Dear Men’s Swimming and Diving Alumni Task Force:
Gentlemen, I greatly appreciate the opportunity for Paul Buskirk, Richard
Konzem, Pat Warren and me to meet with you about the discontinuation of the
Men’s Swimming and Diving program. The highly professional manner in which
you approached the meeting allowed for a good exchange of ideas.
As we discussed last week, the athletics department is required to operate
with a balanced budget. Continuing to support 20 sport programs will result
in a deficit of $688,391 next year growing to $2,383,855 in 2003-04.
It was my sense that, after the discussion, you had a much better
understanding of the serious nature of KUAC’s financial situation. Clearly,
I realized the depth of emotion you feel and the passion you have for the
Kansas program as well as for the sport, regionally and nationally.
Each one of us has tremendous respect for the pride and loyalty you have for
the Jayhawk Swimming and Diving program and I greatly admire your offer to
help raise funds in an effort to save the sport. Your sincerity is
unquestioned.
Directly to the point, our group met subsequent to our Monday meeting and
then Pat Warren and I consulted with Chancellor Hemenway on Thursday and
Friday in San Antonio. It is our strong belief that the only way that we
could responsibly consider reinstating the men’s swimming and diving program
would be if your group could:
1. Raise $740,000 by June 30 of this year. This amount reflects the
$840,000 total cost of operating the program for the next two years less the
athletic department’s commitment to student-athletes and coaches currently
in the program.
2. Obtain solid pledges for an additional $1.36 million that will allow the
program to operate from 2003 to 2006. This also reflects the difference
between the total projected cost of operating the program during this period
less the department’s commitment to student-athletes who may choose to
complete their education at KU.
3. Work closely with the department to create a $10 million endowment that
would be in place no later than June 30, 2006.
All of the fund raising goals above must be met without reducing existing
commitments to either the University or the Williams Educational Fund.
This plan will provide both the short-term funds needed to continue a
competitive program and ensure financial resources exist to maintain the
program in future years. I do not want to conduct a program that cannot
enjoy the level of competitive success that each one of you experienced as a
Jayhawk.
The long-term effort to endow the program may be our most reasonable option.
If you could secure $10 million in endowed funds by June 30, 2006 or at any
time prior to that date, we would reinstate the program.
I am willing to discuss this with you at your convenience. I know that this
is a difficult issue for everyone, but these are difficult times in
intercollegiate athletics and I hope you understand. In order to avoid
raising any false hope, I would appreciate a response from your group in the
next week to ten days.
Sincerely,
Bob Frederick
Athletics Director
