University of Florida Eliminates Computer Science Department, Increases Athletic Budgets

[d_r]

19. because it is a different pile of money

a different budget.

The UF athletic department is totally self-sufficient. It is one of the few athletic departments that is making a profit, and generally questions of "why should the athletic dept. be getting money when academic departments are not?" are valid questions, but in this case not really.

The athletic department at UF brings in more money that it spends. It is one of the few universities were the direction of pay goes from the athletic dept. to the university - they are generating money.

This is latest data form 09/10:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ncaa-finances.htm?loc=interstitialskip

The athletic dept. brought in $117 million and spent $105 million. They brought in $12 million to the university, the university funded the ath. dept. 0.

Just because the athletic department has a budget that is increasing doesn't mean that it is money out of the academic dept's budget. At most universities it would be because the the athletic dept. isn't turning a profit, but at uf they are. So in this case it is not a valid argument. Again, though, I'm not advocating or supporting how the cuts were made, just trying to think about and understand the rationale. There's a big difference between understanding and supporting.

ETA: and I think it is a fair question of our culture and values that so many will put money into athletics rather than academics, but people are free to spend their money how they want and they are getting entertained, so there it is.

There's onerous budget cuts to the Florida Universities, and probably the most egregious thing is the cuts to USF while a branch of campus of USF in Lakeland is being invested in to make a full-fledge University as a political favor. That is bringing home fat in times of lean right there.