Furman University president navigates budget shortfalls amid pandemic

Furman University announced furloughs, pay cuts and discontinuation of baseball and lacrosse programs.

CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK.OUR JOE RIPLEY, LIVE AT FURMANWITH THE STORY.>> YOU MENTIONED THE PROGRAMCUTS TO BOTH BASEBALL ANDLACROSSE AT FURMAN UNIVERSITY.ELIZABETH DAVIS TELLING US THATSTUDENTS -- IF STUDENTS DON’TRETURN TO THE CLASSROOM BY NEXTFALL, WE COULD SEE MORE BUDGETCUTS ON THE WAY.>> WE KNOW WE’RE DEFINITELYGOING INTO THE FALL WITH REVENUESHORTFALLS.>> REIMBURSING ROOM AND BOARD, AHOST OF CANCELED CAMPS,CONFERENCES AND EVENTS, AND ADROP IN ENDOWMENT, ALL MAKINGSFOR A MASSIVE REVENUE HOLE FORFURMAN UNIVERSITY.>> ENROLLMENT REMAINS UP IN THEAIR.>> UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTELIZABETH DAVIS SAYS AS MANY AS180 INCOMING STUDENTS, OR 7% OFSTUDENTS, MAY CHANGE THEIR MINDSAND NOT ENROLL, LOSING THESCHOOL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.>> WE NEED TO BE REALLY CAREFULTHAT WE DON’T CUT AWAY AT THECORE OF WHAT WE DO, WHICH ISPROVIDING AN OUTSTANDING STUDENTEXPERIENCE.>> DAVIS AND OTHERADMINISTRATORS HAVE ALREADYTAKEN PAY CUTS, FURLOUGHEDSTAFF, CUT SCHOLARSHIPS, ANDAXED THE HISTORIC BASEBALL ANDSIX YEAR OLD LACROSSE PROGRAMSALTOGETHERWE THOUGHT ABOUT TRADITIONS, WETHOUGHT ABOUT WINNING RECORDS,WE THOUGHT ABOUT DONOR SUPPORT,FAN SUPPORT, AND AT THE END OFTHE DAY, AND WE USED NATIONALCONSULTANTS.>> OF THE MIDDLE.>> DAVIS SAYS CUTTING BASEBALLAND LACROSSE WILL SAVE THESCHOOL ABOUT 5 MILLION DOLLARS AYEAR.IT ALSO MAINTAINS THE TITLE NINEMANDATED RATIO ENSURING EQUALSPENDING FOR WOMEN’S SPORTS.DAVIS SAYS MORE CUTS COULD COMEIF STUDENTS CAN’T COME BACK TOTHE CLASSROOM IN THE FALL.>> WE CAN MAKE CHANGES NOW ANDADAPT.MAKING CHANGES IN SEPTEMBER WHENSTUDENTS ARE HERE IS GOING TO BEMUCH MORE DIFFICULT.>> THE FINANCIAL TOLL OFCOVID-19 EXTENDING THROUGHOUTTHE SO, AS WELL.WOFFORD COLLEGE, YOU HEARD FROMTHEM.THERE ARE HIRING AND SPENDINGFREEZES IN PLACE BUT THERE STILLWELCOMING THEIR LARGESTFIRST-YEAR CLASS NEXT FALL.THEY DON’T PLAN TO CUT ANYATHLETICS OR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS.JOE RIPLEY, WYFF NEWS 4, LIVE