By  Evan Powell

Quincy University, as a whole, is working diligently to decide what’s best for the university now and in the future. Like all other departments, athletics plays a pivotal role to help QU in its recovery plan.

The new leadership of the university has strategically developed a plan to increase profits. This plan includes cost reductions, increasing tuition revenue and a $7 million fundraising effort for the next five years.

“We have to try to find a way to remain competitive by making the necessary changes to assist the recovery reboot plans,” Athletic Director Marty Bell said.

Athletics and other departments of the university are working together in adding new programs and alternate ways to reach financial equilibrium.

As a part of this plan, the university is also looking into adding Junior Varsity (JV) athletic teams in the near future. In doing so, the university will be able to add more student-athletes to help increase enrollment.

“Adding JV teams enables the athletic department to help with the discount rate of the university by bringing in more student-athletes,” Bell said.

Junior Varsity sports are often more closely associated with high school, but JV programs at colleges aren’t unheard of.

The football team had a JV schedule and team up until 2011, when QU transitioned from the NAIA to NCAA Division II.

The men’s baseball team currently has a JV team that competes against surrounding schools like John Wood Community College, Lincoln Land Community College and Hannibal-LaGrange University.

“I think one of the more positive aspects is that it would create a more competitive atmosphere that QU sports already exhibit, and it would improve our overall competitiveness in the conference,” freshman Nathan Blauser said.