More cuts to SFU sports with dismissal of marketing and communications team

CBC
·1 min read
The cuts follow SFU president Joy Johnson's sudden and controversial decision last year to eliminate the school's football team. (Ben Nelms/CBC - image credit)
The cuts follow SFU president Joy Johnson's sudden and controversial decision last year to eliminate the school's football team. (Ben Nelms/CBC - image credit)

The athletics and recreation department at Simon Fraser University has shrunk once again with the dismissal of all three people on the marketing and communications team, along with a fourth person high up in the recreation department, CBC has confirmed.

Longtime marketing and communications associate director Steve Frost, and managers of communications Wilson Wong and Jacob Lazare, were informed their jobs had been eliminated in an email and Zoom call Tuesday.

The cuts follow SFU president Joy Johnson's sudden and controversial decision last year to eliminate the school's football team.

The end of the 57-year-old program came as a complete surprise to the dozens of football student athletes, staff and supporters, sparking heavy criticism, a lawsuit and a high-profile fundraising campaign aimed at keeping the program alive.

Senior athletics director Theresa Hanson stepped down in August of last year and has not been replaced.

Five SFU Football players have filed an injunction in the Supreme Court of British Columbia to halt the university's heavily-criticized decision to cancel its varsity football program last week.
Five SFU Football players have filed an injunction in the Supreme Court of British Columbia to halt the university's heavily-criticized decision to cancel its varsity football program last week.

In 2023, the decision to eliminate the 57-year-old SFU football program was met with shock and heavy criticism. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

A report commissioned by the school amid the blowback found that SFU Athletics and Recreation was facing an operational deficit of $1.7 million this year.

In an emailed statement, SFU confirmed that budget challenges were a consideration in the job cuts.

"We can confirm that some roles were eliminated as this work can be supported through other areas of the organization," said the statement.

With the elimination of football, SFU now has teams competing in eight different sports under the U.S.-based National Collegiate Athletics Association.

"There is no change in SFU's commitment to the NCAA at this time, and the university will continue to fulfil NCAA game requirements," said the statement.