A group of coaches at Sonoma State University is filing a federal civil rights complaint in an attempt to block the planned elimination of all of the school’s athletic programs.
The complaint, filed Saturday, is on behalf of minority student-athletes. It was filed by the newly formed Save Seawolves Athletics group. The complaint says doing away with the athletics department will disproportionately affect minority students.
The complaint also asks the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to investigate the university’s proposed cuts. And, it argues that the affected student-athletes have not been provided with due process.T
This comes as Memphis Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells, a former Sonoma State Seawolf and only SSU player to make it to the NBA, is lending his support to the #SaveSeawolvesAthletics movement.
Wells, who credits his success to his time at Sonoma State, before ultimately transferring to Washing State, says he will help in any way he can, including raising awareness on social media. His teammate & NBA superstar, Ja Morant, has also expressed interest in supporting the cause.
Wells, a potential NBA All-Star, hopes to visit Sonoma State during All-Star Weekend in San Francisco to show his support in person.
Meanwhile, the recent decision to cut $20 million in programs, has sent shockwaves through the Rohnert Park community.
The university, a major employer in the city, employs around 1,200 people. While acknowledging the challenges, Mayor Gerard Giudice emphasizes the city’s commitment to supporting SSU and its students. The cuts will impact faculty positions, academic programs, and local businesses that rely on student activity.
However, the reduction in student enrollment may slightly ease the city’s tight housing market.
Rohnert Park is exploring ways to mitigate the impact of these cuts and continues to pursue economic growth initiatives, including a major downtown development project.
