Pullman - After the sport management program was put on the chopping block during last April's preliminary budget cuts, students, faculty and alumni were able to convince Washington State University administrators to save the program with hopes of moving it to the college of business.
The cut would have affected as many as 300 students and eliminated the program from the only school in the northwest that offers both graduate and undergraduate degrees in sport management.
The news came as a major surprise to the sport management faculty because the program has been in such high demand. Even with the program being as competitive as it is, they only allow 30 students to certify each semester said Dr. Cathryn Claussen, the sport management professor in charge of writing a proposal to the business college. This competition has driven the minimum GPA to nearly 3.0.
According to Claussen, the program is a financial asset as well. The program has drawn students from around the country to enroll at WSU, allowing the school to benefit from the out-of-state tuition costs. The university also benefits from student volunteers. The program requires students to complete practicum hours, many of which are done at university sporting events.
“We received a lot of support from Jim Sterk and the whole athletic department,” said Claussen. “They make use of a lot of our students and have saved an estimated $60,000 in staffing at WSU events last year.”
Not only were these points brought to the minds of university administrators, but students and alumni showed an outpour of support to save the program through various actions. A campus protest was organized on the Glen Terrell Mall, letters were mailed to WSU President Elson Floyd and a 1,100-member Facebook group was created in an effort to show support for the once eliminated program.
On June 15, 2009 all the efforts proved successful when Floyd released the finalized budget plan which included a proposal to move sport management to the college of business.
Even though Floyd and university administrators changed their minds, problems still exist with their new decision.
The college of business has seen 16 percent budget cuts over the past two years and has lost 15 percent of its faculty, causing the college's administration to be weary of adding another financial responsibility.
Associate Dean David Whidbee is hesitant about adding a program in tough economic times, especially one that, in his opinion, is not an ideal fit into a business school.
“For us to maintain our business school accreditation through the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), any program we offer must meet a certain set of standards,” Whidbee said. “In its current form, I'm not sure the spot management program would meet those standards.”
Administrators in the college are worried that sport management students do not receive enough business core classes to be accepted to the college without altering the program's curriculum. Claussen has engaged in talks with Whidbee and others, to try and limit these changes.
“The college of business is working with sport management to try to figure out what makes the most sense for both the sport management program and the College of Business,” Whidbee said. “It will take some time, but I am hopeful we will figure out something that enhances both programs.”
Although the change would be new to WSU students, Claussen said more schools around the country are making the switch to the business colleges.
There is no set deadline for an agreement to be made, but Claussen said she hopes to submit an official proposal sometime in October and wants to have the plan in action by next school year.
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