The University of Wisconsin Athletic Board presented its annual report and budget for the 2011-12 academic year Monday at the UW Faculty Senate meeting.
The Wisconsin Athletics revenue increased from $80,941,888 in the 2010-2011 academic year to $89,998,412 in the most recent academic year, and has seen a similar increase in expenses from $80,855,012 to $90,147,521, according to a Wisconsin Athletics statement.
Wisconsin Athletics’ main sources of revenue come from ticket sales, gift funds and conference distributions, while the main expenses are salaries, operating expenses and debt services, the statement said.
“The athletic department continues to function in the black without support from the state or segregated fees from students,” UW Athletic Board Chair Dale Bjorling said in the meeting.
He said the average GPA of UW’s 804 student athletes is a 3.0.
Bjorling also responded to concerns that student athletes did not have enough of a variety of majors. He said the biggest major for student athletes is undecided, but this is because of the many freshmen and sophomores students and student athletes who are undeclared.
He said a disproportionate amount of student athletes are majors in agricultural business management, consumer affairs, industrial engineering and kinesiology. Student athletes are most highly represented in the sociology major, which 9 percent of student athletes have declared, he said.
Bjorling said the Athletic Board is in the process of reviewing UW’s drug policy. He said no instance exists where a student athlete who has tested positive for drugs repeatedly has been allowed to continue to play.
Mark Cook, University Committee chair, denied an accusation that UW Athletics took funding from UW Transportation.
“There was a very specific agreement between the athletic department and the transportation department,” Cook said. “There appeared to be a statute issue that has been changed so more money is going to transportation.”
He said faculty members may have to pay $24 annually to ride buses off-campus, but the UW Transportation budget will be discussed further when it is presented in May of this year.
Interim Chancellor David Ward said UW Athletics gives 50 percent of commercial revenue from the Big Ten Network to need-based financial aid for students. He said this is the highest in the Big Ten and amounts to more than $2 million annually.
The Faculty Senate also discussed the possible creation of a College of the Arts at UW, which has been greatly discussed throughout the past years.
Ward said the change will bring cohesion for the arts, create a more dedicated mission and an ownership of curriculum. It will also increase the departments’ visibility and focus, help improve fundraising efforts and the departments’ ability to compete for finances, he said.
The Music Department is still divided on whether or not to join a potential College of the Arts, but Ward said continuing the status quo is unacceptable.
He said more steps will be taken throughout April and more information will be available on the potential College of the Arts at the May 6 Faculty Senate meeting.
