Cal Poly sports clubs look at losing funding 

Cal Poly athletes are banding together, but not to throw points up on the board.

Effective the fall quarter of next year, Cal Poly club sports will be losing state funding. Without the help from the state, Cal Poly’s 25 club sports, which serve roughly 5 percent of the student population, will be severely under funded.

Roller hockey player and student Michael Chaloupka said the decision was made unilaterally without input from the student body. He added that the planned $30,000 in cuts have inspired a group of club athletes to fight back. Chaloupka’s roller hockey club receives about $3,400 from the club sports budget, which accounts for about 7 percent of its yearly operating costs. Other funds come out of student fees, from tuition, and from club members themselves.

Cal Poly Public Affairs Team Manager Stacia Momburg confirmed that the cuts are planned for the Student Life and Leadership organization, which funds all clubs, club sports, and Greek life. She was unsure of how much state funding Student Life and Leadership currently receives, but said that things could still change come fall quarter.

In the interim, Chaloupka said that club athletes have begun to organize and are meeting with administration to fight the impending cuts.