Context: I was alerted to the fact that a controversy rages about possible cuts to UBC’s sports programmes.

Hopefully we have some readers who can bring clarity to the issue:

Stephan Toope, UBC President says maintaining 29 Thunderbird varsity sports teams to serve 55,000 students is simply not sustainable under the current or projected budget.

University of Washington has 19 varsity teams on a campus with 42,000 students. Simon Fraser University has 17 varsity teams with a population of 35,000 students.

“Let me be clear,” Toope said. “This review is vital to the future health of UBC athletics. The university simply cannot maintain excellence for 29 varsity teams in the future on our current and projected budget.”

Addressing charges that there hasn’t been enough transparency in the decision-making process, Toope denied that “the fix is in.”

“I cannot emphasize strongly enough that no decisions have been made, either as to how many sports may remain at the varsity level, nor as to which sports will be at the varsity level.”

Dr. Derek Swain of the Save UBC Varsity Sports Committee, said those most affected by the review, coaches and athletes, have been left out of the process.

Thanks to the Vancouver Sun