June 24, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. - Many universities subsidize their athletics programs, but at the University of Oklahoma this year just the opposite is happening. In presenting his proposed budget for next year to the OU Board of Regents in Ardmore today, President David Boren announced that the OU Athletics Department will increase its annual support for academic programs by $3 million.

"This additional support from the Athletics Department has helped the university avoid tuition increases for students and layoffs of faculty and staff," Boren said. "I appreciate the support from the department in helping continue to promote academic excellence in a tough economic year. I especially am grateful that this support will help us lighten the burden on Oklahoma families by having no tuition increases this year."

The Athletics Department was already providing about $1 million each year in support of OU academics. It also sends significant funds to the university's annual budget each year, which many Athletic Departments retain at other universities, like revenue from affinity cards and soft drink sales contracts.

The increase this year will bring the total direct and indirect support that OU Athletics provides OU Academics to more than $7 million.

OU is one of a handful of Division I athletics programs that is self supporting and receives no subsidy from state-appropriated funds and no student fees. OU is one of an even smaller number of universities where Athletics subsidizes academic programs.