Furloughs have now come to college football.
Boise State's football coaching staff, including head coach Bryan Harsin, will all be required to take furloughs as the school deals with funding issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
University President Marlene Tromp emailed faculty and staff about the furloughs on Monday, saying events that have been canceled stretching into summer have contributed to nearly $10 million in losses. A university spokesman confirmed Monday night that coaches are included in the furloughs.
Per the school’s announcement, all employees who are paid more than $40,000 a year are required to take furloughs.
Recently hired running backs coach Winston Venable will be required to take seven days. Furloughed employees aren’t allowed to perform any work when they’re off.
Football coach Bryan Harsin’s base salary is $1.65 million this year. Men’s basketball coach Leon Rice’s base was $705,292 in 2019, and women’s basketball coach Gordy Presnell’s was $242,128. They all fall into the highest tier of required furloughs, while baseball coach Gary Van Tol ($81,438) will have to take five days.
During the furlough, the coaches are not allowed to perform any work-related activities, which would include recruiting and team meetings.
This situation obviously not unique to the American labor force as a whole, with many businesses across the country furloughing employees amidst a state of limbo as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, but it does mark the first time a college athletic department has been affected by furloughs.
