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The Financial Drain of Athletics: Let’s Turn Rutgers’ Priorities Right Side Up

February 7, 2023

Takeaway: Take the 2023 Strike Pledge (if you haven’t already) so we can fight for our priorities for a better Rutgers.

Dear colleague,

Once again, Rutgers Athletics is number one in the Big Ten…in losing money. According to NorthJersey.com, the sports program lost nearly $53 million last year, two-and-a-half times more than any other Big Ten public university. President Holloway says most college athletics programs lose money, but as this chart shows, a majority of Big Ten schools are in the black.

To add insult to injury, the Board of Governors last week convened a second special meeting in less than a month to approve another multi-million-dollar contract for a Rutgers coach: for basketball coach Steve Pikiell. The BoG races to approve new deals for coaches—yet 15,000 of us in Rutgers unions haven’t been able to get a new contract for over seven months!

The scandalous financial losses of Rutgers Athletics are another example of the upside-down priorities of the administration. When it’s something they want—like athletics or hiring more top management—money is no object, and no one is held accountable. Meanwhile, our departments and programs have to scramble to balance their budgets—and more and more of the people who make the university work fall further below a living wage.

We may not be able to stop out-of-control athletics spending with our new contract, but we can fight for the priorities that we want for our university. To do this, though, we have to prove we’re ready to take action, including a strike if necessary, to win those priorities. If you haven’t taken the 2023 Strike Pledge, take a minute to click here and do it right now.

If you have taken the pledge, we need your help in reaching out to your colleagues. Make sure everyone in your department knows this URL: RutgersAAUP.org/StrikePledge. Bring up the pledge in meetings and conversations with colleagues. Download this flier with a handy QR code and post it on bulletin boards and your office door. Go to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages and share our posts.

Reminders

Sign up for Strike School! Click here to register for two virtual 90-minute training sessions on organizing to win being held multiple times through February 24.

In New Brunswick

  • Come to a Housing Justice Town Hall about fighting for our common good demands on Wednesday, February 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the College Avenue Community Church, 100 College Ave.; click here to RSVP.

In Newark

  • Save the Date: Tuesday, February 28! A Day of People’s Protest and Education at Rutgers-Newark when the Board of Governors meet. Click here to tell us you’re coming.

In Camden

  • Our union chapter in Camden is holding our first meeting of the semester via Zoom on Thursday, February 9, at 12:45 p.m. Click here to RSVP.

In solidarity,
Becky and Todd

Rebecca Givan, President, Rutgers AAUP-AFT
Todd Wolfson, General Vice President, Rutgers AAUP-AFT

Rutgers AAUP-AFT Facebook page: https://facebook.com/RUaaup/
Follow us on Twitter @ruaaup and Instagram @rutgersaaup
Freedom School YouTubeChannel: https://rutgersaaup.org/YouTube

Find out the status of our demands in bargaining at a glance.
Read about the proposals we’re putting forward.
See the updates from each bargaining session.
Find all the latest messages to members and union statements here.

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