Holy Guacamole! Is this how it's done?

Okay, kids, it's time to see how they make the sausage.

The following is from the Save UD Track site (The Truth):

We have recently confirmed a number of things from the University of Delaware’s administration regarding how the decision to cut the men’s running programs was made:

In early 2010, Scott Douglass (photo), UD’s executive vice president and treasurer, came up with the idea to cut a varsity athletic program (or programs) solely in order to cut costs.

Soon after deciding to cut an athletic program, Douglass worked with UD athletic director, Bernard Muir, to decide that the teams to be cut would be men’s Cross Country and men’s Track & Field. They also came up with the idea to use Title IX as a cover. They needed a reason to cut the teams other than simply to reduce expenses, so they looked to use Title IX as many Universities now do. The two men analyzed what happened in 1991 after the wrestling program was removed as a varsity sport. There was little to no outcry from the wrestling community, so they assumed they could do the same with the men’s running programs. UD even cited this while explaining why the teams were cut: “The decision to discontinue varsity sports is not unprecedented at UD. Men’s sports that previously held varsity designation include wrestling and men’s indoor track and field.”

At a later point in 2010, Bernard Muir decided the University of Delaware would hire a Title IX expert to act as a consultant regarding whether or not UD needed to make changes to comply with Title IX. Although the identity of this consultant is yet to be determined, Muir chose someone who he knew would give him the answer he was looking for – that the University needed to reduce the number of male student-athletes to comply with Title IX. This consultant was simply an alibi to protect Douglass and Muir’s cover.

When proposed to University President Patrick Harker, the decision was approved, although it was likely that Harker was not aware of the wrongdoing that went into the decision. Harker may have been informed that the University actually did need to cut men’s athletes, which is far from the truth. Contrary to previous assumptions, President Harker may not have been directly (knowingly) involved in fabricating the reasons behind the decision.

In late November 2010, UD’s administration notified John Burmeister, the Chairman of the University’s Athletics Governing Board and its NCAA Faculty Representative, of the decision to drop the programs. After 30 years holding those positions, Burmeister decided this decision had gone too far. He resigned from his positions representing UD’s athletics.

The University’s Board of Trustees was informed of the decision after it was finalized and had no input, nor vote, contrary to what UD released in it’s press release announcing the reclassification of the programs: “Appropriate committees of the UD Board of Trustees have examined and approved a plan to meet these objectives”. A number of these trustees now wish the administration would revisit the decision that was announced on January 19th and reinstate the men’s programs.