Cal Lutheran Still Studying Athletics Plan

A proposal to upgrade the athletics program at Cal Lutheran is still under review by the school’s athletic policy committee, a university spokesman said Wednesday.

The report, which was authored by Bill Redell, former assistant to university President Jerry H. Miller, was submitted in September. It was expected that the committee would have a five-year plan for the athletic program mapped out by Dec. 1.

The nine-member committee still is working on recommendations, however, and Jean Sandlin, associate director of public information, said its report to Miller would not be completed until March.

Construction of a multisport athletics complex, the lowering of admission standards for scholarship athletes and a substantial increase in football and basketball scholarships were among the key points of Redell’s report, which he submitted after four months of research.

The proposal to lower academic requirements for athletes brought a wave of protest from faculty members. Miller sent a memorandum the day after portions of Redell’s findings were published in The Times stating that the administration would not lower grade requirements for athletes. Redell resigned 10 days later.

Cal Lutheran is a member of the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics’ Golden State Athletic Conference in basketball and a member of the Division II Western Football Conference in football.