Whittier College issued a statement stating, “This was a difficult decision, supported by the Board of Trustees, that attempts to allocate funding on the things that make Whittier College unique.” Football, golf, and lacrosse, according to the private college, are more expensive to maintain than other sports. They also raised concern over growing public understanding of the harm that contact sports do to the brain.
A football player for Whittier College named Daniel Franklin commented, “I just wish they treated us a bit better. Is this how the school treats us? I firmly believe that our president and the administration should examine this and determine what was done.” The school intends to redeploy funds to support additional varsity teams and student initiatives.