[Farm93]

The sports that are getting cut are run like the Ivies though. I don't think sailing got scholarships or at least full ones, and the academic breaks are small, I'm certain equivalent to the ones the Ivies give. 

I suspect like many have alluded that this is a way to free up admissions slots that are going to relatively privileged and whiter applicants. OTOH, all the recruited admissions combined for these cuts sports probably is less than what, 50 per year? Probably closer to 30. I'm sure they could increase the class size by that much without a major new building plan approved by PA.

I think it's a shame, as I knew walk ons from the student body in several of these sports (crew and fencing come to mind, none of whom were white fwiw) and went to a couple practices for sailing myself as a freshman, something I did in HS but did not get recruited to do at Stanford. Those programs were run on a shoestring budget, and were not necessarily going to win against some of the traditional powerhouses in their sports, but I still think it was a great part of the Stanford experience to have them around. Lot more fat in the Stanford budget to cut than these programs IMHO.

Perhaps not a fashionable opinion now, but in 10 or 15 years or so after football players are getting paid and the inevitable disaster that will be for the sport at Stanford is realized, we will regret not just axing football and keeping these sports around.

I am confident everyone that participates in these sports loves the experience and will have a very hard time imagining a future Stanford without their sport.

And yet, most highly selective universities in the USA have been under pressure to do a lot more to admit those outside of the 1%.
The line that they are doing the most they can do rings really hollow when dozens of spots are reserved for people that almost have to be from families in the 1% in today's economy.

Few if any of the students from families in even the 5%-10% income range will be able to competitively sail, row or fence. Therefore each of those sports are potential PR problems that could even serve as catalysts to generate legislative challenges to the entire university in the future.

How hard is an institution really working to expand opportunities beyond 1%ers if it still reserves several slots that are almost exclusively available to those with the ample financial resources to learn expensive sports and/or use gift related back and side doors linked to those teams?   

The catch remains that even explaining why you are cutting those sports is a PR problem.    So while the meeting with impacted parties is a very important step, I am highly confident the BoT will not want to save the 1% sports in question that add very little to the campus culture or overall alumni engagement. 

I can imagine a world where wrestling or men's volleyball could be saved, but if the real issues are the PR related issues best not mentioned then sailing and fencing will be cut ASAP and there will be no looking back even if football and major D1 sports were removed from the mix.

FWIW - I believe the University will cut these sports even if major donors threaten to stop supporting Stanford for some period of time.   I am confident the BoT would have direct discussions with those types of individuals to help them understand the complete cost benefit analysis.

[Farm93]

The sports that are getting cut are run like the Ivies though. I don't think sailing got scholarships or at least full ones, and the academic breaks are small, I'm certain equivalent to the ones the Ivies give. 

I suspect like many have alluded that this is a way to free up admissions slots that are going to relatively privileged and whiter applicants. OTOH, all the recruited admissions combined for these cuts sports probably is less than what, 50 per year? Probably closer to 30. I'm sure they could increase the class size by that much without a major new building plan approved by PA.

I think it's a shame, as I knew walk ons from the student body in several of these sports (crew and fencing come to mind, none of whom were white fwiw) and went to a couple practices for sailing myself as a freshman, something I did in HS but did not get recruited to do at Stanford. Those programs were run on a shoestring budget, and were not necessarily going to win against some of the traditional powerhouses in their sports, but I still think it was a great part of the Stanford experience to have them around. Lot more fat in the Stanford budget to cut than these programs IMHO.

Perhaps not a fashionable opinion now, but in 10 or 15 years or so after football players are getting paid and the inevitable disaster that will be for the sport at Stanford is realized, we will regret not just axing football and keeping these sports around.

I am confident everyone that participates in these sports loves the experience and will have a very hard time imagining a future Stanford without their sport.

And yet, most highly selective universities in the USA have been under pressure to do a lot more to admit those outside of the 1%.
The line that they are doing the most they can do rings really hollow when dozens of spots are reserved for people that almost have to be from families in the 1% in today's economy.

Few if any of the students from families in even the 5%-10% income range will be able to competitively sail, row or fence. Therefore each of those sports are potential PR problems that could even serve as catalysts to generate legislative challenges to the entire university in the future.

How hard is an institution really working to expand opportunities beyond 1%ers if it still reserves several slots that are almost exclusively available to those with the ample financial resources to learn expensive sports and/or use gift related back and side doors linked to those teams?   

The catch remains that even explaining why you are cutting those sports is a PR problem.    So while the meeting with impacted parties is a very important step, I am highly confident the BoT will not want to save the 1% sports in question that add very little to the campus culture or overall alumni engagement. 

I can imagine a world where wrestling or men's volleyball could be saved, but if the real issues are the PR related issues best not mentioned then sailing and fencing will be cut ASAP and there will be no looking back even if football and major D1 sports were removed from the mix.

FWIW - I believe the University will cut these sports even if major donors threaten to stop supporting Stanford for some period of time.   I am confident the BoT would have direct discussions with those types of individuals to help them understand the complete cost benefit analysis.