U of L Hockey Advisory Committee discontinued

By Dale Woodard on March 19, 2021.

Spenser Jensen and Connor Sanvido chase a puck into the corner behind goaltender Jonny Hogue during a practice at Nicholas Sheran Arena. Herald file photo by Ian Martens

LETHBRIDGE HERALDsports@lethbridgeherald.com

The University of Lethbridge Hockey Advisory Committee, which has spent nearly the past year looking into the possibility of the reinstatement of the U of L Pronghorns men’s and women’s hockey programs, has been discontinued.

The advisory — headed up by Hockey Advisory Committee chair Dan LaPlante — which was established last year shortly after the university’s hockey programs were halted in April of 2020 due to provincial government education budget cuts has been iced due to more cutbacks.

“Last year, a Hockey Advisory Committee reporting to the President’s Executive Council, was struck to explore the feasibility of a sustainable community-based funding model that would allow for the reinstatement of the men’s and women’s hockey programs at the University of Lethbridge,” said the university in a statement. “While the committee identified potential financial support within the community, we have been unable to arrive at a model that does not include a substantial ongoing funding investment from the University,”

The release of the 2021/22 budget by the Province of Alberta, in which the University of Lethbridge received a larger-than-anticipated 5.8 per cent ($5.7 million) cut to its operating grant, highlighted the University’s inability to commit to an ongoing funding investment in reestablishing the programs, the statment continued.

“This cut is in addition to cuts of 3.2 per cent ($3.4 million) and 6.6 per cent ($6.7 million) over the past two years and the University expects a further cut of 5.5 per cent in the 2022/23 operating grant.

These reductions, coupled with significant negative financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, have been felt in every corner of our university and has resulted in the loss of over 100 positions thus far. For these reasons, the activities of the Hockey Advisory Committee will be discontinued.

“We know many members of the Lethbridge community are passionate about Pronghorn athletics as evident by those who eagerly stepped forward to serve on this committee. Our University and external community will always value our history of Pronghorn Hockey, as well as the alumni who have come through our program.

The university extended thanks to LaPlante and his committee members for their efforts.

“We are grateful for the important work these individuals undertook on behalf of the institution and we will apply what we have learned through this process in future decisionmaking pertaining to Pronghorn Athletics and the University as a whole.”

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