This is a petition to keep Synchronized Swimming a varsity sport at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Recently the Athletics Department at UAB has decided to cancel the already existing program. Why keep Synchronized Swimming you ask This is why: - UAB Synchro has been the highest nationally ranked sport on campus since its inception seven seasons ago. - We own three third-place finishes and three fourth-place finishes at the Collegiate National Championships, and a fourth and three fifth-place finishes at the US National Championships. - We have produced nine All-Americans - more than any other team on campus, according to the 2008 UAB Synchronized Swimming media guide, a UAB publication. - We have also produced 15 Academic All-Americans, and have maintained one of the athletic department\'s highest team GPAs. Many people are confused as to why the decision was made to cut the program. It is the understanding of the athletes that there are two main reasons: - UAB is a Conference USA school, and Synchronized Swimming is not currently a Conference USA Sport. - UAB would like a team that brings in more female athletes in order to comply with Title 9, an NCAA rule that states that there must be as many female athletes on athletic scholarships as there are males. It has been brought to my attention that a rumour has been circulating that the NCAA has cancelled Synchronized Swimming. This is untrue. The NCAA is re-evaluating USA Synchro in July, but A DECISION HAS NOT BEEN MADE. Therefore this is not a justification to cancel the program. Also I would like to make you aware that all other programs in the country are at risk, and that if UAB looses their varsity status, this will reflect poorly to the NCAA. It may be the end the National Synchronized Swimming Collegiate System. We have a good following at the University - we fill out the entire seating area at Bell Aquatics Center every year for our single home meet of the season. We would host more competitions, but no one will come to our pool because a routine that is not designed for shallow water like ours is not doable in our facility. This is a petition for all those who are upset at this decision and want to save this very successful program. Please take a moment to fight for us. We deserve a place on this campus as much as any other sport, and though you would think that our track record speaks for itself, apparently that is not the case. We need your help in order to remain a part of the UAB community Please check out our Facebook group SAVE UAB SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING for updates on the situation. If we can get enough people to support our cause, then there may be a chance that the decision can be reversed. Please invite all of your friends to sign this petition and to help keep us on campus. Please sign our petition and tell everyone you know about what is happening to our sport, not just UAB\'s team. It has been a hard struggle to gain NCAA recognition, and we are on the verge of a huge turning point for the sport. Either we will be sent back to the drawing board and loose all of the varsity teams in the country, or we will be reconfirmed as the strong, growing, supported community of student athletes that we are. - Frances Halloran, Captain, UAB Synchronized Swimming

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