DEFLATED CSUN CITES DEFICIT IN ELIMINATING 40-YEAR-OLD FOOTBALL PROGRAM.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

With an eye toward the future, Cal State Northridge president Jolene Koester on Tuesday did away with part of the school's past.

Koester, as expected, eliminated the football program because of a growing budget deficit.

``Today's decision will better enable us to dedicate financial resources to the remaining sports at levels at which they can achieve the greatest measure of success,'' Koester said in a memorandum.

The school, which has a $7.5-million athletic budget, expects a deficit of $725,000 this year and projects that amount to reach $1 million over the next few years. Football's annual operating budget is $1.25 million.

CSUN officials hope more resources will be available to upgrade the other sports, most notably men's basketball. The Matadors now field 20 sports, 10 each for men and women and all at the Division I level. The football team played at the I-AA level.

``I think we need to change our focus,'' athletic director Dick Dull said. ``As a young athletic director (at Maryland) in the (Atlantic Coast Conference), I learned what it meant to put your best foot forward. ... Instead of looking back at losing football, we need to look forward and say, 'What is our best foot?' In my opinion, that's men's basketball.

``Regrettably, it was the right decision. No one takes comfort in what occurred today. It's a question of assessing priorities within a program that has too many children and not enough money.''

There won't be money to distribute immediately, according to Dull. CSUN plans to increase its fund-raising efforts, specifically for facilities, including additional seats in the Northridge Gym.

Also, with the elimination of football and its 45 scholarships, CSUN is near compliance with an agreement made between California's chapter of the National Organization for Women and the Cal State system regarding schools meeting Title IX requirements.

Dull, who recommended to Koester on Oct. 1 to cut football, looked at other options but said it ``was not fair for us to any great way tax the other sports because they barely have enough to operate on right now.''

But money isn't just a problem for CSUN. The state has asked for money back from each school, and CSUN's portion is $1.5 million. The university is using its emergency fund to pay back the state.

CSUN football coach Jeff Kearin, the last coach in the 40-year history of the program, said he is upset that finances are at the root of the decision.

``It's a product of years of inaction and the way the athletic department was set up,'' he said. ``We should've been set up to produce revenue to reduce our dependency on the state and students.''

Kearin was asked to propose a model to save football, which included reducing the number of men's participants in existing sports and increasing the number of women's participants in current sports and through adding a rowing program. He also asked to increase football scholarships to 60 so the Matadors could play games against I-A opponents that would have guaranteed the school large financial paydays - Kearin estimated CSUN could earn between $500,000 and $800,000 a season - from major colleges looking for an easy nonconference win. Games against programs with fewer than 60 scholarships are not counted when determining whether a school is eligible for a bowl game.

``The fundamental theme underlying my decision is clearly a financial one both in terms of alternatives to Dick's recommendation, which would've been taking more money from the university and putting it in intercollegiate athletics,'' Koester said.

``But also, as the two consultants we brought in suggest, we need to marshal our resources to support the programs we have in a more thorough and successful way. I hope in the long run, and even in the short run, that this decision allows us to do that.''

The consultants endorsed Dull's recommendation but suggested it wouldn't be enough to curb financial problems in the athletic department.

``I think there's always going to be problems,'' Dull said. ``There's a lot of speculation that we're going to drop more sports. I don't see that. That's never been a consideration. Any time you're dealing with this many sports and $7.5 million, you're obviously behind the eight-ball. Every Division I school is in that circumstance.''

CSUN dropped four sports - men's soccer, volleyball, swimming and baseball - in 1997 without warning. The school was nationally ridiculed and seven weeks later, the sports were reinstated.

Community activist Duke Russell, who was instrumental in bringing back the four sports in '97, is unhappy that money is at the root of the issue.

``What's the problem?'' Russell asked. ``Why didn't you tell us six months ago that you didn't have the money? You could've given us the time to raise the money. Seven weeks is unfair.''

In 1995, a fee referendum of $27 per semester was passed by students and $9 was allocated to football. Jennifer Davis, director of athletics for CSUN's student senate, said the money will be used to pay for scholarships for football players who decide to stay at CSUN and continue their education.

The students may deposit the rest of the money into the general student fund.

``The referendum stated that this was to go to save football,'' Davis said. ``We didn't feel we were part of this decision at all.''

Sam Winningham was the first football coach from 1962-68, when the school was known as San Fernando Valley State. He had money problems, too - he had no scholarships. But Winningham was also an athletic administrator at the school from 1968-88. He said he can understand both sides.

``I'm devastated but not surprised,'' Winningham said. ``I fully understand what they've been wrestling with. I'm far enough removed that I didn't even offer any solution. I feel bad for the kids and coaches. It's not their doing. I'm well aware of the reasons and I can't argue that the rationale isn't there. Still, I'm devastated.''

CSUN, which was 3-7 this season, has an overall record of 182-231-4. Its stadium is scheduled to be demolished as early as next month to make room for a new building.

CSUN FOOTBALL SACKED

What: Cal State Northridge has eliminated its football program.

Why: With no on-campus home because its current stadium will be demolished and turned into a school building, no conference affiliation, lack of community financial support and a large athletic-department deficit, CSUN president Jolene Koester decided to approve athletic director Dick Dull's proposal.

Implications: All football players on scholarship will have those continued for the duration of their NCAA eligibility.

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

CSUN's Bo Drake carries his gear out of the football locker room.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) CSUN FOOTBALL YEAR-BY-YEAR

(2) CSUN FOOTBALL SACKED (see text)