Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi said there are no plans to cut any of Minnesota’s 25 men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports for 2012-13, despite an anticipated extra $450,000 his department will pay athletes on full scholarships.
The Big Ten Conference is expected to follow an NCAA initiative made this fall that will increase grants by up to $2,000 each to athletes to more closely cover the cost of attending college. Maturi said the change will impact approximately 225 Gophers athletes on full scholarships. (It’s presumed that all ─ or at least most ─ Big Ten schools will give each qualifying athlete the full $2,000, rather than put themselves at a competitive recruiting disadvantage against other major conference programs).
There are no large revenue increases anticipated at Minnesota to offset the $450,000 but eliminating sports isn’t Maturi’s intent. Instead, he will look at various ways to address the budget including sometimes not giving staff pay raises.
There has long been empathy for college athletes who come from financially needy backgrounds and find that scholarships providing tuition, fees, room, board and books aren’t enough to meet their needs. Maturi and others question providing the extra $2,000 to all athletes.
“I am not opposed to giving those that really have a need some spending money,” he said. “But if Joel Maturi’s son or daughter is on a full scholarship, quite frankly, they don’t need the extra $2,000. I make enough money. If they don’t work I can get them the pizza money, whatever it might be.”
Financially needy athletes already receive Pell Grant money that can provide over $5,000 annually. Maturi said those receiving that grant money will also get the $2,000.
With the $2,000 being given to athletes, will that lessen the alleged illegal paying of college players at some schools? “No, not a bit,” Maturi said. “Not in my mind.”