Three people wearing hoodies unfurled four banners spelling out that message at 7:15 Friday morning from the top of the UND parking ramp at the busy intersection of Columbia Road and University Avenue.

The message on the banners was aimed at UND’s decision to cut women’s hockey and the school’s swimming and diving teams. UND President Mark Kennedy said the athletic department needed to cut $1.3 million from its budget, but this week’s announcement to cut women’s hockey caused outrage across the community and beyond.

The three said they were students but declined to identify themselves and left the parking ramp soon after they unfurled the signs. The banners were taken down a short time later.

Last year, UND cut the equivalent of 123.8 full-time positions worth $21.8 million, according to university documents. About nine of those were listed as executive, administrative and managerial, for a decrease of $2.78 million. Executive administrative and managerial staff only made up 7 percent of the schools, but they had some of the lowest percentage reduction rates -- 3 to 4 percent -- while most other categories had percentage losses in the double digits.

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Peter Johnson, interim vice president for university and public affairs, said the school is cutting four executive administrative posts in this round of cuts, or about a fifth of the 20 positions that include the president, six vice presidents and 13 associate and assistant vice presidents.

Asked if the school’s administration would face more cuts, Johnson said the school needs leadership positions to operate.

In another reaction to the athletics cuts, a change.org petition to save the women’s hockey team has attracted more than 2,300 supporters by Friday afternoon.

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