AD Tyler doesn’t expect UMaine to lose programs> Nineteen sports should survive AFFIRM budget cuts

While the University of Maine weathers the downsizing recommended in the AFFIRM plan that was presented last week by President Fred Hutchinson, UMaine Athletic Director Suzanne Tyler intends to help in the rescue effort, but doesn’t plan to give up any of her 19 ships.

The AFFIRM plan called for the athletic department to come up with only 2 percent in savings and Tyler said Monday she plans to implement cost saving measures in the athletic department and to help the university financially, but does not expect to eliminate any sports programs.

“I think all sports fit us,” Tyler said. “I’d love to keep them all. About 19 sports is what institutions our size have. We are about where we need to be. We will have discussions and review it periodically.”

Tyler does expect to implement a process of reviewing what sports should be added or dropped. However, while Tyler asked a pre-existing Athletic Advisory Board of students, faculty, and boosters to develop a procedure for reviewing sports and determining if any should be added or dropped, she said such an evaluation could mean the addition of sports.

“As times and trends change you need to consider whether we’re doing the right things,” Tyler said. “At one time, boxing was the main sport at Maryland. That no longer exists. It’s the interest of the population. This group has brought up the need to review and they were more concerned that maybe some things should be added.”

Tyler believes refocusing will be a good exercise for Maine as it withstands the $8 million in cuts proposed in the AFFIRM document. Experience has shown her that the process of prioritizing can help a university.

Back in the days when she was a coach in the trenches at the University of Maryland, Tyler weathered the financial hits when the Terrapins underwent budgetary cuts.

Tyler recalls how after the fiscal storm the sun eventually rose over College Park, Md. She said Maryland’s forced mission to prioritize and to refocus financially made it a better institution.

“At Maryland it was difficult and successful,” Tyler said. “But both academically and athletically the university moved up in ranking. I believe Maryland survived and now is thriving. We had to take responsibility to show that dollars were going in a specific direction. That’s a good exercise, to have a general sense of accountability.”

Tyler said the UMaine athletic department can directly help the university through increased use of dining services and campus housing. She added coaches have talked about putting more athletes on the dining plan to improve their diets long before the AFFIRM plan was presented with its suggestions.

“We can help in terms of imaging,” Tyler said. “When we recruit student-athletes, coaches run into other students interested in Maine. We go to talks with Rotaries and Kiwanis and we can give full information about the university.”

Hutchinson praised Tyler for her intention of refocusing athletic department funds into the university.

“She’s very loyal. Her goal is to integrate athletics into the whole institution,” Hutchinson said. “She hopes to create an element of community. And she plans to make the athletic department more dependent with private donations.”