, UAA will need to add another sport in the immediate

future. Skiing is easily the least expensive moving forward, and arguably adds revenue with

enrollment, and value as an advertising and marketing tool.

Skiing, as a demonstrated success story and deeply rooted in our Alaskan and Anchorage

community, is by far the best economic choice. The ski team can run leaner, travel fewer

athletes, attract the maximum number of walk-ons, boost enrollment, and has the ability to

match gender equity and Title IX ratios.

Sports proposed to be added other than skiing include Men’s Volleyball, Lacrosse, and Soccer.

Men’s Volleyball isn’t offered in Alaskan high schools and is more expensive than skiing.

Lacrosse, also not offered in Alaskan high schools, requires large numbers and a field which

UAA doesn’t yet have. Soccer, also lacking a facility and needing large numbers to compete on a

collegiate level, is a very expensive sport to maintain. Of these, only soccer is a GNAC sport. No

conference hosting lacrosse or men’s volleyball will be inclined to allow UAA to join because of

the extremely high cost of travel to Alaska. This leaves Soccer, an incredibly expensive and

therefore unrealistic option. We need to work to keep Skiing at UAA. We have a plan.

The university can and should propose new legislation from the NCAA Division II membership

council. NCAA legislation is continually reviewed as an annual occurance, and new legislation,

amendments, or exceptions are common. There is precedent, in the states of Alaska and

Hawaii, of permanent legislative exceptions because of our unique geographic challenges. For

example, bylaws listed under 17.30 on page 273 of the Division II Manual directly address

“Exceptions for Member Institutions Located in Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.” This is

possible and needs to be explored. This proposal keeps skiing, one of the UAA’s greatest

success stories. Every other option is not consistent with our state, university, or community.

Our proposed legislative changes have a strong argument. This path will help our frontier state

navigate these uncertain times and allow our institution to better fit into our unique heritage,

geographic location, and deeply rooted cultures.

Current NCAA legislation in the 2020-21 NCAA Division II Manual is as follows:

20.10.3 Sports Sponsorship. A member of Division II shall sponsor in Division II a minimum of:

(Adopted: 1/14/02 effective 8/1/05 for those institutions that are Division II active or provisional members as of 8/1/01; immediately for any institution applying for provisional membership or declaring its intent to reclassify to Division II on or after 1/14/02)

(a) Five Men's and Five Women's Varsity Sports. Five varsity intercollegiate sports, including at least two team sports, based on the minimum requirements of Bylaw 20.10.3.3 and involving all-male teams or mixed teams of males and females; and five varsity intercollegiate sports, including at least two team sports, based on the minimum requirements of Bylaw 20.10.3.3 and involving all-female teams; (Revised: 7/23/13)

(b) Four Men's and Six Women's Varsity Sports. Four varsity intercollegiate sports, including at least two team sports, based on the minimum requirement of Bylaw 20.10.3.3 and involving all-male teams or mixed teams of males and females; and six varsity intercollegiate sports, including at least two team sports, based on the minimum requirements of Bylaw 20.10.3.3 and involving all-female teams; or (Revised: 7/23/13)

(c) Single-Gender Programs. Institutions that sponsor and conduct athletics programs for only one gender must sponsor a minimum of five varsity intercollegiate sports, including at least two team sports, based on the minimum requirements of Bylaw 20.10.3.3, for that gender. (Revised: 7/23/13)

Proposed legislation:

20.10.3 Sports Sponsorship. A member of Division II shall sponsor in Division II a minimum of:

(Adopted: 1/14/02 effective 8/1/05 for those institutions that are Division II active or provisional members as of 8/1/01; immediately for any institution applying for provisional membership or declaring its intent to reclassify to Division II on or after 1/14/02)

Five Men's and Five Women's Varsity Sports. Five varsity intercollegiate sports, including at least two team sports, based on the minimum requirements of Bylaw 20.10.3.3 and involving all-male teams or mixed teams of males and females; and five varsity intercollegiate sports, including at least two team sports, based on the minimum requirements of Bylaw 20.10.3.3 and involving all-female teams; (Revised: 7/23/13)

Member institutions located in Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, may use one individual sport in place of one of the four team sports required to satisfy the minimum 10 sport sponsorship. 20.10.3

(b) Four Men's and Six Women's Varsity Sports. Four varsity intercollegiate sports, including at least two team sports, based on the minimum requirement of Bylaw 20.10.3.3 and involving all-male teams or mixed teams of males and females; and six varsity intercollegiate sports, including at least two team sports, based on the minimum requirements of Bylaw 20.10.3.3 and involving all-female teams; or (Revised: 7/23/13)

Member institutions located in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico, may use one individual sport in place of one of the four team sports required to satisfy the minimum 10 sport sponsorship 20.10.3

(c) Single-Gender Programs. Institutions that sponsor and conduct athletics programs for only one gender must sponsor a minimum of five varsity intercollegiate sports, including at least two team sports, based on the minimum requirements of Bylaw 20.10.3.3, for that gender. (Revised: 7/23/13)

By keeping skiing, a sport that operates leaner and has the ability to adapt as needed for Title IX

compliance, you are poised to save millions of critical dollars for the university over the next

decade. Operating budgets for a team sport like soccer or hockey often run into the millions

annually. The University of Colorado’s NCAA soccer budget is 1.7 million dollars without having

to fly to and from Alaska. Skiing operates for a fraction of that. Using these figures, keeping the

historic UAA ski team in place of soccer will save the university 12 million dollars over the next

decade. Please vote to reject UAA’s proposal to cut the ski team. The ski team is part of the

solution. Allow the Seawolves Ski Team to help foster UAA’s recovery and move our university

into a brighter future.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,

Sparky Anderson

Head Ski Coach

University of Alaska, Anchorage

1.907.350.9718

sparky@alaska.edu