TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida A&M University is on a mission to bring in more money to support the university's athletic department.
This past year, the department went over budget by $1.7 million.
FAMU's new athletics director, Kortne Gosha, is focused on the future.
"Our best days are yet to come," said Gosha.
The athletics department has struggled financially to stay within budget.
This, raising the question about how the university plans to fund the athletics department going forward.
"Really we have to look at our business practices and make sure we are employing the best kind of practices as it relates to our internal funds, how we spend and what revenue opportunities exist for us. Then explore new options for revenue," said Gosha.
To save money, the department went on a hiring freeze in September. That was later followed by cutting both the men's tennis and cross country programs in October.
A saving of about $800,000. In all, the department wants to cut $2.4 million from its athletics department. It's a chop Gosha knows will not happen overnight.
"We are in the process of establishing an annual fund which is an unrestricted method that will be able to engage people to give," said Gosha. "That is going to be the philanthropic fundraising arm of the athletics department. So we are working here in the next 30 to 60 days to establish that arm to work with our university foundation and move that needle forward and give people options and accessibility to give to our program."
The goal is to start an annual fund. Gosha says he and his team will spend the next couple of months looking at ways to move the needle forward. While also taking the time to celebrate the university's success.
"There's a lot of untapped potential here at FAMU athletics, there's a lot of success stories," said Gosha. "One thing I want people to focus on is the successes of the young men and women I represent."
Those athletic department cuts will go into effect for the 2021 season.
