REGENTS STAND BY MOVE TO DIVISION I

Four Southeast Missouri State University regents say athletics is not "a sacred cow," but they oppose making any budget cuts that would jeopardize the university's standing as a NCAA Division I school.

The Board of Regents last week said it would not approve a $250,000 cut in the athletic budget recommended by a divided Budget Review Committee. The university administration had opposed the proposed cut.

Board President Carl Ben Bidewell of Poplar Bluff and regents Donald Harrison of Cape Girardeau, Lynn Dempster of Sikeston and Mark Pelts of Kennett said Thursday they would consider a lesser budget cut provided it would not harm the university's ability to compete at the Division I level.

At a Faculty Senate meeting Wednesday, faculty members said they felt the regents had made it clear by their actions that the athletic budget was off limits to the budget ax.

They pointed to a statement made during last week's telephone-conference-call meeting in which Bidewell said the regents oppose cutting the athletic budget by "1 red cent."

But Bidewell explained Thursday that he meant the regents were opposed to cutting the $1.8 million athletic subsidy if it were to affect the university's Division I status.

"I am against any cut that would hurt going Division I," he said. "Now, if the coaches and the athletic director and the administration can come up with a plan that something can be cut from that budget that will not deter going Division I, personally I would be for it 100 percent."

He added, "Nothing is etched in stone."

Dempster, Pelts and Harrison agreed that the regents would be willing to consider some modest athletic cuts.

"I will look at anything that we can do and still keep things functional, and keep athletics where they should be," said Dempster.

Pelts said the regents have no sacred cows when it comes to the budget process.

"We didn't ignore the budget committee, but the budget committee vote was 12 to 11, which is not exactly a mandate, and secondly, the Board of Regents is responsible for doing what is best for the university.

"We are not a rubber stamp for anybody not for the budget committee, the faculty, the administration, not for anybody," said Pelts.

The regents said they understand the budget package has yet to be finalized.

"When we sit down for our meeting on June 11, I am sure there will be differing views on what should be cut and what shouldn't be cut," Pelts said.

Harrison said, "The budget process is not final and won't be until they bring it to us in June.

"There could well be cuts and additions in several of the departments between now and then," he said.

But he said the board felt it was wrong to single out the athletic department for budget cuts. "We just didn't feel that the cut on the one department was justified."

Dempster said the proposed $250,000 cut was out of the question. "We can't cut that much and stay in Division I," she maintained. "I am very, very opposed to going back to Division II.

"If they will come to us with a sensible figure, I don't think there is a single regent who wouldn't look at it," she said.

Dempster said the university made the decision to go to Division I. "We are there, so now we have to decide on the best way to stay there."

Pelts said that while he would be willing to look at athletic funding, "it is very doubtful we could cut any of it.

"We don't have a fat athletic budget at SEMO," said Pelts.

The regents, he said, didn't ignore the budget committee's recommendation. "We did not ignore anything; we looked at all the possibilities."

But he emphasized final budget decisions rest with the regents. "We are the one group of people who are ultimately responsible for the operation of the university and we cannot allow any one group to dictate and decide something for us."

Harrison agreed. "I think the senate and the other committee groups must realize the final authority rests with the regents."