UCI Shouldn’t Drop Cross-Country, Track

I am very concerned about the UC Irvine athletic program and the dropping of two vital sports. I am emphatically against such a move.

I must tell you there is a great swelling of support for reinstatement of men’s cross-country and track. Baseball has given up the fight. Contact has been made with state senators and assemblymen, support is coming from elite athletes, coaches and athletic departments, demonstrations on campus, and petitions and letter-writing campaigns. You just don’t eliminate a sport from an athletic department that has the only ethnic balance and meets the pedagogy and philosophical mandate of the people and students.

The argument is usually made: academics first and athletics second. Just call (water polo coach Ted Newland) at UCI and he will quickly explain why athletics are important and what type of student it builds. Remember, the cumulative GPA of the athletes (at UCI) is higher than (that of) the student body.

ROBERT B. HILD

Yorba Linda