The Colby men’s and women’s rugby teams have secured funding from the college administration for the 2014-2015 season.
On November 19, both teams were informed that the college would be defunding the rugby program after the spring 2014 season.
But all that changed on the morning of December 6, after both teams received an email from Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Lori Kletzer stating that the Colby rugby program would be funded for the 2014-2015 season.
“With each meeting we’ve had (with the administration), we’ve come to understand a different piece of the puzzle,” said Mac Nichols ’14, a member of the Colby men’s rugby team.
Nichols suspects that the enormous support from the fan base and Colby rugby alumni played a large role in persuading the college to continue funding the rugby program.
“Along the way, we’ve had a fantastically supportive alumni base,” he said. “A lot of alumni were concerned with a lack of transparency and how disposable this club seems to be.”
Nichols noted that after many meetings with the administration, further discussions are taking place through a "working group" that he believes is composed of alumni and administrators—“people who are very invested in the school.”
One thing that concerns Nichols and the team is the impending retirement of Colby College President William Adams, which is “going to make this discussion necessarily longer,” Nichols remarked.