Between 2003 and 2008, Rutgers’ overall athletic budget increased at double the rate of the university budget. This was made possible in part by the university, which, through student fees and its general fund, heavily subsidized the athletic department, sometimes to the tune of 40 percent of its budget. Worse, some of the athletic department’s budget wasn’t even accounted for, since it was kept hidden in off-the-books spending deals and secret contracts that were discovered by the Star-Ledger in 2008.
The New York magazine article from which I’ve quoted ends with this way-ringing endorsement:
Rutgers’ [ongoing] pursuit of athletic glory won’t be any more ignominious than anyone else’s.
A commenter adds:
Omitted by the author is the exceedingly discouraging fact that Rutgers Athletics amassed a deficit of $28 million last year, the second largest deficit in all of college athletics. All at time when state support to the academic enterprises of this once highly regarded public institution have been reduced significantly.
And a major portion of the athletics budget comes from a mandatory “student activity fee” supposedly instituted to fund things like student organizations, concerts, etc. Instead most of the fee is directed towards 84 athletes, 15 highly paid coaches, and massive athletics facilities.
This once highly regarded etc. says it all.