Oregon Senate legislation would give academics a cut of athletic department budget - Scott Greenstone, Daily Emerald

The athletic department at the University of Oregon has a budget of nearly $100 million, and faculty think that should go to academics, like student scholarships. If this new legislation passes, it might. While the Board of Trustees was having their winter meeting, the University Senate met and approved a resolution to have athletics pay the academic side a 3 percent dividend out of its $98 million budget. Many faculty consider the monetary focus UO puts on athletics over the top, like paying head coach Mark Helfrich more than the university president – though less than average for a college football coach. Economics professor Bill Harbaugh, the sponsor of the bill, has criticized the university and athletics department for years on his blog and has several followers. http://www.dailyemerald.com/2015/03/07/senate-legislation-would-require-athletics-to-pay-academics/