University of Rhode Island team cut.

[davidfp]

It was announced a few days ago that URI would cut its gymnastics team and replace it with a lacrosse team. This is not only damaging to the gymnasts themselves, it is also damaging to the sport of collegiate gymnastics and to gymnastics as a whole. There will be a fight to keep the team as there is already a movement to keep the team in place. Just passing it along.

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

Why? Omg That Stinks!

 

[NYgymfan]

It was announced a few days ago that URI would cut its gymnastics team and replace it with a lacrosse team. This is not only damaging to the gymnasts themselves, it is also damaging to the sport of collegiate gymnastics and to gymnastics as a whole. There will be a fight to keep the team as there is already a movement to keep the team in place. Just passing it along.

Sad... I guess it is one thing to get rid of a team because the school can't afford the team or something but to replace one team with another is a slap in the face to gymnastics

 

[davidfp]

Sad... I guess it is one thing to get rid of a team because the school can't afford the team or something but to replace one team with another is a slap in the face to gymnastics

The word from URI administration is that it's not about money so it's really strange, as that's usually the only reason anything is ever cut anywhere.

 

[rondeen]

this is horrible!!!

 

[Tusk]

Let me start off by saying...

...that, as a parent with a daughter in college, I think that Title IX is one of the best ideas ever conceived. However, it is also one of the most unfairly executed ideas ever put into practice. In a nutshell, I guarantee you that URI is losing it's women's gym team in favor of a women's lacrosse team, not because of funding issues, but rather to help URI comply with the Title IX 'proportionality test'. If you will promise to come straight back to The Chalk Bucket after reading it, here's Link Removed on the problem.

 

[gymdog]

I was just coming here to post this. There's been a "Save URI Gymnastics" facebook group for awhile, but I just thought to come post it. I don't have the link but if you're on FB I'm sure searching URI gymnastics will bring it up. For those that don't have FB, it's an open group and they encouraged sharing with everyone so I'm sure it's okay to share some info from it.

Link Removed

**February 13th is the first home meet this season. PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT URI GYMNASTICS! Sign the petition at the door to keep gymnastics at this school (more info to follow).
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH**

Send an email to Athletic Director Thorr Bjorn at:

[email protected]

Or President Robert Carothers at:

[email protected]

ANOTHER IMPORTANT PERSON TO EMAIL:
The Vice President of Student Affairs, Tom Dougan:

[email protected]

He is a VERY IMPORTANT person that needs to hear from EVERYONE!!

Send your own thoughts, concerns, and support! THANKS SO MUCH!! Let's keep up this fight!

JMU's teams were cut over title IX issues but this is (supposedly) a conference issue. URI is an ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) school but gymnastics competes in ECAC (East Coast Athletic Conference). I am not really sure why this is a problem since it is certainly not a unique situation and doesn't seem to raise any problems (it's not like they have two championships - ACC doesn't have gymnastics), but that's what I heard. I suppose they have to maintain two memberships, but if that's an issue of funding then it's an issue of funding, so I don't see what this dancing around the issue is.

 

[NYgymfan]

JMU's teams were cut over title IX issues but this is (supposedly) a conference issue. URI is an ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) school but gymnastics competes in ECAC (East Coast Athletic Conference). I am not really sure why this is a problem since it is certainly not a unique situation and doesn't seem to raise any problems (it's not like they have two championships - ACC doesn't have gymnastics), but that's what I heard. I suppose they have to maintain two memberships, but if that's an issue of funding then it's an issue of funding, so I don't see what this dancing around the issue is.

URI isn't in the ACC...

ACC is:

Boston College
Maryland
Virginia
Virginia Tech
NC State
UNC
Duke
Wake Forest
Clemson
Georgia Tech
Miami
Florida State

 

[gymdog]

Sorry, meant to put Atlantic 10, I will go edit that. I suppose it's the same problem.

From FB:

Athletic Director Thorr Bjorn stated that this was not a financial issue, it was an issue of the Atlantic-10 Conference because gymnastics competes in a separate conference, the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). Bjorn also stated that gymnastics is a dwindling sport in the college community and sees no reason to fund it at URI.

Oh well can't edit now, you guys are smart, you'll figure it out. A-10 has women's lacrosse but not (obviously) women's gymnastics. As far as being a "dwindling sport" perhaps that can be proven wrong with support for the URI team this season, but I still don't understand the conference issue.

 

[gymgramma]

I have heard "talk" that Clemson is interested in starting a women's gymnastics program and that is why they endorse the newly created TIger Paw meet - Last year was it's first year. It is a very large meet (probably 1000 competitors) as well as the best meet we have ever attended as far as how well run and organized it is.

 

[autigermso]

too bad

Aww... that's a shame. That's where my "D" Grey went on scholarship. I bet she's devastated. I'd imagine the school would honor all of the current gymnasts scholarships until they finish school. I'll have to email Janet and find out. Also, I'm pretty sure that if an athletic program folds, the NCAA will allow the members of the team at the end to transfer to another D1 school, and not have to sit out the next year. Hope that's the case. D should have that option. She's a sweetie.
We'll take her at Auburn! We need all the help we can get!

 

[autigermso]

AD probably didn't want to point this out, and surely ruffle some feathers, but title IX says you must have an equal number of men's & women's sports. I'd imagine the rule works both ways, even though Title IX was intended to even the playing field for the ladies.

URI would find itself having to come up with another men's team on top of funding both women's gym & lacrosse, if they kept gym around + lacrosse.

Cruel irony.

But, hey... I'm a big fan of title IX. It was desperately needed. But, "equal" should be equal for all involved.

 

[autigermso]

NEVERMIND. I'm an idiot. Diane Grey is at U of New Hampshire. Guess I got those tiny, east coast states that get UNGODLY COLD in the winter confused.

Still, though... an unfortunate situation.

I still do wonder if URI plans to honor the girl's scholarships until they finish school. I hope so.

 

[Tusk]

Conference, schmonference...

...the University of Utah needs to take a look at dropping gymnastics in favor of lacrosse if the "lack of conference foes" is going to be the determining factor. Yeah...that's gonna happen...