Sports

Wheaton College Announces Athletics Funding Decisions

Wheaton College announced the reinstatement of the operating budgets for women's golf, men's golf, men's tennis, and men's indoor track.

Wheaton College officials have announced funding decisions for varsity programs in response to the College's Athletics Task Force recommendations. The Task Force was assembled following announcements last March regarding the discontinuation of five varsity intercollegiate sports.

President Philip Ryken accepted the recommendations, which include the reinstatement of operating budgets for women’s golf, men’s golf, men’s tennis, and men’s indoor track. Funding for these programs will again be part of Wheaton’s Athletics budget. Starting with the 2014-2015 school year, women’s water polo will transition from a varsity sport to a club sport.

The College will also develop and implement a long-term strategic fundraising plan for Athletics programs and consider adding varsity women’s lacrosse.

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“I am very grateful to the Athletics Task Force members for their service to Wheaton College,” said Paul Chelsen, Vice President for Student Development. Chelsen led the Task Force, along with Athletics Director Dr. Tony Ladd. “I am also confident that the Athletics Task Force accomplished its goal of creating an open and transparent process to receive and consider the feedback from College constituencies when making its recommendations in response to complex questions,” Chelsen said.

Last March, following a significant budget evaluation, Wheaton College announced the discontinuation of men’s and women’s golf, men’s tennis, men’s indoor track, and women’s water polo. A group of supporters decided to fund men’s and women’s golf, men’s tennis, and women’s water polo, and those sports were reinstated through the 2013-2014 school year.

From September 2010 through April 2011, Wheaton’s Athletic Task Force met monthly to discuss ways to balance the Athletics budget while also considering issues such as the high value that participation in athletics brings to campus life; funding comparisons with other Division III and College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) schools; sustainability issues; gender-equity expectations; and levels of funding and support between athletic programs on campus.

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The Athletics Task Force included representatives from Admissions, Advancement, Athletic coaches and administration, Alumni Board, Business and Finance administration, Faculty, Student Government, and Parents Council.

Wheaton College continues to offer baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s swimming, women’s tennis, men’s and women’s outdoor track, women’s indoor track, volleyball and wrestling, in addition to the four sports that have been recommended for reinstatement.

 

 

 

 


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