Southern Illinois University is cutting its men's and women's tennis programs and reducing scholarships for the men's swimming and diving teams. The (Carbondale) Southern Illinoisan reportsthe reductions, announced Thursday, come as SIU faces declining enrollment and the state remains without a budget. School officials say the move will save about $660,000 annually starting next school year.
The tennis teams were threatened last year but SIU found the money to keep them running. But SIU athletic director Tommy Bell says it wasn't possible to keep the programs, even after cutting $1 million from a $22 million budget. He says SIU "ran out of options" due to the "severe budget environment."
The school also has seen a dip in ticket revenue. SIU's interim chancellor, president and Intercollegiate Athletic Advisory Committee have approved the reduction plan.
