Key points of review
The full text of the Huskie Athletics review can be seen at www.usask. ca/kinesiology.
The study was done by Dru Marshall, vice dean, faculty of physical education and recreation at the University of Alberta; Ken Shields, four-time CIAU basketball coach of the year and currently an instructor with the National Coaching Institute in Victoria; Darwin Semotiuk, professor, school of kinesiology, at the University of Western Ontario.
The university must either confirm the second-tier status of women’s hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, track and field, cross-country and wrestling (all which have part-time coaches), or commit to creating full-time coaching positions in those sports.
Financial-assistance resources must be equal to or greater than those provided by competing athletics programs and should be more attractive that the incentives offered by the University of Regina.
The university should determine how much non-conference play is required to field competitive teams and find ways to fund those games.
The university should petition Canada West to realign the divisions on a geographic basis to minimize the cost of travel. (Saskatchewan and Manitoba in one division;Alberta and B.C. in another).
The university should conduct a forensic audit to ascertain the true costs associated with Huskie Athletics, including all sources of fund-raising, in-kind donations and student-athlete assistance.
The university should increase its allocation to Huskie Athletics to cover the salaries of the athletic director, three staff positions and all coaches.
The university should examine the best practices in medical-support models (Western Ontario, Calgary) and develop a new model for deliverng health-care services to studentathletes.
The College of Kinesiology should develop a transparent governance structure outlining how and where decisions are made, allowing or regular dialogue and input from all concerned.
The Huskies’ athletic director should manage with a set of well-developed and transparent policies.
Coaches should shift from their current union model with the Adminstrative and Supervisory Personnel Association to the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association.
There should be a formalized structure for student-athlete input.
A “chilly relationship” between Huskie Athletics and alumni needs to be addressed by establishing a closer, more formalized working relationship. Fund-raising should be done under an umbrella organization which would continue to acknowledge the autonomy of each sport.
Develop a communication plan/ strategy which recognizes the value and visibility of Huskie Athletics.
Improve Griffiths Stadium, including change-room facilities for all Huskie Athletics programs.
Replace “archaic” Rutherford Rink. Investigate two-pad rinks at the University of Guelph and York University. Consider placing the project within the framework of the university’s next major capital fund-raising program.
