University of Winnipeg cuts wrestling, baseball teams in effort to balance budget

WINNIPEG — The University of Winnipeg has cut $3.7 million in costs, including scrapping the school’s wresting and baseball teams.

On Monday evening, the University of Winnipeg said it was eliminating senior positions, faculty positions and sports programs in order to balance the 2017-18 operating budget.

The school will be getting rid of Wesmen men’s baseball team, along with the men’s and women’s wrestling teams. Men’s soccer will be put on pause for the 2017-18 season, as the coach position is vacant and the school cannot afford to replace that position for the upcoming fiscal year.

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RELATED: University of Manitoba faces budget shortfall

The school is keeping the basketball, volleyball and women’s soccer teams.

“The new cost reductions are in addition to years of belt-tightening,” officials stated in a media release.

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“UWinnipeg receives a much smaller annual operating grant per student from the province than any other Manitoba university. The University of Manitoba and Brandon University receive operating grants almost double that received by UWinnipeg.”

Other cuts include cutting 4.5 senior positions, which will remain vacant. The dean of Science, dean of Kinesiology and director of Global College positions will be filled by internal candidates on an acting basis for fiscal year. There will also be five fewer faculty positions compared to last year.