Ohio State Athletics Announces Projected Deficit, Budget Cuts for Fiscal Year 2021

University is projected to lose $107 million as a result of the CoVID-19 pandemic, will impact nearly every department employee.

The Ohio State University Department of Athletics announced details of an FY’21 budget Wednesday morning that includes department-wide budget cuts, furloughs and reductions in force. The efforts focus on mitigating a projected $107 million deficit as a result of the CoVID-19 pandemic.

Ohio State’s 36 varsity sports will remain intact and student-athletes will continue to have a fully funded grant-in-aid program, support services, and resources in the $180 million budget.

“Our student-athletes are our primary responsibility,” Director of Athletics Gene Smith said in a prepared statement. “They have and will continue to come first. We have put together a responsible and conservative budget for this fiscal year, which assumes full support for our student-athletes. In the midst of this devastating pandemic, we remain committed to providing a safe and excellent academic and athletic experience for all of our student-athletes.”

See the official Oho State release here.

Cuts were made prior to the start of this fiscal year, saving $5.6 million, in the form of a hiring freeze, not filling vacant positions, no merit increases, elimination of travel, pausing some facility projects and operating budget spending restrictions.

Major expense reductions include $9.6 million in savings through a short-term restructure on debt, $6.1 million in cuts from sports’ operating budgets, $4 million on administration/support unit operating budgets, $3.4 million in football game day expenses, $3 million in non-conference game guarantees and $3.0 million in facility operations.

The FY’21 budget includes $25 million for scholarships, $3.6 million for student-athlete academic support, $3 million for meals, refueling stations and nutrition, and $1.8 million for sports medicine and sports psychology services.

NOTE: The current budget excludes media rights revenue still to be determined by the Big Ten Conference and its television partners.

Personnel-related adjustments based on furloughs, salary cuts and reductions in force will save an additional $7 million. Virtually every employee in the department will be affected, as illustrated below:

- 48 members of the athletic training staff and strength and conditioning staff will have a 5-day intermittent furlough, to be completed between Oct. 6 and June 30, 2021;

- 213 staff members are assigned to a 10-day intermittent furlough, to be completed between Oct. 6 and June 30, 2021;

- 84 staff members will go on a 60-day, continuous furlough or redeployment from Oct. 9 through Dec. 31;

- 47 contracted staff members will be asked to take a voluntary, 5 percent salary reduction between Oct. 1 and June 30, 2021; and

- A permanent reduction in force will eliminate 25 full-time athletics positions.

The four staff members in the athletic department’s Sports Psychology and Wellness Services team will not be furloughed.

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