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Updates about our athletics program

To: UC Santa Cruz Community

From: Chancellor George Blumenthal

July 06, 2017

I want to share some updates about our athletics program.
 
As you know, students in May approved a referendum that will provide much-needed funding for our NCAA Division III athletics program. Had it not passed, I would have faced a truly difficult decision: whether to continue to fund intercollegiate athletics on campus.

But even before securing that funding, we had decided to take a deeper look at our intercollegiate program in hopes of creating something more sustainable. To that end, we are now modeling our program on successful Division III programs nationwide. 
 
A significant change is that our head coaches will now have three-year, full-time contracts. This is good news that I believe will contribute to the long-term health and stability of our athletics program. 
 
The campus has offered new contracts to nine of our 11 head coaches for NCAA teams. The old ones expired June 30. The new contracts include full benefits and a 3 percent salary increase. The contracts started July 1. 
 
For coaches who held other non-coaching duties, the contracts were for coaching only, with non-coaching responsibilities moved elsewhere in the unit.
 
Eight of the nine coaches signed the offers. The ninth chose to retire.
 
There are changes for assistant coaches, too. They will now have six-month contracts. Previously, contracts were for 12 months, with required three-month furloughs. Contracts for the assistants also expired June 30. All assistants have been encouraged to apply when the new positions are posted in an open recruitment.

These changes will bring our program in line with the structure of other NCAA D-III programs.

These changes are being made with input and insight gained over the past year from faculty, alumni, athletics supporters, students, and staff. I am confident they will boost the long-term health of intercollegiate athletics here on campus.