Concerning the cancelled track and field program at Millersville University, the Intelligencer Journal / New Era article “ Critics rally at Millersville University “ reports:
“… an alumnus has offered to donate $300,000 to fund men’s cross country and outdoor track programs over the next several years while alumni look for permanent funding solution.
“[James McCollum, executive director to the university president, Francine McNairy] said a university can’t run that way.
“’You can’t operate a $125 million business where you have outside sources saying, “We want this program, and we’re willing to offer this amount of money,”’ he said. “’We have to look at it in the total context.’”
Balderdash! The responsibility of McNairy and the others is to benefit the students. If others are prepared to pay to continue this or any other program, they should welcome the overture and cooperate fully.
Furthermore, a good proportion of the track and field participants are members of the football team. That’s how they stay in condition out of season.
This appears to be a combination of bureaucratic arrogance and ignorance of the value of sports on the part of the university leadership. They should reverse their positions immediately and explore offers that would continue track and field and other underfunded programs.
Of course, it may also be a way of drawing public attention to the cutback in state funding. If so, shame on them.
