Rally to protest athletic cuts at EMU to be held Monday

A host of Eastern Michigan University students and other sports stakeholders plan to rally on the college's campus to protest proposed athletic program cuts on Monday, April 16.

On March 20, the EMU Board of Regents announced a plan to eliminate four athletic programs including tennis, wrestling, softball and men's swimming. Hundreds are expected to turn out for the event.

"Eastern Michigan University needs to consider the long-term effect these cuts will have on current and prospective students in other sports or considering attending the school to continue their athletic careers," said Kevin Doak, an EMU swimming alumnus who also is organizing Save EMU Sports, a social media group which already has 40,000 signatures on a Change.Org petition calling for the cancellation of these proposed cuts. "This rally is designed to present university officials with alternative solutions, in addition to supporting our student-athletes and staff.

The Coalition For A Better EMU sponsored rally will support impacted EMU student-athletes and staff, as well as sharing some proposed alternative solutions to the cuts.

The rally will begin at 6 pm outside the campus's Convocation Center, located at 799 North Hewitt Road in Ypsilanti.

More information about the rally and the proposed athletic cuts can be found at www.saveemusports.com