The news from the new director of athletics, Norwood Teague, that the University of Minnesota plans to hire a facilities-planning firm to help create a master plan for the next 10 years and beyond for the department of athletics is as arrogant as it is dispiriting.             

At a time when every dollar must be carefully budgeted, this department continues to operate with impunity and seemingly no accountability to higher authority or responsibility to the taxpayers.

I urge you to contact Gov. Mark Dayton, your state senators and state representatives and the Board of Regents to demand that any further outside hiring to plan the future of the department of athletics at the University be put on hold while this entire process and program are thoroughly audited and examined by a state agency, say, the Department of the Attorney General. The behavior by the athletics department must be monitored for accountability.

My question always has been: What has big-time sports have to do with education? I have yet to hear a valid response joining the two.

Make this a part of your vetting of candidates for the Nov. 6 election. Ask them what they are going to do about reining in out-of-control spending on the totally wasteful University department of athletics that operates with singular impunity.

Now is the time to stop the tail from wagging the Gopher.