[donkey687]

If it's a money issue, the 11 sports deserve a chance to raise funds.  Clearly not "all avenues have been exhausted" if the AD did not inform alumni.  And that also means the lack of transparency and accountability within the athletic department is highly troubling.

If it's not a money issue, then we have bigger issues, as this move seems to go against everything Stanford Athletics stands for.

It is a money issue and a priority issue.  Stanford considers the large donors to be a fixed pool of money and every $ that those large donors donate to the lower priority 11 cut sports is less money to be donated to the University and Athletic Department's higher priority sports and other activities. Thus, the strategic decision by Muir and the University to not give the 11 sports a chance to fundraise their way out of it. It is highly troubling to me, because it does seem counter to the mission of the University which revolves around providing opportunities for people.  We are talking about almost 4% of the undergrad population.  Think of those people in your freshman dorm that participated in those 11 sports. Those people may not have been at Stanford if this decision were made back when we atteneded. Sure they are replaced by other people but we are talking about student athletes who are some of the best in their field and even Olympic caliber and Stanford is now saying we don't provide an opportunity for you any longer. Go elsewhere.

[donkey687]

If it's a money issue, the 11 sports deserve a chance to raise funds.  Clearly not "all avenues have been exhausted" if the AD did not inform alumni.  And that also means the lack of transparency and accountability within the athletic department is highly troubling.

If it's not a money issue, then we have bigger issues, as this move seems to go against everything Stanford Athletics stands for.

It is a money issue and a priority issue.  Stanford considers the large donors to be a fixed pool of money and every $ that those large donors donate to the lower priority 11 cut sports is less money to be donated to the University and Athletic Department's higher priority sports and other activities. Thus, the strategic decision by Muir and the University to not give the 11 sports a chance to fundraise their way out of it. It is highly troubling to me, because it does seem counter to the mission of the University which revolves around providing opportunities for people.  We are talking about almost 4% of the undergrad population.  Think of those people in your freshman dorm that participated in those 11 sports. Those people may not have been at Stanford if this decision were made back when we atteneded. Sure they are replaced by other people but we are talking about student athletes who are some of the best in their field and even Olympic caliber and Stanford is now saying we don't provide an opportunity for you any longer. Go elsewhere.