UW-River Falls will suspend its intercollegiate men's and women's swimming & diving teams after an athletics sport module review.

Chancellor Dean Van Galen said the changes will take effect on June 30, 2014.

"I understand that this decision will be difficult and disappointing, especially to our swimming and diving team," said Van Galen. "No one has questioned the fundamental value of swimming and diving, or the passion that our student-athletes and others have for their sport. And, I know that I speak for many when I express a high level of respect for the way that members of our swimming and diving team have conducted themselves throughout this process."

The decision was based on a study of the athletics sports module that included information from the UWRF Faculty Senate Athletic Committee, the Athletic Department, staff, students and alumni. The recommendation to suspend the swimming & diving teams was made by UWRF Athletic Director Roger Ternes and further recommended by the UWRF Faculty Senate Athletic Committee by a vote of 7-3. Van Galen made the announcement to the university community on April 29.
 
"For the past two years the athletic department has shared GPR and PR budget cuts across every sport or unit," said Ternes. "Because of mandated UW System cutbacks effective July 1, 2014, UWRF was forced to trim an additional $48,500 from the athletics operations budget."
 
"In order to preserve a minimal level of financial stability within the intercollegiate athletics program, regrettable decisions had to be made. This unfortunate action is a causality of UWRF overreaching in trying to operate an athletics program beyond its facility and financial resources."

Van Galen noted that the decision to suspend the sport was based on a comprehensive analysis of a number of considerations. "However, there is no doubt that financial pressures placed on the university because of a reduction in state support for higher education and a two-year tuition freeze have played a role in this process."

The Falcon Athletic Department is facing a $48,500 budget reduction in the 2014-15 academic year. It is part of the university's $1.7 million budget reduction.

The total budgeted expenses for the men's and women's swimming & diving teams for 2013-14 was $56,366.54. The expenses included items like travel, lodging at away meets, team meals while traveling, salaries and pool rental for practices and home meets. The pool in the university's Karges Center was closed after the 2009-10 school year due to the cost of the almost annual repairing of the facility that was built in 1959.

UWRF has had a men's swimming & diving team in its sport module since the 1960-61 academic year. The women's swimming & diving team has been in the sport module since the 1975-76 academic year. In 2013-14 there were 17 men and 14 women listed on the swimming & diving seasons of participation and competition report.

"In accepting the recommendation, I want to convey gratitude to everyone who has devoted time and energy to this challenging issue, with special thanks to Dr. Grace Coggio and the Faculty Senate Athletic Committee.," said Van Galen. "This has been a difficult and at times a heart-wrenching process, and Dr. Coggio and her colleagues have been a model of professionalism and integrity."

The last time the UWRF Athletics Department sport module was changed was in the 2002-03 school year. That year the wrestling, baseball and women's gymnastics teams were suspended while the sports of men's indoor and outdoor track & field and women's golf were added.

UWRF now has 16 varsity sports including: soccer, golf, tennis, cross country, volleyball, basketball, hockey, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field and softball for women and football, cross country, basketball, hockey, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field for men.

About 460 student-athletes (204 women, 253 men) competed on the 18 intercollegiate sports during the 2013-14 school year.

The Falcon Athletic Department is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Div. III member and competes in the nine-team Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.