Coronavirus Forcing UAH To Take Steps For More Budget Reductions

From the University of Alabama at Huntsville:

May 22, 2020

Like our state and nation, UAH is experiencing enormous challenges as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the uncertainty, we want to assure you that we are working diligently with the UA System’s leadership and our UAH team to ensure that we will have a safe campus while maintaining the academic, organizational and financial integrity of the University.

To address the financial challenges, we have implemented a hiring freeze, a heightened review of spending, cancellations of faculty sabbaticals, and a temporary suspension of the 403(b) voluntary retirement employer match. The uncertainty of our future financial situation requires that we take additional steps to reduce expenses, including cutting some programs and reorganizing some units to create savings from improved efficiencies. All units across the University are sacrificing for the greater good.

After a comprehensive review of UAH's athletic offerings and the associated long-term budget implications, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue the men’s hockey, men’s tennis, and women’s tennis programs. The student-athletes associated with these programs have been outstanding representatives of the University in the classroom and on the field. We are making this decision now to allow our student-athletes in hockey, men’s and women’s tennis programs to have the opportunity to play at another institution if they choose to do so. Student-athletes who would like to join another institution's roster will be released without penalty and free to transfer immediately. For student-athletes associated with these three programs who wish to complete their education at UAH, their current scholarships will be honored for the duration of the students’ academic careers.

To our student-athletes, alumni, donors, and fans, we are sincerely grateful to everyone who has supported the men’s hockey, men’s tennis, and women’s tennis athletic programs at UAH. Your accomplishments will be remembered, and your legacy will endure. These actions are the necessary result of intensive review and discussion about where we can make adjustments that protect our current financial condition with the least possible disruption to our central mission – education, research and service to the community.

Sincerely,Darren Dawson, President Cade Smith, Athletic Director

Athletics Cuts Q&A

This press release was produced by the University of Alabama at Huntsville. The views expressed here are the author’s own.