INSTRUCTIONS ARE IN ATTACH TO THE FILES.
Questions that must be addressed in your report to the President of LSU:
1. Utilize the accompanying Budgeting Crisis at Little State University Project
Worksheet found under the Budgeting Crisis at Little State University Project
Resources to balance the budget minus the loss of income from the state legislature. Be
sure to eliminate the deficit and, preferably, budget for a moderate surplus in case next
year’s revenues fall short of expectations or costs exceed projections. Also, make sure the
gender disparity of males’ and females’ participation opportunities are no worse than the
status quo and ideally within the five percent range.
2. What overall philosophies guided your decision making in balancing the budget in
Question #1 above? In this regard, what priorities did you establish in advance dealing
with issues such as the following:
a. Making cuts equally across all sports versus cutting more funding from some
sports than others?
b. Eliminating one or more sports programs altogether in order to preserve the
budgets of the remaining sports versus cutting expenses from many programs in
order to avoid eliminating programs?
c. Making cuts in sports programs versus in administrative areas?
d. Weighing short-term versus long-term implications of cuts being made?
e. The degree to which Title IX and gender equity played a role in deciding which
cuts to make?
f. Accepting the offer of a guarantee to play a football game at Mid-Sized State
University versus the impact of likely adding a loss to the LSU football team’s
record as a result?
3. While the parameters of this case study does not allow for the alteration of the revenue
figures in the Excel-based budget, what recommendations would you suggest to Duncan
(if you could) for how the athletic department could increase its revenue and maintain its
fiscal health in an environment of reduced institutional funding? Make your
recommendations a separate, final section of the report.
