University of Hawai'i football coaches on furlough?

Volleyball coaches benched by the budget?

In the wake of Gov. Linda Lingle's intent to order furloughs for state workers, Manoa campus officials say they aren't sure if coaches could eventually be included in the asked-for cuts. "Short answer: We don't know yet," said Manoa spokesman Gregg Takayama.

But if furloughs were to be mandated, some coaches say they would continue to do their jobs — just without the pay they'd be docked.

"We aren't going to not coach," said Dave Shoji, Rainbow Wahine volleyball head coach. "I'll accept whatever they come up with. I don't think we should be exempt from any kind of cuts (if the rest of the campus is cut). ... I'll do my part."

Associate head football coach Rich Miano said, "We work Christmas, we work Thanksgiving Day ... we're gonna work and pound the pavement just like we always do, even if we don't get paid for it."

While UH is governed by an independent body (the Board of Regents) and, therefore, not subject to the governor's order, she has said she hoped exempted areas would adopt furloughs. Whether coaches, who operate on contracts different from most campus employees, would be exempt was not immediately known, some UH officials said yesterday. Coaches said they weren't sure, either.

Additionally, Lingle has said she would trim spending for these departments by a like amount.

UH officials said it is not immediately clear how much of a cut that would amount to on top of the $34 million slice that comes with the July 1 start of the fiscal year.

Athletics, which had a $29.5 million operating budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, receives about 15 percent of its support from state money. The remainder is generated through ticket sales, rights fees, merchandising, sponsorships and donations.

"At this point I have no idea on the furloughs," said Jim Donovan, UH athletic director. "It will probably take at least a couple of weeks before I begin to get enough information on how it (all) may impact UH athletics, and potentially the administration, coaches and staff contracts and salary."

Meanwhile, coaches and athletic departments at other schools, including Western Athletic Conference member Utah State, have either already undertaken or are bracing for furloughs.

The Chronicle of Higher Education reported Arizona State, Clemson, Maryland and Utah State have implemented furlough programs that apply to all employees, including coaches. At Louisiana State, coaches are among those bracing for furloughs.

Lingle said she is asking state workers to take three days a month in furloughs for two years to help narrow a $730 million budget deficit.

The furloughs, which would start next month and run 72 days in all, are equivalent to a 13.8 pay cut.

Were similar terms to be imposed on UH coaches, Shoji would be docked approximately $24,000 while head football coach Greg McMackin, the highest-paid state employee at $1,100,004, would be cut $151,801.