Harvard Wrestling Coach Jim Peckham has seen what has happened to his colleagues at Yale, and has elected to build a wrestling endowment.
Peckham says he has held two or three meetings with alumni, one as recently as last week, trying to develop and implement a long-range plan to create a secure financial base for his team.
"The reality of today's market is that your dollar just doesn't go as far," Peckham says.
Outside funding, he says, is essential to build a national-caliber program.
"We could maintain a level of wrestling here ad infinitum under the Harvard budget," Peckham says. "But if you want to enhance a program, you have to think seriously about raising money."
Men's Volleyball Coach Ishan Gurdal agrees.
"We're almost self-sufficient," Gurdal says. "We do as much fundraising as we can within NCAA regulations."
But even Gurdal admits to feeling a small squeeze.
"We take better care of our balls," Gurdal says. "We can't be as frivolous with them."
Fortunately for Harvard, the coaches and the athletic department are in agreement. There is no kicking and screaming over inadequate funding, but a realization that the times are changing.
Coaches say they have faith that Cleary will do his best to maintain all existing athletic programs. No officials in the athletic department, Gurdal and Peckham say, have suggested that programs will be cut.
Even Nancy Nitardy, the coach of Harvard's youngest varsity sport, women's water polo, says her program seems secure.
"I don't think the program is in jeopardy at all," Nitardy says.
But optimism among the administration is guarded.
"Every school is cutting sports," Cleary says. "We dont't want to. But someday, the gun might be turned upon us, and we'd have to do something. We've been lucky so far."
"I don't know what's going to happen if the axe falls and says, 'X' hundred thousand dollars have to go," Toland says.
Toland is preparing a plan for the worst-case scenario. But, he says, extenuating circumstances prevent random cuts in budgets.
The school must always insure that it is in compliance with NCAA regulations concerning equal funding and participation for men's and women's athletic programs.
"With all this gender and equity business, we can't just drop sports. I can't tell if the programs are safe. Chances are, though, maybe we'll go after the JV's first," Toland says.
"Our goal is to keep as many teams as possible, but I can't forecast the future," Cleary says. "It's like a jigsaw puzzle out there: you have to try to fit the pieces in the puzzle to keep the programs. Because, after all, that's what we're in business for: the programs. It's for the kids."