Tabby Soignier of the (Monroe, La.) News Star files this report on the budget challenges the University of Louisiana-Monroe athletic department faces due to the current economic recession.

ULM athletic director Bobby Staub appreciates operating a budget much like his coaches enjoy their players – lean with little to no waste to get in the way.

When Staub took the position five years ago, he understood the limitations of a mid-major university when it came to finances.

It did not take long after for he and his administration to begin to feel the effects of the economic challenges that started to unravel.

Five years later as the nation floats amid the hardest hits of the recession, it seems that the mid-major universities have found an advantage over other athletic programs.

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