UH asks Legislature for $3.5 million for athletics
STAR-ADVERTISER/ OCT. 27, 2015
Randolph Moore, Board of Regents chairman (left), David Lassner, University of Hawaii president,(center) and Robert Bley-Vroman, UH Manoa chancellor (right), testify at a Legislative briefing at the state Capitol in October.
FERD LEWIS / FLEWIS@STARADVERTISER.COM
UH Pres. David Lassner asking legislators for $3 mil. for Manoa athletics ($560,000 for Hilo).
University of Hawaii president David Lassner is asking the State Legislature to provide $3.56 million in supplemental funding to the school’s athletic programs this session.
In a briefing before members of the Senate’s Ways and Means Committee and House Finance Committee at the Capitol today, Lassner said he is seeking $3 million for Manoa and $560,000 for Hilo.
They are same amounts UH had unsuccessfully sought from Gov. David Ige. Ige last month sent his executive supplemental budget to the legislature without the money.
The Legislative session opens Jan. 20.
Manoa expects to operate at a $4.8 million deficit for the current fiscal year that ends June 30, 2016.
Just 24 of 230 Division I athletic programs met the NCAA’s self-sufficiency benchmarks in 2014, according to a USA Today survey.
Athletic director David Matlin has said UH has $5.2 million in “unique” costs due to its geography and other factors.
21 responses to “UH asks Legislature for $3.5 million for athletics”
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH
How about…..NO!!!?
Money needs to be invested in education NOT sports.
Gov’ nor already said NO!
Gov investing in the homeless from the mainland and hundreds of millions in fixed rail. How do those projects bring money into the State. UH Athletics based on the independent study from the Shidler School of Business brings in money from fans and families of visiting schools.
So why doesn’t the travel industry contribute something. I heard they killed it again this year.
When daddy says “No.” ask mommy.
Millennial mommy has several daddy’s in this new age.
How dare they ask,…………what part of NO don’t they understand?
Ask again! If they say No, ask again! If they still say no, start name ng names of people who have jobs because of insider hiring. Start talking about non bid contractors that are associated with these politicians. Come into the room ready to have some real dialogue!
UH got beer in the ear? Just like how my puppies continue to wag their tails even when I say NO.
Give it to them. We can spend Billions of dollars on fixed rail, so why not? $3 – $4 million is “loose change”!
I agree but with all businesses, gotta clean house first. There are some sports that just drain the athletic budget. The non-spectator sports that travels and competes with other schools should be reduced almost completely. Only if that sport can be competitive should they be allowed to travel. Else, stay home and save a bunch of money.
The state needs to recognize that UH has successful men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball programs and new and promising leadership in the football program. Sometimes you have to prime the pump if you want water and it is time to prime the pump.
What Lassner should be asking for is an increase in UH’s overall General Fund appropriation, which has sunk to historical lows as a percentage of total State appropriations. If UH’s share of General Fund revenues were even restored to the 2010 level, the university would have ample funds to cover the athletic deficit, the Cancer Center deficit, and other pressing priorities. In an improving economy in which State tax collections are showing healthy growth, it’s shortsighted to keep diverting public investment away from our flagship educational and research institution. Look at any area of the country enjoying rapid economic expansion and a high level of knowledge industry job creation and you will find one or more strong research universities fueling the boom.
keep asking
UH will keep on asking even if they don’t deserve it.
It doesnt hurt to ask but lucky if you get 1 million. Make money the old fashioned way…earn it.
New fashioned is to don those new knee pads, and start begging.
They got to do it every session.Keep bugging these politicians.
I’m surprised that Hawaii still has low hanging fruit of the state’s budget balance. Rail. Homeless. Refugees. Now this. Bottomless budget?
time to root out the degree programs within the u.h. system that serve up one or two graduates a year. time to rescind tenure of professors long out of touch, so out of touch that they have their assistants run class lectures and exams. by eliminating fringe degree programs and releasing tenured professors back into the wilds of real life the u.h. might see relief from an ever growing debt.
We will give rail extra to the tune of billions yet we won’t fund UH Athletics? Aloha Stadium and the state cashed in during the June Jones years, but we can’t carry the program while they rebuild?