by By ROB HERNANDEZ 608-252-6173 rhernandez@madison.com , Wisconsin State Journal

The goal of the plan is to enact cuts across the conference in an effort to minimize the need for its member schools to make significant cuts at the campus level and in an effort to retain the competitive equity in what is viewed to be one of the premier Division III conferences in the country.

"The fact that a conference can reach a consensus on cost-reduction measures that will impact institutions differently speaks highly of the environment of cooperation that characterizes the WIAC," WIAC commissioner Gary Karner said in a statement. "As an integral part of the overall educational enterprise we also recognize and accept the fact that athletics is not immune from the economic challenges facing our institutions and we will share in that burden accordingly."

Most of the cost-cutting initiatives focus on reducing travel costs since transportation, lodging and meals comprise one of the single largest expenditure items for collegiate athletics departments, particularly at the Division III level. These cuts are in addition to those budget-reduction measures already imposed by the state or UW System such as the employee salary freeze and mandated furloughs.

It is estimated that these cuts will save over $250,000 in direct budget expenditures and a total of nearly $450,000 when factoring in expenditures paid from other sources (e.g., foundations, booster clubs, fund-raising) as well as those activities funded directly by student-athletes.

A few of the more notable cost-reduction initiatives include: Establishing later start times for contests so as to minimize the number of overnight stays for visiting teams.

Limiting postseason tournament brackets in all team sports to a maximum of six teams.

Restricting teams to taking no more than one trip during the regular-season outside of an established regional perimeter.

Exploring the feasibility of scheduling one additional WIAC football team as a nonconference game beginning with the 2011 season.

Suspending the annual conference summer workshop and football and basketball media days for 2009.

Freezing officiating fees at 2008-09 levels.

The WIAC is composed of nine NCAA Division III universities in the state, including UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior and UW-Whitewater.

1:50 pm MON., JUN 29, 2009

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