number of varsity sports..."

So, does mean other sports are now going to take the fall instead of track/
XC, or is this trying to put a brave face on the fact that they just walked this back?

Having a program chopped at the end of May is tough timing for an Ivy athlete who may wish to compete at a school with a comparable academic profile -- whether in or out of the Ivy League.

Difficulty in making this cut stick is a harbinger for how challenging it will be for many schools to fit into budgets that are being revised sharply lower.

I read today that Harvard is now projecting a $1.2 bn revenue shortfall over the next two years, presumably across undergrad and all the grad schools. Their endowment may have been $40+ bn at year-end, but they seem to be taking the shortfall quite seriously.