Board ratifies subsidy adjustment as athletics chief outlines plan to reduce deficit and shift some teams' conferences

The Board of Visitors ratified the consent calendar, which included a committee ratification related to athletics funding, and the athletics director briefed trustees on efforts to reduce a recent deficit and on conference realignment.

Nut graf: Athletics reported a budget deficit that exceeded projections last year; the director outlined a three‑part plan to address the gap and said one‑time and recurring savings will be required. The swimming and diving program is expected to move from the America East Conference to the Northeast Conference next summer, and lacrosse remains in the Northeast Conference.

Jamal (athletics director) reported last year’s deficit was roughly $240,000 higher than budgeted and proposed a one‑third/one‑third/one‑third approach to close the shortfall: about $100,000 from the alumni association board, $100,000 from internal club operations, and remaining reductions from vacancy savings and operational adjustments (including holding some assistant‑coach positions vacant). "We encouraged Jamal and his team to widen the net from simply back vacancy savings to looking at the big‑ticket items throughout the athletics budget," a trustee said.

The consent calendar containing the athletics item was adopted without roll‑call tally in open session; the chair called for the motion, a second and a voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Ending: Trustees were asked to help expand corporate sponsorships for athletics and to promote donor outreach; no further board vote on specific budget reallocations was taken at the meeting.