In a shocking turn of events that might make you question the priorities of higher education, San Francisco State University has decided to axe three sports programs, including men’s soccer, because apparently budgeting is harder than cheering a goal.

Announced in an open letter filled with the usual corporate-speak by SFSU President Lynn Mahoney, the decision followed a less-than-thrilling budget meeting where the reality of financial constraints was made painfully clear. Because who really needs a well-rounded college experience when you can have budget cuts instead?

Mahoney went on to explain that the university’s “Athletics Task Force” has been working tirelessly to figure out how to save a buck or two, good luck with that! They ultimately decided that slashing teams was the way to improve the financial situation. Spoiler alert: It’s not.

By July 1, students who participated in Women’s Indoor Track and Field, Baseball, and Men’s Soccer will find themselves scrambling not just for their mental health but also for new ways to keep their athletic dreams alive. Mahoney’s ‘concern’ for the student-athletes is touching, though let’s be real, she’s likely more focused on balancing the books than balancing the number of athletes who can represent the school.

The loss of these teams is particularly rough for those who’ve spent years honing their craft, just ask any gator! They’re not just losing a competitive platform; they’re losing community, identity, and a social circle that kept them going through college’s many ups and downs.

It’s hard not to feel that higher education institutions have it all wrong. Shouldn’t they be nurturing talent instead of deciding who gets to play by the economics of despair? Cutting teams feels like another bleak act in a never-ending play about how capitalism continuously fails student athletes, while wealthy donors likely continue to sip their overpriced lattes.

As we say goodbye (for now) to these programs, let’s think about how higher education continuously prioritizes budgets over bodies and dreams. These funding decisions aren’t just numbers, they are the lives of students being reshaped by a system that seems to care more about its balance sheet than the flourishing futures of young talent.