Students question Rutgers football costs

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08:15 AM ET 10.18
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The mood is sour at Rutgers these days, and it is not just because the football team is 1-5 this season. Reports about lax and sometimes secretive spending in the athletic department, published in The Star-Ledger of Newark and other New Jersey newspapers in recent months, have come as students are being asked to accept new sacrifices. Tuition, room and board for undergraduates increased 6.5 percent this year, and the state legislature cut funds to the university by 10.8 percent. On Monday, the president of Rutgers, Richard L. McCormick, delivered a pessimistic assessment of the institution's financial state amid the national economic crisis and asked top administrators to draw up plans in case the state cuts its financing again in the middle of the year. Sentiments on campus have changed dramatically since 2006, when the football team was the pride of Rutgers, attracting national attention by going 11-2 and nearly winning the Big East championship. University officials were quick to note that athletic department spending did not come at the expense of student services, like the bus system or classroom equipment. Rutgers's $50 million athletics budget -- a mix of private and public money, and revenue from sporting events -- accounted for less than 3 percent of the university's total budget.

New York Times

Greg Schiano, Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

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October 18, 2008 09:37 AM ET

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Rutgers has an opportunity of its lifetime to be nationally recognized and a winning athletics program (including football) greatly helps. Greg Schiano has done a geat job and needs every Rutges fan's. He's a "Jersey guy" and I couldn't imagine him anywhere else. Go Greg and go Rutgers!!!

John R. Drillock

Pueblo , CO

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October 18, 2008 12:33 PM ET

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I'm not trying to provoke anyone, but IMO, Rutgers has a LOT further to go than they realize in order to truly become a national power. Sometimes the stars line up for a year or two and a team comes out of nowhere onto the national stage. To replicate that success year-in and year-out, however, takes so much more. Not to suggest that they never could be, but IMO, Rutgers isn't even close to that now.

eyesWIDEopen

In The Bay, FL

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October 18, 2008 01:08 PM ET

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QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 12:33 PM ET 10.18 by eyesWIDEopen

To replicate that success year-in and year-out, however, takes so much more. Not to suggest that they never could be, Rutgers isn't even close to that now.

A flash in the pan my friend, a flash in the pan.

Chasin' Utleys

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October 18, 2008 03:22 PM ET

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if 50 million is only 3% of the total budget what the heck is that school doing withe rest of the money some where around the $3 billion.

ftball/racingfan

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October 18, 2008 10:39 PM ET

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QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 12:33 PM ET 10.18 by eyesWIDEopen

I'm not trying to provoke anyone, but IMO, Rutgers has a LOT further to go than they realize in order to truly become a national power. Sometimes the stars line up for a year or two and a team comes out of nowhere onto the national stage. To replicate that success year-in and year-out, however, takes so much more. Not to suggest that they never could be, but IMO, Rutgers isn't even close to that now.

eyes, the problem in New Jersey is, it has never been a major college football market. So when Rutgers enjoyed that bit of success and bowl games for three straight years, the idiots in this silly state went crazy and jumped on the bandwagon. What too many of these silly people don't get is exactly what you explained. In this NYC-NJ market all sports fans who root for hometown teams have a New York Yankees-Steinbrenner mentality. As we know that thought process is not cohesive in following college football year in, year out. I've been to one Rutgers game this year (not a Rutgers fan but hey I'm in NJ so...) and I could not believe the sheer ignorance and stupidity of the people around me. Anyway, thanks for your comment on the matter.

EastCoastKeith

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October 18, 2008 10:40 PM ET

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QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 03:22 PM ET 10.18 by ftball/racingfan

if 50 million is only 3% of the total budget what the heck is that school doing withe rest of the money some where around the $3 billion.

It's Jersey. One never knows the exact path of the corruption.... This state stinks both literally and figuratively.

EastCoastKeith

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October 18, 2008 11:32 PM ET

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QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 03:22 PM ET 10.18 by ftball/racingfan

if 50 million is only 3% of the total budget what the heck is that school doing withe rest of the money some where around the $3 billion.

It ain't going toward Schiano's haircuts, that coif reeks of Bo Rics!