The athletic director position has been terminated and, after his two-year career at UC Santa Cruz, Cliff Dochterman was laid off from the position.
“I needed to make a very difficult decision to lay off Cliff Dochterman, UCSC athletics director,” said Executive Director of Office of Physical Education, Recreation and Sports (OPERS) Andrea Willer in an email to NCAA coaches and players. “This decision was difficult but necessary due to the current budget situation within athletics.”
Willer said that the decision was made to have the “least impact the overall program” of NCAA athletics. Last year, Dochterman’s salary was over $101,000.
“If they cut our head position, it makes you wonder about other positions,” said an NCAA captain. “It causes a lot of insecurity in the athletics community.”
They said rumors have been circling, but it wasn’t until the team approached its coach that the rumors were confirmed. They also said the responsibilities will be dispersed among the other members of the athletics office.
“It just doesn’t seem like it’s a job that’s dispensable,” they said.
City on a Hill Press will continue to update this story as it develops.
