Spearheading these yearly challenges is Rich Schroeder, the dean of Physical Education and Athletics. Schroeder has continually been at the forefront of making the yearly budget changes work within the department, without having to make wholesale changes. “We’ve had to cut course offerings and the different times some classes were usually scheduled,” he said. “For the most part we just have kind of trimmed around the edges.”
Due to many outside variables within the state and the college, he admits his planning is at the mercy of the school’s schedule.
“(The budget) has been as late as October,” said Schroedar. “And we all know the new year starts in July.”
Many fall sports, like football, are highly productive on the field as well as in terms of revenue for the college. Their season, along with other Fall programs, begins in August, so planning complications can occur if the assigned budget doesn’t trickle down until winter programs commence.
De Anza currently sports 19 teams (10 men’s and nine women’s). In an almost bittersweet fashion, when a program makes the playoffs, additional funding is needed and can be difficult to anticipate. Situations like these are some of the challenges Schroeder has had to overcome compared to the same issues during calmer fiscal times. However, coaches have been combined in some sports and the outside funding brought on by the work of each program has been a much needed boost for the division.
“Coaches across the board do an excellent job of fundraising,” Schroeder said. “And the student body always helps support us.”
Schroeder has also worked with the school on changes like scheduling more double headers for sports events, which in turn significantly cuts travel arrangements. This, coupled with other travel and scheduling changes, have cut costs about 25 percent, according to Schroeder.
Despite one of the more troubling financial educational crunches in recent memory, De Anza athletics has continued to be productive on the field. The college once again took home the Butt Ottmar all sports trophy rewarded by the California Community College Athletic Association for athletic excellence in the Coast Conference. Awards like these help bring positive publicity to the school and help bring in high caliber prospective student-athletes. With the new school year fast approaching, Schroeder once again will be the mastermind behind tackling the challenges the budget brings.
“I’m planning on working with the same (budget) as last year,” he said. “We’re just doing the best we can with the little money we have.”