Athletes’ last stand

by BLAIR EDWARDS
Charlatan Staff

Representatives from four teams whose varsity status is threatened will make presentations to Carleton University’s athletics board in a plea to reject a report tabled this January.
The controversial report suggests Carleton University should drop the football program and take away varsity status from the men’s rugby, women’s field hockey, women’s rowing and women’s volleyball teams beginning next school year.
The 11-member board will hear presentations from each of the affected teams, Feb. 19. The discussion will be closed but team presentations are open to the public.
“The president has asked the athletics board to hear presentations and to report on what they hear,” says Drew Love, director of physical recreation and athletics.
Previously, written submissions were considered by the board on Feb. 12.
“The athletic board is trying. . . to get info they might not have presented in their written submissions.”
Love says the meeting is the last opportunity for board members to solicit information from the public.
It will also be a last attempt for sports to state their case after a Carleton University Students’ Association referendum question asking students if they would agree to pay more in athletics fees – presumably to save teams slated for closure or demotion – was rejected 1,624 votes to 845 on Feb. 9 and 10.
The football team will be represented at the meeting by Kevin McKerrow, president of the Old Crow Society.
McKerrow says alumni support and greater corporate sponsorship are needed to save football.
“There is a need for the university to side with the athletic board in seeking corporate sponsorship,” says McKerrow.
But Tarek Rafaat, head coach of women’s swimming, says Carleton should fund only cost-effective sports.
“You could fund 14 sports with 206 athletes at the same cost as (funding) 10 sports with 112 athletes (as suggested by Love’s athletics report).”
Rafaat also wants the board to consider a petition to save the swim team.
“We got more signatures on our petition – 4,337 – than (the number of students) who voted on the referendum,” says Rafaat. He says the referendum should have been team-specific.
The referendum question read: “Do you support a $11.31 increase to the Carleton Athletics fee to a total of $150 per full-time student, pro-rated for part-time students?”
“The question could have been worded differently, students should have been given options,” says Rafaat. He says students should have been asked which sports they support.
Drew Love agrees.
“There were no specifics to save football or any other program,” says Love.
“Students clearly didn’t want to spend more money on an ancillary fee to athletics.”