讀後心得

The San Francisco Art University announced that it will discontinue all athletic programs after the end of this academic year due to financial pressures, affecting 13 men's and women's varsity sports teams. This decision reflects the operational challenges faced by higher education in the post-pandemic era and the decline in student participation in campus activities. Despite the discontinuation of sports programs, the university will continue to award athletic scholarships until students graduate. This move will also impact approximately 36 employees as part of an overall restructuring plan to address financial pressures.

Under financial pressure, the Academy of Art University in downtown San Francisco recently announced that it will terminate its collegiate athletic program at the end of this academic year, impacting 13 men’s and women’s sports teams. This significant decision has drawn attention from the sports community and highlights the operational and financial challenges faced by higher education in the aftermath of the pandemic.

According to a press release from the school, the decision to discontinue the athletic program was made after "months of careful consideration." In addition to financial factors, changes in students' attendance modes were also a key factor. In recent years, the proportion of remote and hybrid teaching has increased, leading to a gradual decline in students’ physical participation in campus activities, making it difficult to sustain athletic operations.

Since 2012, the Academy of Art University has established several sports teams affiliated with the NCAA Division II, including men’s teams in basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, and track and field, and women’s teams in basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. These teams, known as the "Urban Knights," have been active in competitions both on and off campus, and have represented the school with honors multiple times.

The president stated in a statement: "We are deeply grateful for the years of contributions from our athletes and coaches, who have represented the school with unmatched professionalism and pride. The school will do everything possible to assist student-athletes in successfully navigating this transition period." Although the athletic program is coming to an end, the school has committed to ensuring that all current students on athletic scholarships will continue to receive their scholarships until graduation, in accordance with relevant regulations and school policies, unaffected by this change.

This downsizing will impact the school’s workforce structure, with an expected effect on approximately 36 employees, which constitutes nearly 3% of the school’s current total of about 1,262 staff members. This is one of the comprehensive restructuring plans undertaken by the Academy of Art University in response to financial pressures. As one of the few universities in the United States that focuses on arts and design while also participating in NCAA sports, the Academy’s withdrawal symbolizes the difficult choices that higher education must make in facing changes in enrollment and cost pressures in the post-pandemic landscape.