Despite an impending five to 15 percent cut in the athletic department's budget next year, no varsity teams will be eliminated, according to Athletic Director Josie Harper.
"Varsity teams will not be cut. [College] President [Jim] Wright has told us that all varsity teams will stay intact, and will not be cut," Harper said.
Jim Wilson, who is in his third year as head coach of both the men's and women's swimming and diving teams, said he could not be happier about Wright's sentiment.
"In November 2002, our swimming teams were cut just after we had won meet against big schools," he said. "After hearing about potential changes in the athletic department, I was obviously worried our swimming teams would be cut. It happened before, so it could've happen again."
In November 2002, Dartmouth decided that it needed to cut varsity athletic programs, and the swimming and diving teams was eliminated. Parents and students, however, rallied against the program's dissolution. Just 45 days after the teams had been cut, the administration reversed its decision and reinstated the swimming and diving teams.
"We were fortunate to be re-instated," Wilson said. "Most teams, after they are cut, never come back."
This time around, the swimming and diving teams are thankful they are still on the Dartmouth sports radar, but are cognizant of the College's the financial restrictions, Wilson said.
"We've definitely felt the pinch, especially with travel, but everything has been do-able," he said. "Our endowment is down 18 percent, but that is nothing compared to other schools who have been hurt a lot more."
As the College faces a shrinking operating budget for the next fiscal year, the Dartmouth athletic department must scale back and assess its priorities, picking and choosing where to make cuts and where to maintain funding.
"We're not any different from other institutions," Harper said. "The College is looking to trim costs all around. We rely heavily on soft money and endowments, and those have been significantly down."
Harper said the cuts will be discussed when the administration meets with the Board of Trustees this weekend.
Dartmouth is looking at a variety of scenarios to present to the trustees.
All the scenarios submitted will look to cut costs, but attempt to limit the effect on Dartmouth athletics, Harper said.
"Athletic directors have been on the phone to see about League-wide cost cutting," she said. "The League itself is looking to cut down costs all around to level the playing field."
