Referendum May Kill Other Northridge Programs : Budget: Athletic director says that without a fee hike, the university will field just 14 programs.

Football, women’s basketball, men’s soccer and men’s swimming are among the Cal State Northridge programs that could be terminated if a key student fee referendum in March fails, Athletic Director Bob Hiegert said Saturday.

Hiegert said that if the measure fails, Northridge would field only 14 programs, the minimum number necessary to remain at the NCAA Division I level. Northridge now fields 18 teams.

“If we don’t have enough money to operate, then we have to make tough decisions,” Hiegert said.

In short, Northridge’s third attempt in a year to pass an athletic referendum could mean life or death for four Northridge programs. When the Associated Students election is held March 8-9, the potential price tag for students may not be as high.

In October, students were asked to pay $49 per semester for athletics and the measure was narrowly defeated in the largest election turnout in school history. A similar proposal was defeated last spring.

Yet Northridge President Blenda J. Wilson told athletics administrators and coaches on Friday that she hopes to maintain the current level of funding from the University Corporation, formerly called the Foundation.

If Wilson delivers the Corporation funding--which amounts to $225,000 for 1994-95--the referendum’s financial impact on students will be lessened.

At least three referendum packages are being considered. The referendum options will contain different dollar figures and athletic configurations.

The choices:

* With a semester fee increase of $26 per student, no programs would be eliminated and the level of funding across the board would increase.

* With a hike of $19 a semester, football would be dropped and other sports would receive a slight funding increase.

* At $15, football would be dropped and other teams would remain at status quo in terms of funding levels.

* Other programs would be lost if no increase is approved.

Wilson is expected to release to the public this week a list of funding options for the department, which faces a deficit of $700,000 next year. The formal list of referendum selections under consideration may be included in the announcement, Hiegert said.

After soliciting public opinion, Wilson is scheduled to announce in mid-January which referendum package will be placed on the ballot, Hiegert said.

Hiegert added that the “indication so far” from Wilson is that there will be no more referendum attempts if the March measure fails.