superman7515
April 8th, 2013, 12:39 PM
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-04-05/news/bs-md-towson-sports-plan-20130404_1_towson-president-maravene-loeschke-baseball-supporters-towson-university
State lawmakers have crafted deals that could send Towson University not only $300,000 to save its men's baseball program, but also $2 million to build a new women's softball field.
The day after Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposal to give Towson money to keep the baseball program afloat drew criticism, lawmakers on Thursday reached a compromise that they said would help Maryland colleges address the financial and legal challenges that led Towson to cut its men's soccer and baseball programs.
Lawmakers stepped away from giving money directly to Towson for its baseball team — a plan that Comptroller Peter Franchot called a "bailout" — and agreed instead to send the $300,000 set aside by O'Malley to the University System of Maryland.
The system would use it to distribute matching grants to any Division I school looking to meet Title IX rules on gender equity in its athletic programs.
"This gives a little bit of breathing room to allow the baseball supporters — the alumni — to step up and say, 'We want to save the baseball program,'" said P.J. Hogan, a lobbyist for the university system.
Franchot declined through a spokesman to comment on the new plan. O'Malley's spokeswoman Raquel Guillory said "the administration is fine with the compromise."
Lawmakers also made plans to issue state bonds to help pay for the planning of the new softball field, which they said would help Towson comply with its federal Title IX obligations. A vote could come as early as Friday.
State lawmakers have crafted deals that could send Towson University not only $300,000 to save its men's baseball program, but also $2 million to build a new women's softball field.
The day after Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposal to give Towson money to keep the baseball program afloat drew criticism, lawmakers on Thursday reached a compromise that they said would help Maryland colleges address the financial and legal challenges that led Towson to cut its men's soccer and baseball programs.
Lawmakers stepped away from giving money directly to Towson for its baseball team — a plan that Comptroller Peter Franchot called a "bailout" — and agreed instead to send the $300,000 set aside by O'Malley to the University System of Maryland.
The system would use it to distribute matching grants to any Division I school looking to meet Title IX rules on gender equity in its athletic programs.
"This gives a little bit of breathing room to allow the baseball supporters — the alumni — to step up and say, 'We want to save the baseball program,'" said P.J. Hogan, a lobbyist for the university system.
Franchot declined through a spokesman to comment on the new plan. O'Malley's spokeswoman Raquel Guillory said "the administration is fine with the compromise."
Lawmakers also made plans to issue state bonds to help pay for the planning of the new softball field, which they said would help Towson comply with its federal Title IX obligations. A vote could come as early as Friday.