There are "only bad answers" when it comes to the financial issues facing UConn, and there are "only solutions that suck," according to the Hartford Courant's Mike Anthony. UConn is "faced with having to cut its university subsidy, which is annually $40-plus million, by 25 percent over the next three years." That means they have to "shrink a $40-plus million gap by about $10 million." UConn "can't do that through belt tightening with the goal being preservation of everything." If they do, it "comes at the long-term cost of any program's ability to compete." If they "want to slash all kinds of budgets across the board," they "can't expect to recruit well." Anthony: "You don't beat other teams on the court or on the recruiting trail if you're going to the battle with a bunch of half measures that have taken place to preserve some things elsewhere." UConn currently sponsors 24 sports and the Big East average is 18. It is "time for UConn to get more in line with its neighborhood" ("UConn Insider Podcast," COURANT.com, 6/4).
