1. In the interest of achieving annual financial stability of the athletics program
There will be a net annual financial savings to the program of between $350,000 and $400,000. However, these savings will not likely be fully realized until the 2007-08 academic year. .

2. Wrestling is not a sponsored sport within the Western Athletic Conference
The WAC does not sponsor wrestling and points toward the conference all-sports competition are not available.

Fresno State's wrestling program, following its departure from the PAC 10, it has been competing as an independent. The team was scheduled to join the newly formed Western Wrestling Conference (WWC) in the fall of 2006. It is a conference where the membership is spread out over seven states and three time zones. This dynamic would likely to have significantly increased wrestling travel costs.

Western Wrestling Conference: Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley State, Wyoming

3. The absence of a dedicated wrestling practice facility and locker room

4. The absence of a cost-effective venue for competition

5. The recent history of academic achievement within the wrestling program
The program has most recently scored an NCAA APR rate of 871. This is well below the acceptable rating of 925 and ranks the team in the lowest 10% among Division I wrestling programs.

The team has an aggregate GPA of 2.44. This represents the lowest team GPA in the athletics department by a large margin and .45 below the average student-athlete average of 2.89.

6. Wrestling is not a broad-based NCAA championship sport
As of September 1, 2005, there were 87 NCAA Division I wrestling programs. This represents roughly 27% of the NCAA Division I membership. On the same date there were 303 NCAA Division I men's cross country programs.

FRESNO STATE, CONFERENCE AND NATIONAL SPORTS PROGRAMMING

With the programming adjustment, the average numbers of NCAA participating institutions reflected in the seven sports that Fresno State will continue to sponsor in the fall of 2006 is 281.

Fresno State will continue to sponsor seven men's sports in the 2006-07.

7. Wrestling carries a significant roster and scholarship level. It also does not have a like women's program
Wrestling carries 9.9 equivalency full scholarships and a roster of 35 student-athletes. Continued sponsorship of the sport would impede compliance with Title IX and CALNOW student-athlete participation levels and distribution of athletics aid. These challenges have become considerably greater in recent years. Currently the student body ratio at Fresno State is 60/40 in favor of women, and the trend is expected to continue into the foreseeable future.

Further, because wrestling does not have a like women's program it is less efficient regarding the use of resources and facilities. Finally, the sponsorship of a uniquely men's sport also makes it more difficult to make the appropriate comparisons among men's and women's sport programs OCR's "13-point laundry list."

FRESNO STATE 2005-06 MEN'S SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP LEVELS AND LIKE SPORTS STATUS

The reinstated men's cross country program will carry a roster of 10-12 individuals and, per NCAA rule; the scholarship distribution will be absorbed into the men's track and field allotment. The net result is an improvement in the participation and scholarship ratio between men and women student-athletes at Fresno State.

It is important to note that although the department's mission to achieve compliance with Title IX standards was not a primary driving force behind the decision to discontinue the wrestling program and reinstate men's cross country; this adjustment will indeed result in a positive effect on the department's gender equity.

8. Reinstatement of men's cross country
The reinstatement of men's cross country is expected to cost less than $25,000 annually, which will be recovered via the NCAA sport sponsorship distribution, Subsequently, any additional cost for the program will be negligible.