March 16, 1995
In the wake of President Robert A. Corrigan's decision to cut the football program, several students responded that they just "don't care."
Although most students were apathetic to the actual termination of the football team, students could not agree on whether ending the program based on gender issues was fair.
One student said that eliminating a men's program to increase the number of female athletes to meet a quota was "stupid."
"I think (eliminating the program) was a good idea," senior psychology major Mike Sherak said, "since (the school's) emphasis is not on the sports program. But I don't agree with making exceptions to fill a gender quota."
But some students, mostly women, supported his decision to cut the program to balance the university's gender scale.
One student thought the cut was fair because "women's sports in general have always been neglected -- even in high school."
SF State's women's teams will have to recruit extensively to increase their number of athletes. Also, according to Athletic Director Betsy Alden, a women's tennis team will be added by 1998.
"No one is really into that macho-male sport anyway," junior psychology major Lucy Goldenberg said. "I like tennis better than football, and if there are more women (on campus) than they should have a chance to play. I won't miss anything."
Art major Jocelyn Goldsmith also agreed with the cut.
"I don't feel any attraction to it," she said. "It's kind of a dated thing. They should focus more money to benefit more students. I think it's better for any program to be more balanced. The football scene reinforced gender roles... I don't see how that's helping people grow."
Many students did not think the termination of the football program would effect them and admitted they had never attended a game.
"I've never actually gone to a football game," international business major Chris Walton said. "It sounds like it would have been the last sport to cut. The kids from football can theoretically go on to the NFL or the CFL. I would think they would keep something that may make money... it sounds pretty lame."
Junior Josh Hatter was also indifferent to the program cut.
"It doesn't really affect me," he said. "In a way, that seems like a good thing. (SF State) is a commuter-school and there is no campus support (for athletics). Maybe it will open up more classes to take as an alternative to interscholastic sports."
International business sophomore Eli Burk did not support or condemn the cut, but said it was a "tricky issue."
"I think it is a very complicated issue," he said. "I'm sympathetic to both sides. But it's a deplorable way to eliminate a program that has been in existence for a long time. People should know what is going on."
In response to Corrigan cutting the program to meet the quota, Burk replied, "We can't slavishly follow numbers, we have to follow our spirit. (SF State) is not even run like a university. It's like a corporation and we are the employees."