Wave of the future

Tulane votes to keep football team in I-A but vows changes

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Tulane board president John Koerner's announcement that the university would remain in Division 1-A and keep football was drowned out by the cheers from nervous supporters clustered outside the meeting room.

As the cheers rose, tears filled the eyes of athletic director Rick Dickson; university president Scott Cowen beamed.

Tulane's five-week study of an athletic department that loses $7 million a year sparked strong passions, especially when word leaked out that dropping football might be the course taken.

"It really stirred things up," Cowen said. "I think for the first time people thought about what they had and how they could keep it."

Tulane is coming off one of its most successful seasons athletically. The football team finished 8-5 and beat Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl. The men's tennis and women's golf teams were in NCAA regionals. The baseball team advanced to the NCAA regionals. The women's basketball team made it to the NCAA tournament for the ninth straight year.

But attendance at most events was sparse, season ticket sales were anemic, and donations to the athletic fund or endowment were light.

A drive to change that began May 5, shortly after the study started. In five weeks Tulane sold more than 12,000 season football tickets, including 6,700 new orders.

The endowment increased from $10 million to $14.5 million. Tulane athletics fund reached its 2002-03 goal, establishing a base of $2.1 million.

"I believe it cut through decades of apathy and touched the right nerves," Dickson said.

As impressive as the campaign has been, it's not enough, Koerner said.

"If we can't translate that fan support into showing up at game, buying season tickets, donating to the athletic program, then we're in trouble," Koerner said. "We factored in a value that wasn't there. So now it's up to the city of New Orleans, the alumni association, and our alumni around the country to come together and support this decision and not just leave it out there hanging in the wind."

Although the resolution to keep the athletic program was unanimous, it was not a vote for the status quo, Cowen said.

The board passed a resolution stating Tulane will attempt to change "the culture" of the NCAA programs.

"I think it is abysmal that we let people play for national championships and the graduation rates of their student-athletes is an embarrassment to the institution," Cowen said.

Tulane graduates 80 percent of its football players, 78 percent of its athletes overall.

The resolution also called for an aggressive discussion of changing the college bowl championship series "to minimize, if not eliminate, its adverse impact" on teams not in the BCS picture.

"I would get rid of the bowl championship series alliance," Cowen said. "It has an adverse affect on Division I-A athletics because it has created a class of financial Haves and Have-nots."

The decision was an obvious relief to the school's coaches and players.

"From a football stand point we've got a lot of ground to make up," coach Chris Selfo said. "We just came off spring recruiting and we didn't recruit, we defended."

The uncertainty about the program created a dilemma for many players.

"I really didn't know what I would do," said wide receiver Carl Davis, a junior. "All the players know what a Tulane degree is worth and if you can get on for free you should do it. But I wouldn't want to have to give up playing football. I might have left."