The University of Connecticut is cutting four sports to close a huge budget shortfall made worse by COVID-19.

School trustees voted Wednesday, as UConn is short of $50 million this upcoming year.

The sports cut were men's cross-country, men's swimming and diving, men's tennis and women's rowing.

The sports will remain until the May of 2021 to give student athletes time to figure out their plans.

"This decision will come as a surprise to many, as very few saw this coming," says Jennifer Sanford, the UConn women's rowing coach.

 

UConn officials say the school will honor all scholarships.

"While this is a painful decision, it is in the best interest of the long-term viability of UConn and UConn Athletics," says UConn President Tom Katsouleas.

School leaders did not address UConn's struggling football program. UConn trustees chair Dan Tosacano told News 12 in December that UConn football, with big-name opponents like Boston College and Army, can still make money through TV deals.

"People want to play us, and we have a little more flexibility now to schedule games where we get paid," he said.

The school also announced that only 70% of students will be allowed back on UConn campuses this fall. Dorm space will be prioritized based on how far away a student lives and whether classes require them to be on campus.

 

Dorms in Stamford are all apartments that can be socially distanced.

UConn says some students could lose their housing assignments, but only for the fall semester. The school hopes to have everyone back on campus by January.

UConn Athletic Director David Benedict tells News 12 in a statement, "this was a very difficult, but necessary, decision. Reducing expenses is critical to our financial sustainability but that doesn't make this decision any more palatable for the student-athletes and coaches on the affected teams. We are committed to providing impacted Huskies with our full support during this transition, whether they wish to stay at UConn or transfer to another institution. Despite our current emotions, we are optimistic that the financial plan approved today will serve as an important roadmap for a bright future for UConn athletics."